SHARPS CIVIL WAR RIFLE.

SHARPS CIVIL WAR RIFLE. Cal. .52. SN 39777. 30″ rnd bbl. Standard markings and features. Bayonet lug under the bbl and a single trigger. There are no inspector marks. The first true Sharps rifle. Scarce production, late 1861-early 1862, before the Berdan rifles. None of these were direct Federal purchases, yet all were intended for the war, as the saber bayonet lug implies. During this period, Duryea’s Zouaves (5th New York), CT and NH bought Sharps rifles with saber bayonets (Coates & McCauley, 1996, “Civil War Sharps Carbines and Rifles” p. 13). None of these were Federally inspected, and all should have carbine rear sights. (Many have been ‘corrected” in recent years.) These rifles were preceded by the “Egyptian” rifle-muskets with 26-inch bbls, which had appropriate long rear sight leaves, but then production switched to carbines, and in the haste to meet war-time quotas, no one worried about a long-range rear sight for the rifles until Hiram Berdan demanded them for his famed Sharpshooters. This is well documented (Marcot&Roy 1989 “Hiram Berdan” p. 132) as a cause for delayed production of his order along with dbl set triggers and latch omission. This specimen has a hitherto un-noted manufacturing defect on the bayonet lug – the flange has its two left corners rounded instead of the two front corners. CONDITION: Fine. 80% thinning blue on the bbl mixed with light surface rust. Casehardening colors are strong on the lockplate, turning dark on the hammer and action. Wood has minor handling marks except the bottom of the forearm, which has a small chip. Action is fine. 4-53561 (5,000-8,000)

Auction: Firearms - Fall 2004

Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

Image	Lot	Price	Description
	1169	$7,475.00	SHARPS CIVIL WAR RIFLE. Cal. .52. SN 39777. 30″ rnd bbl. Standard markings and features. Bayonet lug under the bbl and a single trigger. There are no inspector marks. The first true Sharps rifle. Scarce production, late 1861-early 1862, before the Berdan rifles. None of these were direct Federal purchases, yet all were intended for the war, as the saber bayonet lug implies. During this period, Duryea’s Zouaves (5th New York), CT and NH bought Sharps rifles with saber bayonets (Coates & McCauley, 1996, “Civil War Sharps Carbines and Rifles” p. 13). None of these were Federally inspected, and all should have carbine rear sights. (Many have been ‘corrected” in recent years.) These rifles were preceded by the “Egyptian” rifle-muskets with 26-inch bbls, which had appropriate long rear sight leaves, but then production switched to carbines, and in the haste to meet war-time quotas, no one worried about a long-range rear sight for the rifles until Hiram Berdan demanded them for his famed Sharpshooters. This is well documented (Marcot&Roy 1989 “Hiram Berdan” p. 132) as a cause for delayed production of his order along with dbl set triggers and latch omission. This specimen has a hitherto un-noted manufacturing defect on the bayonet lug – the flange has its two left corners rounded instead of the two front corners. CONDITION: Fine. 80% thinning blue on the bbl mixed with light surface rust. Casehardening colors are strong on the lockplate, turning dark on the hammer and action. Wood has minor handling marks except the bottom of the forearm, which has a small chip. Action is fine. 4-53561 (5,000-8,000) Auction: Firearms - Fall 2004 Please Note: All prices include the hammer price plus the buyer’s premium, which is paid by the buyer as part of the purchase price. The prices noted here after the auction are considered unofficial and do not become official until after the 46th day.

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