Any Sharps Experts

Knifecollector

I just got my first Sharps rifle and I don't know which model it is. It is a little rough and I haven't cleaned it up yet. The barrel is 22" long. Anyone know where I should start looking for markings at? The serial number is C932X. It has a little round bar running from the receiver back to the stock, mounted to a little piece of metal with a screw in it. Looks like the words "New Model" on top of the barrel behind the rear sight. It has a little spring loaded catch on the bottom of the stock that releases the lever so you can load it. I'm thinking .52 caliber but I may be wrong.

Jody Commander

.52-70 Rimfire or .52-70 Centerfire, or .50-70 re-line with 3 groove barrel, check out the Flaydermans book or Gluckman's book on U.S. carbines either source will answer most of your questions

v35

Sounds like an 1863 New Model Sharps percussion carbine. You didn't supply enough info to tell if it was a cartridge conversion.
A "saddle" ring is supposed to go on that bar between action and stock. Cavalrymen wore a broad diagonal leather shoulder strap with spring clasp that hooked onto the saddle ring to keep from dropping the gun in combat.

Iroquois Scout

You don't tell me much about your carbine. Is it still percussion or has it been converted to cartridge? The letter "C" in front of the serial number stands for 100,000 so add this to the serial number to get the actual serial number. Directly in front of the receiver it could very well say "New Model" as there were three new models, the 1859,1863 and the 1865. All three are called the straight breech models and all saw use in the Civil War. In 1865-66 some of these carbines were coverted to .52-70 rimfire. In October of 1867 the Sharps Co. signed a contract with the government to convert carbines to .50-70 centerfire.In all 32,184 carbines were converted. Specimens of all three new models were used. The barrel should be marked "Sharps'Rifle Manufg. Co. Hartford, Conn." the rear sight should have the Lawrence patent date of 1859. The receiver should have the Sharps patent date of 1848 and the breechblock shuold have the Lawrence dates of 1859 and the Conant date of 1856. These markings are all stamped in small letters and can be hard to read. The little round bar should have a ring on it. This is called the sling ring and the bar is called the sling ring bar. Today most people call this a saddle ring,but that is incorrect. The ring was for a large snap hook which was fastened to a wide leather sling that fit over the soldier's shoulder. Hope that the above is of some help to you.

Knifecollector

V35, you are right. It is a 1863 New Model percussion. These are very interesting rifles. If they could talk , I bet they could really tell some stories. I've saw a couple books on Sharps rifles. I need to get one. It has some kind of mark inside a little box on the left side of the stock. Looks like a factory mark or something, been neatly stamped. Thanks a lot.

v35

The serial number identifies it as an 1863 NM.

Iroquois Scout

The little box on the left side of the stock should have the military inspectors initals in it.

cowdoc

kniveuser
what are some of names of the books on sharps you have seen?
reason i ask is that i have an interest in sharps rifles
my grand father has near as i can id is a 1874 meachan conversion
but an not for sure. this rifle he has is in very good shape. told him i would like to buy it but also told him that i didnt have near enough money for what the gun is worth....probably a strong 80% condition
and like you said if they could talk they would have some interesting stories, i am sure that this rifle has rolled a buffalo or two.
doc

I dont give my guns without somebody getting hurt!

Knifecollector

Cowdoc, one of the best books I have saw is up for auction on gunbroker. 4789034. If you search Gunbroker for Sharps you will find more books. One even tells who the gun was orginally issued to by the serial number of your gun. Interesting stuff.