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THE VERY RARE BRITISH MILITARY ARM. DESIGNED BY SIR WHITWORTH. NEVER OFFICIALLY ADOPTED BY THE BRITISH ARMY, THESE SAW MOST ACTION IN THE U.S. CIVIL WAR WHERE THEY WERE HIGHLY RATED AS A SNIPER RIFLE, ESPECIALLY BY THE CONFEDERACY. BASED ON THE P-53, BUT WITH A LONGER SLIMMER, MORE ACCURATE BULLET. REGUARDED BY MOST AS THE MOST ACCURATE PERCUSSION RIFLE EVER. SOME WERE FITTED WITH SNIPER SCOPES STATE SIDE WITH GREAT EFFECT. ONLY AROUND 5700 WERE MADE, THIS ONE BEING B226, WHICH DATES IT TO 1860. WITH 32 INCH BARREL. GOOD RIFLING. LOCK IN GOOD WORKING ORDER. METALWORK TO A CLEAN DEEP BROWN SMOOTH PATINA. LOCK WITH WHITWORTH PERSONAL CIPHER AND “WHITWORTH RIFLE CO MANCHESTER” AND TO THE BARREL TOP, “WHITWORTH PATENT”.

THIS RIFLE HAS SEVERAL ISSUES WHICH COULD BE SORTED WITH SOME TIME AND CAREFUL RESTORATION. THE PATCHBOX IS MISSING ITS LID, BUT THE HINGE AND SPRING REMAIN, THE LID SNAPPED OFF. THE REAR SITE LEAF ABSENT, BUT VERY SIMILAR TO THE BASIC P-53. THE FRONT SITE MISSING, BUT THE MOUNT SLOT STILL THERE FOR AN ADJUSTABLE LEAF. NO RAMROD. THE STOCK HAS A POORLY REPAIRED BREAK AROUND THE LOCK AREA. IT WOULD BE BEST TO PULL APART AND RE SET BETTER. NOT A MINT EXAMPLE, BUT STILL WITH MUCH POTENTIAL. SOME GOOD RESTORATION WILL DOUBLE, TRIPLE ITS VALUE. USUALLY PRICED AT BEYOND THE REACH OF MOST OF US.