In terms of basic design, the Evans repeating rifle is similar to the Spencer Repeating Rifle. The Evans rifle also had the greatest magazine capacity of any rifle mass-produced in the 19th century. The rifle was the only firearm mass-produced in the state of Maine in the 19th century. A good portion of these survive, and a number are advertised in various antique arms publications. The Evans Repeating Rifle Company went bankrupt in December 1879, a victim of the post war arms glut and keen competition.Ī total of almost 15,000 Evans repeating rifles were produced between 18. The mechanism of the rifle was not very sturdy and did not do well with such things as dust. The round was unique to the rifle and hard to find. The fluted cartridge carrier made a quarter turn each time the lever was operated, feeding a new cartridge into the breech. The rifle has a radial block receiver similar to the Spencer, but the rounds were fed from an Archimedean-screw magazine which formed the spine of the rifle stock and could hold up to 28 rounds.
The hope was that the rifle would be issued by the United States Army, but the rifle failed the standard dust test.
Their rifles were marketed by Merwin & Hulbert, who also invested into the company. With the help of his brother George, they perfected the rifle and started the "Evans Rifle Manufacturing Company" of Mechanic Falls, Maine in 1873.
The Evans Repeater is often considered to be one of the oddest rifles to ever be produced in the United States.