The lag between the 1874 match and the 1879 patent is at least a quandary.  But for me, to suggest that Hepburn shot a rolling block that he felt compelled to boast he'd built himself seems a stretch.  Moreover, consider the following.

First, as Binger points out, there were 9 men on the 1874 American team.  Therefore, if the rifles used were split literally 50-50 between rolling blocks and Sharps side hammers, either one man had one of each type, or one had a rifle that was neither (and might well note that he'd made it himself).

Second, a note on the 1879 match cards (page 74 of Perry's book) states that whoever collected the data was "not familiar with his [Hepburn's] new rifle".  That match was held on 09/22-24/1879, two weeks before Hepburn's patent on the No. 3 rifle was granted (10/07/1879).   

Now Remington would not have been the first company to begin producing a product soon after a patent application date (here 04/21/1879).  Therefore, Hepburn could have shot one of those pre-patent No. 3s at the 1879 match.

Could the rifle Binger writes about be one of those?  Possibly, except for two things.  No other rifle like it is apparently known.  Moreover, the rifle illustrated in the patent looks exactly inside and out like the No. 3 we know and often love.  Binger's rifle doesn't, to the point that for me "Occam's Razor" suggests it truly is some type of prototype.

In short, for me, if Binger's rifle can be definitely shown to have been made by Hepburn, I'm more than happy to suggest it's not only a No. 3 prototype but quite likely a the gun Hepburn shot in the 1874 match.

Bill Lawrence

P.s.  For what it's worth, history is sometimes ironical.  John Browning's single shot - yes, that one! - and Heburn's were both issued patents on 10/07/1879 that were only 14 numbers apart (220271 and 220285, respectively).

As I mentioned in my previous note, the Hepburn patent was applied for on 04/21/1879 and was granted on 10/07/1879.  As things went back then, not quite 6 months in between was relatively quick.  But the real point is that the patent was not even applied for until the design (and likely the production layout) was at least largely finalized.  Which to me suggests that the actual development time probably extended for some considerable time beforehand, perhaps indeed several years.

Bill Lawrence

This is taken from an article written by Colonel Wingate on the first Creedmoor match. "LL Hepburn was a practical gunmaker employed by Remington. He had made with his own hands the guns which he and Fulton used." This could mean that Hepburn took over a spot on the line and built the rifles instead of other workmen and gave them his personal touch. I have pictures of Fulton's rifle when it sold at auction 9 or 10 years ago. It looks like a standard rolling block Creedmoor rifle.This makes me think that Hepburn's probably looked the same. Remember, this was the first match and the shooters only started in March with the arrival of the Sharps and the Rollers from the companys.  Did Hepburn already determine that new changes should be made in that short of a time period? Probably not . This makes me think the rifle that Richard Binger has, was not used in 1874.

Still, for all of that and as I noted, the Hepburn's 1879 patent drawing shows a rifle that looks like the one we know, not the Binger-owned prototype.  Therefore, before I'm willing to entertain that said prototype was what Heburn shot at the 1879 match, let me ask this:  Has anyone seen or heard of a Remington-made No. 3 that either has no patent date stamped thereon or is stamped with some version of "PATENT APPLIED FOR"?

Bill Lawrence