Peabody Sporting Rifle , chambered for .45 Peabody Sporting, 26" tapered octagon barrel, mirror bore, with a number of rather unusual features. Though the wood is in very fine condition, the metal surfaces show carelessness in storage, so that the 75% or so original finish remaining is well-speckled and stained with rust. 4X walnut, checkered in the usual Peabody pattern, standard sporting buttplate.  A number of unusual German silver inlays decorate the gun, including a very unusual wrap-around rear fore end inlay, reminiscent of the sporting gun pictured in the woodcut in the earliest Peabody catalog.  The barrel is BROWNED from the factory, confirmed by removing the fore end.  The front of  the action has been sculpted to match the octagon flats, a feature I've never seen before on any Peabody rifle.  It wears a typical Peabody tang sight, but this one differs somewhat from another I have in my collection in the friction spring retaining elevation, and it that it can be laid flat either foreward or back on the stock.  The front sight is a unique globe sight with an adjustable hood for shading or lighting the post within.
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The nicest Peabody I've ever seen, thanks for the pictures.     ledball

John, that is by far the nicest peabody I have ever seen, thanks for sharing. Frank

Mighty fine iron John. Checkering on the Sporting Rifles have always been most impressive - quality +.  Most unique the intricate silver inlay work - one of a kind special order most likely?  Is the cartridge next to it an original (paper patch) or one of your reloads? Have you slugged the bore - what diameter?  On a nice day you 'will' take this fine 'ol lady out to the range n' shoot her, right?   Congrats...     Bear

You know you just opened yourself up to people begging you to X-Ray stuff for them, right

(Neat rifle, by the way! )

Paul F.

I'm fortunate to be a veterinarian with my own X-RAY machine (and I know how to use it!)  I took some radiographs of original paper patched cartridges years ago that show the wad column and bullet seating depth.  What fun!!

I think that is a very neat rifle

That is the nicest peabody I have seen. I would love to get ahold of one of these.

Thanks for all the kind words about the Peabody.  Haven't shot it yet (Round Tuits have been scarce of late...   Soon!...) The sidehammer sporting rifles are  scarcer by far than Peabody-Martini sporters, which are estimated to number around 450.  In 35 years of looking for them, I've only acquired three.  Estimates run something under 100 total (I've heard "85" bandied about from time to time.) 

A year or so ago the  Peabody "Pacific" as James Grant called it because of it's similarity to the Ballard of the same moniker, changed hands at auction, and an incognito bidder won it in spite of a rather aggressive absentee bid from yours truly.  I'm thinking the same secret Peabody fancier got the single remaining 1872 Trials rifle (of possibly 2 or 3 made) from Julia's not long after. The trials rifle has unique features in the action internals found on  NO other Peabody. (firing pin, v-leaf firing pin return spring, double extractors at 3 and 9 o'clock)  In spite of my requesting that the auction house pass along my contact info, he/she has yet to respond.

Sir (Madam?) come forth and be identified, that we might compare notes!!

hello John in pa, DSM here. Sorry about my delay in reply! As I said, I have a littermate to your sporting Peabody. Mine varies somewhat from yours. 28 inch half round bbl. , plain partridge type front sight,rear bbl sight mounted very close to frame,where bbl joins frame there are no ''facets''[sp],same chambering ,bore shines like a new dime! the forend tip of german silver? is smaller than yours  ,the wood may exeed yours in figure[my opinion]. more at a later date.regards DSM

Happy new year everybody. Back to the peabody discussion---. I hesitate to bring this up. The old saying  " if its too good to be true it probably isnt true" comes to mind.  Anyway.here goes,on page 540 of Grants BOYS SINGLE SHOT RIFLES    plate281 describes my peabody to include same serial number!    I have to conclude it is my rifle! this is a first for me and perhaps I am making too much of it.BUT. I suppose Grants guns had to end up somewhere!   p.s. the book I own is a wolfe publishing reprint of 1991.