As I have alluded to in other posts on this forum I would very much like to add a Hepburn to my collection.

One has come up at a local action - see description below. Has anyone heard of that calibre and what would the gun be worth as described?

REMINGTON HEPBURN , MODEL: DROP BLOCK RIFLE , CALIBER: 40 1 7/8 , BORE IS FAIR, LIGHT PITTING. BLADE FRONT SIGHT. U NOTCH ADJUSTABLE REAR SIGHT. OCTAGONALAL BARREL. MARKED E.REMINGTON AND SONS, ILIONNY. RIGHT SIDE OPENING LEVER. HAMMER WORKS. BREECH BLOCK SPRING BROKEN. TWO PIECE WOOD STOCKS. CHECKERED PISTOL GRIP. CURVED STEEL BUTT PLATE. STEEL FOREND CAP. METAL FINISH TURNING BROWN, LIGHT PITTED SPOTS. HANDLING MARKS. STOCK SHOWS DINGS, SCRATHES AND HANDLING MARKS , ACTION: DROP BLOCK , BARREL LENGTH: 28" , SERIAL# 3536 , CONDITION:6/10 ANTIQUE

pm sent.   tony <><

a 40 1 7/8 is   .40-50 Sharps  designed for paper patched bullets.    without seeing photos, hard to judge a price.  The recent Amoskeag auction just sold quite a few Hepburns  for what I thought (IMHO) for big money. Nearly all were listed as "special order" "rare"  "unique", ( aren't they all).  However, a 40 1 7/8 sold for $2585 (inc BP) and a 38-40 for $1645.   

To answer the big question, I would be in the bidding up to about $1500, and would  consider Buyers premium, hoping to spend less than $2k.  But if I saw it and fell in love with it, well.... a fool and his money....

Good luck, 

if you win it, post a photo!

-06

Yes, a breech block spring is the spring that pushes against the lever and helps the breech block snap up into position. A very easy fix, and not super expensive spring to buy.

I'd agree with oughtsix's estimate. I love the .40-50 SS cartridge, and if the bore is good it's a wonderful cartridge for smokeless loads.

Rebel wrote on Dec 2^nd, 2020 at 10:51am:


Having owned one that broke the spring, I can say mine didn't stay fully up. It dropped slightly when the spring broke.

As a Hepburn addict and having more of them than I want to tell, and given the rest of the rifle is what I want and matches the cost I think it is worth,
....(lots of "ifs" here) then the spring is of no mater. It is an easy to address problem.

That is my three cents worth.  I hope it helps you.

BTW - if it is as I picture it, that is, pretty used but not abused too bad, $1500 would be a quick sell to me. Then, going for up to $2000, I would need know a lot more about it to crack my wallet open,   ... but maybe worth it. As said, it is very hard to know with out seeing it or holding it.  Sometimes these rifles have a special appeal or special UN-attractiveness, based on something unique you see on the rifle that may affect your attraction to it.   Also, the chambering is a good one if shooting it is on your list. 40-50 sharps straight (40-1-7/8") is an easy conversion from 30-40 Krag.

There were quite a few Hepburns at Amoskeag.  DO NOT go by the prices as a typical price for a typical rifle.  Those were in exceptional fine condition.  Next to new would not be an overstatement.
Most from one collection and the collector was "particular". I saw them.

Another will come along.  I've noticed that when I miss buying something, I often see another one in short order.  Or something similar that I wasn't so hot for, then realize after I get it I'm better off.  

That happened the other month. I had been trying to get a good Colt SAA but kept getting skunked for 5-6 auctions.  I quit looking.  Next, I was watching a sharps percussion carbine on an auction.  Needed a buttstock, I found an original "in case" I won it.  Then on auction day I wanted to test the companies online system, so picked a Colt SAA that was up about 10 lots before.  It was starting cheap, I knew I would get outbid, so clicked the starting bid.  Going once...twice...I won it.  And it's very nice, already shot it.  The sharps would have been a project for a year or more.