Grandpa’s Sharp’s Rifle

[Medicine Man]

My Grandpa (father’s father) was a hunter and left his guns to my dad. My dad has added some r&r classics but does not hunt or shoot.

The collection is small, but very well cared for. One rifle in particular has always piqued my interest over the years and after some preliminary research due to an abundance of free time, I now realize it’s an original Sharps Rifle.

I’m giddy like a schoolgirl needless to say and am trying to figure out which model he owns. I can’t physically go see it due to the distance thing and the fact my dad is eighty. I’m not going to be the one to get him sick although he’ll probably outlive me.

What I Know:

It is not the modern version. It is an original based on when it was purchased by my Grandpa.

It has a walnut stock (beautiful wood)

The barrel is octagonal.

Not much to go on I know, but what else are we gonna do?
Anyone know anything about these rifles?
I know they were used during the Civil War (war of northern aggression to my southern friends) by an elite group of ‘sharp shooters’.

Thank you in advance for the deep knowledge pool I know NES has. I look forward to your responses.

 

[greencobra]

you're kidding, right? it has a barrel and the stock is wood? hope somebody can help you, i can't.

 

[gerrycaruso]

Is it percussion or cartridge? The rifle was made in too many calibers to list. Can your dad look on the barrel and tell you what caliber it is? When you're able, take some pictures and someone will probably be able to tell you which model it is

 

[one-eyed Jack]

Need pics. Jack

 

[22lr]

Walnut stock and barrel.
Definitley sounds like a gun to me!

 

[Medicine Man]

Is it percussion or cartridge? The rifle was made in too many calibers to list. Can your dad look on the barrel and tell you what caliber it is? When you're able, take some pictures and someone will probably be able to tell you which model it is

Percussion or cartridge? That I’m not sure of. It does have an external “hammer” like a black powder rifle but I be haven’t taken it out in years.

 

[Medicine Man]

you're kidding, right? it has a barrel and the stock is wood? hope somebody can help you, i can't.

Green Cobra, that’s the deep knowledge base I was talking about!

 

[45BPCR]

Pics would be a great help.
Calibers in those days were listed differently than today, IE: 45-2.1 for 45-70. 45-2.4 for 45-90 ect.
It was bore size and cartridge case length.

 

[Deleted member 67409]

Percussion or cartridge? That I’m not sure of. It does have an external “hammer” like a black powder rifle but I be haven’t taken it out in years.

All Sharps rifles had external hammers. We need to see pictures of the gun and all markings thereon to give you any diagnosis.

 

[Medicine Man]

All Sharps rifles had external hammers. We need to see pictures of the gun and all markings thereon to give you any diagnosis.

Thanks. As I mentioned, it’s at my dad’s and he is eighty. I’ll get pics when Charlie tells me I can be a grown up again. Until then I was interested in any information about the different models. Thanks.

 

[Deleted member 67409]

Thanks. As I mentioned, it’s at my dad’s and he is eighty. I’ll get pics when Charlie tells me I can be a grown up again. Until then I was interested in any information about the different models. Thanks.

I believe the travel "ban" allows visitation to family, but that's for the other... eight? threads on the topic.

Here's the basics. The Sharps pattern or platform of rifle pre-dates the Civil War and the Sharps Rifle Company produced continuously modernized guns until they closed in 1881. So if its a real Sharps, the gun would have been made sometime between 1845 and 1881.

With the centerfire cartridge guns, the two main models were the 1874 and the 1877. With the paper cartridge guns, there were the 1851, the 1853, and the 1860, I believe. There were also smaller levels of production models like the 1878 and the pre-1851 first models.

You're going to want to figure these things out:

*How long is the barrel? Is the gun a rifle or a carbine?
*Is it centerfire or paper cartridge?
*Are there any government property marks?
*Are there any markings on the gun?
*Did grandpa leave anything with the gun like cartridges, a reloading guide, a notebook, anything that would indicate what he was doing with the gun and what he was shooting out of it?

There are specialty forums for Sharps rifles like BPCR.net. I suggest spending a few days of research on the forums and familiarizing yourself with the models and how to identify them. Also learn where to look for stampings. Google and Google Images searches should also be helpful here to figure out how to identify models.

The FORUMS at BPCR.net - Index page

Forgotten Weapons and InRange TV also have some videos on Sharps rifles. Here's the ones I can find:

 

[Deleted member 67409]

 

[Deleted member 67409]

I'm also posting this for @Medicine Man's erudition:

 

[Medicine Man]

I believe the travel "ban" allows visitation to family, but that's for the other... eight? threads on the topic.

Here's the basics. The Sharps pattern or platform of rifle pre-dates the Civil War and the Sharps Rifle Company produced continuously modernized guns until they closed in 1881. So if its a real Sharps, the gun would have been made sometime between 1845 and 1881.

With the centerfire cartridge guns, the two main models were the 1874 and the 1877. With the paper cartridge guns, there were the 1851, the 1853, and the 1860, I believe. There were also smaller levels of production models like the 1878 and the pre-1851 first models.

You're going to want to figure these things out:

*How long is the barrel? Is the gun a rifle or a carbine?
*Is it centerfire or paper cartridge?
*Are there any government property marks?
*Are there any markings on the gun?
*Did grandpa leave anything with the gun like cartridges, a reloading guide, a notebook, anything that would indicate what he was doing with the gun and what he was shooting out of it?

There are specialty forums for Sharps rifles like BPCR.net. I suggest spending a few days of research on the forums and familiarizing yourself with the models and how to identify them. Also learn where to look for stampings. Google and Google Images searches should also be helpful here to figure out how to identify models.

The FORUMS at BPCR.net - Index page

Forgotten Weapons and InRange TV also have some videos on Sharps rifles. Here's the ones I can find:

Thank you

 

[mac1911]

Original sharps rifles where produced only to early 1880s
Depending on what you have it could be one of the many reproductions thats been put over the past 200 years.
So you have any pictures with gramps and his guns

 

[BigTimber]

How many triggers? If two you might have something very $$$ very $$$ special. Berdans sharpshooter rifles can go over $15,000 at auction.

 

[Medicine Man]

Original sharps rifles where produced only to early 1880s
Depending on what you have it could be one of the many reproductions thats been put over the past 200 years.
So you have any pictures with gramps and his guns

No pics, but gramps passed in the mid eighties and last hunted in the thirties. Fairly certain it’s an original.

 

[Medicine Man]

How many triggers? If two you might have something very $$$ very $$$ special. Berdans sharpshooter rifles can go over $15,000 at auction.

Two triggers and the ‘tall rear sight”
Not a carbine.

 

[last ranger]

If it is a octagonal barrel it is not a military model.

 

[BigTimber]

Here’s one for ref

 

[Deleted member 67409]

No pics, but gramps passed in the mid eighties and last hunted in the thirties. Fairly certain it’s an original.

If he was hunting with the gun in the 1930s, its probably something like .45-70 or .38-55 unless he was rolling his own paper cartridges. Possible, but unlikely. If you're willing to spend some money on this to figure out what it is, get some snap caps, like .45-70 and .38-55, and see if they chamber. Another method is to measure the bore diameter at the muzzle. Assuming the gun doesn't have a caliber stamped onto the barrel.

 

[Medicine Man]

If it is a octagonal barrel it is not a military model.

Definitely octagonal.

 

[Medicine Man]

If he was hunting with the gun in the 1930s, its probably something like .45-70 or .38-55 unless he was rolling his own paper cartridges. Possible, but unlikely. If you're willing to spend some money on this to figure out what it is, get some snap caps, like .45-70 and .38-55, and see if they chamber. Another method is to measure the bore diameter at the muzzle. Assuming the gun doesn't have a caliber stamped onto the barrel.

Not sure if he hunted with it or not. He was a bird guy and the double barrel shotgun he left is amazing in its own right with engravings in silver and a second set of silver barrels for show.
I’ll check the barrel next time I can and post pics as well.

 

[1776]

When did you become an NES member?

 

[Medicine Man]

When did you become an NES member?

Me?
Click on my profile. It’s all there.
I’m not a member (green)
I’ve been lurking forever and signed in last year to reply to a WTB post and thought the better of selling it.
I’ll go green when the funds start rolling in again. Tough season last year and this winter sucked.

 

[not new guy]

Paid member peer pressure posts are cringe city. Change my mind.

 

[seanc]

a gun like that could be a wall hanger and hat rack only and dangerous to the user. or worth a TON.

years of corrosive powder and not cleaned properly will have easily destroyed any hope of shooting or restoring.

without a bunch of pics it’s impossible to make any sort of judgement.

I’d say get to a gunsmith to get an assessment and general appraisal.
and post pics.

 

[ToddDubya]

Walnut stock? Sounds like someone bubba'd it. I can dispose of it for you.

Paid member peer pressure posts are cringe city. Change my mind.

And this. Dude has 50 posts in 9 months, he's not like others who are here all day. Cut him some slack.