*** Evans Aficionados *** - Article - New Model Evans in .44 Caliber

[Two Flints]

Hello SSS,

Excellent article on the Evans Repeating Rifle in the Spring 2015 issue of GUNS OF THE OLD WEST.  In addition to the Evans article by Todd G. Lofgren, there are additional articles dealing with other Civil War firearms, and of course, our beloved Spencer

Two Flints

[Will Ketchum]

A nice article, too bad he messed up the Merwin Hulbert name by adding the infamous "&".   I have been fascinated by the Evans for years and even had a chance to shoot the one that Wilford Brimley shot in "Crossfire Trail".

One of it's problems, as mentioned, was the many lever strokes needed to bring the first round up.

Will Ketchum

[mtmarfield]

   Greetings!

   My Evan's NM Carbine has the same ".430 +/-" groove dimension. Recall that Ideal / Lyman
Outside Lubricated ("Heeled") Mould Numbers did not reflect the maximum bullet diameter, but
the Heel Diameter. One example is the Ideal #299153, which I use in my Marlin 1891; the Heel
diameter is .299", but the bore-riding surface is .313". Oddly, the .44 S&W "American" Ideal Mould
#419180 casts a .419" Heel-less bullet, while all cartridges that I've seen, and found illustrated,
were "Heeled" bullets.
   Why would MH manufacture such over-bored barrels for the NM? Why would Ideal / Lyman cut
undersized moulds? So that the bullets will "ride over" heavy fouling? Eh, maybe... I'm not satisfied
with that answer, however.
   "I read somewhere" (on another website, but repeated in the article above), that when the Evan's
Repeater manufacturing ceased, repeaters were assembled from existing parts; could it be that we
have NM arms with OM barrels? Hmmm... I also recall reading that some folks used .44 S&W "American"
cartridges in OM arms.
   If I decide to shoot my NM Carbine, I'll likely use .41 Mag Brass, with BP, a Mag Primer,
and a Heeled bullet mould that I had custom cut years ago for my old Frank Wesson 2-Trigger rifle.
I'll use .41 Mag brass, because it chambers in my Evan's nicely, whereas none of the .44Spl, Mag, etc
brass would never chamber without extreme swaging or turning.

            M.T.Marfield   

[Advertising]

[Trailrider]

An Old Model Evans I once examined would not accept .44 Russian brass, even without the bullet. Yet the rifling measured .427" across the grooves. I also examined a round of .44 Evans Short, which appeared to be similar to a .44 Henry, but centerfire. And, yes, it used a heel bullet. Haven't talked to Buffalo Arms, but I am curious how they form cases and what bullets they use for .44 Evans Short. Reckon one would have to get his arm in shape in order to be working the lever as many times as it would take to load just ten rounds for a SASS match, and get the first one up close enough to chamber!