Replica Peabody Rifle

[Sparky]

Way back in 01/98 Guns&Ammo magazine ran an article about an outfit called Durango Rifle Co. building a replica Peabody single- shot. The guns were displayed/introduced at the '97( I think) SHOT Show. According to the review the original Peabodys were strong as a vault but lost uot to the cheaper Trapdoor Springfield conversions to serve the Army's post Civil Warneeds. Since I've not seen or heard anything else about them , I suppose that niether the company nor the rifle got into production. It looks like a really good design & would have sold. At least I'd have bought one. Wonder if our Italian friends might be convinced to build 'em? Afterall, Beretta's building a SAA clone(with transfer bar) for the Cowboy Shooting guys.(I know Beretta owns Uberti)

 

[Jim Watson]

Ken Hurst, the engraver, said recently that he was going to get a new made Peabody to work on. I was not clear whether this was to be the first of a production run or was a one-off. I only this year saw a real Peabody, a fine looking rifle and worth bringing back.

 

[Oleg Volk]

Martini-Peabody? In what caliber? Since I can't afford a Martini-Enfield 303, I can only hope to find a repro in some modern caliber.

 

[Jim K]

IIRC, all the U.S. Peabody models had an outside hammer, so if that is the one possibly being duplicated, it would not be the same as the British Martini which uses an internal firing pin.

I always liked the Martini-Henry (Henry was the inventor of the rifling used) and considered it a lot better as a battle rifle than the trapdoor or any of the other single shots around at the time.

Jim

 

[Detritus]

read the same article, really wish i could find more info.

i would DEARLY love to find one of these repros (my copy of the article said that they WERE being produced at teh time of the article, just not in the same numbers as say the C.sharps or shiloh, sharps repros) durango seems to have possibly suffered from lack of market skill or some such, b/c that G&A article is the ONLY mention i've ever seen of a new production Peabody.


personally i'd love to have one for BPCR matches. just for the novelty value

 

[Cameronafter8]

The Original Peabody did not have that hammer, looking like the Peabody-Martini. and had the fastest trigger time of it's day.
The Peabody-Martini made great civilian guns in or for the states. The Kill deer and Creedmoor What Cheer, are fine looking rifles.
It's .40 caliber were fine Midrange rifles.
Originally having cartridges of, .50-45-330, .45-45-330, .45-60-420, and a .45-70-480.
in .40........ .40-60-330 .40-70-380.

 

[XTerminator]

Check this out: http://www.peabodyrifles.com/