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OK guys, I've been carefully reading The Rifle for October, 1886. At the NRA matches at Creedmoor, there were a number of matches where the rules said "any military rifle, including specials". Farrow entered a number of them with a "Farrow Special Military Rifle".
He won the Judd Match, held Sept. 13 & 14. 200 yards, 14 shots offhand. First prize was $40.
The Shorkley Match held on Sept. 14 was 10 shots at each of 800, 900, and 1,000 yards, any position. 12 entrants, Farrow finished LAST!. The better scores were the usual battles between the shooters of Sharps and Remington products. Only $5 for Milton.
The Continuous Match was apparently a re-entry, 7 shots offhand at 200 yards. Farrow took 2nd place, $40, apparently with points for using a military rifle.
He took 6th place, $10, in the Governors' Match, a re-entry, 7 shots at 500 yards, any position. Again with a Farrow Special Military rifle.
As a member of the 4-man Zetler Team #1, he won 1st place in the Short Range Team Match, 10 shots at 200 yards, offhand. Match held Sept. 15 & 16. $50 for the team, $12.50 for WMF's share. What won the match were 4 bonus points for using military rifles.
Tied for 3rd in the Steward Match, 10 shots at 200 yards; positions could be sitting, kneeling or offhand. No mention of money.
After all that, has anyone seen a Farrow Special Military rifle? My GUESS is that it is/was a First Model action, single trigger, moderately heavy round barrel, probably .38-55 B&M caliber. Maybe it was fitted with a military-style forearm, maybe even with one or two barrel bands.
I think the caliber was .38-55 because Farrow is known to have demonstrated shooting at 1,000 yards with a .38-55, and because I think that the .45-70 case is simply too big for the Farrow action,
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Joe Dobrzynski's Farrow letter (Read 5264 times)
