C. Sharps Model 1868 Cartridge Conversion of 1859 Single-Shot Rifle MFD 1859-63 Antique .50-70 Gov’t

SOLD FOR: $2,640.00
LSB#: 
180918JR60

Make: C. Sharps

Model: Model 1868 Cartridge Conversion of New Model 1859 Carbine

Serial Number: 47649

Year of Manufacture: The rifle was originally manufactured between 1859 and 1863. It was converted to cartridge use in 1869.

Caliber: .50-70 Government

Action Type: Single Shot Lever Operated Falling Block Breach Loading Rifle

Markings: The lockplate is marked “R.S. LAWRENCE PAT / APRIL ???? ????” at the top and “C. SHARPS’ PAT / OCT 5TH 1852.” in the center. The left side of the receiver is marked “C. SHARPS’ PAT. / SEPT. 12TH 1848”. The upper tang is marked “47649” and the rear of the lower tang is marked “H”. The left side of the barrel at the receiver is marked “F”. The top of the barrel at the receiver has a very faint mark which we think is “NEW MODEL 1859”, but what we can see is “N W 185 “. The left side of the firing pin is marked “C”.

Barrel Length: 22”

Sights / Optics: The front sight is a tall German silver blade pinned into a slotted base atop barrel. The rear sight is a folding ladder sight that presents a small “V” notch when the ladder is folded down. There is a “V” notch in the top of the slider, another at the bottom of the ladder, and a ”U” notch at the top edge of the ladder for use when the ladder is raised. The right side of the ladder is marked “2” at the bottom and “3” through “7” for use with the slider, and “8” at the very top. The base of the sight is marked “R.S. LAWRENCE / PATENTED / FEB 15TH 1859”.

Stock Configuration & Condition: The stocks are two-piece walnut with a straight grip and steel crescent shaped buttplate. The forend is approximately 10” in length and is held with a single barrel band. There is a sling bar inlet into the left side of the wrist with saddle ring attached. The stocks have been refinished with a lacquer finish. There is dark oil staining in the wrist, in the sides and rear underside of the forend, around the buttplate and in the old bruises. The wood is shy of the metal at the toe of the buttplate and slightly shy along the lower tang. There are tiny gouge marks along the edges of the upper tang and at the back edge of the sling bar plate. There are deep bruises below the lockplate, two wide drag lines down the left side of the buttstock, bruises behind the sling bar, dings in the belly and along the comb, and a gouge and a drag line in the front section of the forend, along with a few other marks, all under the current finish. There are also two dings in the finish on the right side of the buttstock and a ding and a drag line in the underside of the forend. There is also an area in front of the sling bar where the finish was never applied. The LOP measures 13 5/8” from the front of the trigger to the back of the buttplate. The buttplate is starting to develop a brown patina, and shows moderate erosion and wear at the heel, light wear at the toe, and scattered pinprick surface erosion. The buttplate is in about Good condition. The stocks are in about Very Good overall condition as refinished.

Type of Finish: We think the rifle was originally blued with a case colored receiver and lever. The current finish is a thin brown patina that we think is cold blue or even a thin coat of varnish.

Finish Originality: We know that the rifle was refinished when it underwent cartridge conversion in 1868, but believe it has since been refinished.

Bore Condition: The bore has three wide grooves and is bright, tending to gray at the muzzle. The rifling shows moderate wear. There are spots of moderate erosion and tool marks from the muzzle back a few inches. .

Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 85% of its current metal finish. There are small dark spots of light erosion in the barrel along the upper edges of the forend, light erosion under the finish in the barrel band, spots of moderate to heavy erosion at the bottom and rear of the lockplate, the rear of the sling bar plate and lower tang, and the left front of the receiver, and several spots of heavy erosion near the muzzle. There is finish loss on the right side of the barrel at the muzzle, a tiny scrape mark in the top of the barrel at the front of the barrel band, and several tiny marks under the finish of the barrel. front sight. There are several dings scattered over the receiver and the right side of the hammer with tiny dings and drag lines in the lockplate. About half of the screw heads are disfigured. Many of the markings have been erased by wear or polishing and others are barely legible. Overall, this rifle rates in about Good overall condition as refinished.

Mechanics: The action functions correctly. The hammer has a half-cock safety position. There is a push-button lever lock on the lower tang. The action is tight, and the lever stays “UP” with the hammer cocked and the rifle held in a horizontal position. We have not fired this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance standards.

Box, Paperwork & Accessories: This carbine has a sling bar on the left side of the rifle, which includes its saddle ring.

Our Assessment: The Sharps New Model rifles and carbines were made in three models: 1859, 1863 and 1865. From Flayderman’s, over 100,000 of the 1859 and 1863 models were purchased by the U.S. Army and Navy during the Civil War. The Sharps carbine was the most significantly utilized carbine of the Civil War: it was a single shot percussion breechloader using paper cartridge and revolutionized hand weaponry at the time. After the war, a little over 31,000 carbines were converted to fire centerfire ammunition. Some used the original .52 caliber barrels, and those that had worn barrels were relined and chambered for .50-70 C.F. This is one of the M1859 carbines that was relined and converted to cartridge use as a Model 1869. This carbine is in about Good overall condition with about 85% of its current finish remaining. The action is tight and functions correctly, and the bore is mostly bright with moderate wear in the rifling and spots of moderate erosion and tool marks near the muzzle. The sling bar is present, along with its saddle ring. The Sharps rifles and carbines represent a great period in the history of American firearms – they participated in the last great war in which percussion rifles were used, and their post-war conversions were among the first rifles to use metallic cartridges. These rifles are highly collected, primarily because there are so few still remaining. This M1869 cartridge conversion will be a nice addition to any collection of Civil War or early cartridge firearms.

CA Legal or CA Private Party Transferable: This Antique rifle can be transferred/sold in California.

C. Sharps Model 1868 Cartridge Conversion of 1859 Single-Shot Rifle MFD 1859-63 Antique .50-70 Gov't
C. Sharps Model 1868 Cartridge Conversion of 1859
Single-Shot Rifle MFD 1859-63 Antique .50-70 Gov’t