Sharps Four Barrel Derringer?

**44 AMP** · January 26, 2015, 10:27 AM

I'm looking for information about a "Sharps" derringer. A friend asked me to see what I could find out.

He remembers (vaguely) a Sharps (Sharps/somebody?) four barrel derringer, made or imported in the 1960s. A modern cartridge gun, (possibly patterned after an old one?) the barrels slid forward to load/unload.

I have no clue, so I ask here. Anyone have any info on this oddball?

Friend said Sharps made thousands of them, in the old days. The gun he is trying to find out about is a modern repro of those, he thinks. (apparently it wasn't around very long?)

Any help will be valuable. Thanks.

Jim Watson · January 26, 2015, 10:46 AM

Yes, there was such a thing, imported from Italy by Navy Arms.
It was a pretty faithful copy in .22 Short.
Sharps made something over 100000 of them, Navy sure didn't sell that many.
It is not significant enough to make it into the Blue Book so I can't say just when or how long Navy Arms offered them.

thickice · January 26, 2015, 10:49 AM

Here's an Uberti imported by Navy arms.
http://www.confederateordinance.com/...by-uberti.html

And here's one made in Texas:
http://unblinkingeye.com/Guns/HJS/hjs.html

Magnum Wheel Man · January 27, 2015, 08:17 AM

I may have a picture of my original Sharpe & Hankins 32 rim fire... sounds the same...

looks like I don't have a dedicated picture, but it's on this rack...

it has a button that slides down, allowing the barrel assembly to slide forward, if done sharply, 4 tabs eject the spent cases, it has a ratchet rotating firing pin on the hammer, so the gun fires one barrel at a time... mine seems to function OK, but I've yet to shoot it ( I have a pretty limited supply of 32 Rim Fire ) it is quite difficult to get to slide open, as the button is pretty flat, & not knurled, & the gun is pretty tiny, plus it's kind tough to get the button engaged in the right position to get the barrels free

I looked at the pictures in the links, my Sharpes & Hankins is most close to the Navy Arms 22, although it looks like the barrel release is under the barrels, & on mine, it's on the side, just before & under the hammer... ( you can see the flash glint off the button on the side exposed, just under the chambers )

it's 7th down on the right side, just above the bottom break S&W, also in 32 Rim Fire...

**44 AMP** · January 27, 2015, 10:09 AM

Thanks for the info, I'll pass it on to my friend! (I sure HOPE he doesn't ask me to find him one...

)

Glenn E. Meyer · January 27, 2015, 10:50 AM

Iver Johnson has reported for a few years that they will make a new 22LR version. There's a picture on their website and it was reported at Shot.

If it happens I don't know. I was in Florida about 15 years ago and stopped by a gun show. A guy had a table covered with the HJS gun but I wasn't going to pay the FFL fees for what was an $80 gun then.

HJS also made a one barrel 380 or 9mm version - IIRC. It was viewed in Guns and Ammo as being snappy.

I also loved the gun after watching Yancy Derringer. I'd buy a new one for grins if it was terribly expensive.

Jim Watson · January 27, 2015, 11:04 AM

There is a guy around here who has a somewhat mysterious one of these.
Either it is a very early one before Navy Arms got them on the US market or maybe it has been defarbed to get off the Italian proof marks and importer's marks. It is not an original, just an odd repro. But it is worrying him to death; he posts it on a Facebook board every couple of months begging for information.

**Mike Irwin** · January 27, 2015, 11:39 AM

I'd love to have a modern version in .22 or even .32 Long with a positive safety.

Glenn E. Meyer · January 27, 2015, 03:18 PM

A 32 would be really neat. Then I would dress like Yancy with one in each jacket sleeve. One in each vest pocket and one in my old style southern hat.

I recall him saying on the show that he carried 32 Sharps. Of course, after than show, the actor went on to play Tarzan - hard to conceal in that outfit.

DPris · January 28, 2015, 12:46 PM

For those interested in new, I saw the IJ at SHOT.
Obviously a toolroom sample, but looked promising & they said expected late summer.
Denis

Magnum Wheel Man · January 28, 2015, 03:11 PM

I'd love to see a good pic of a new one.... I'd really like a "shooting" example, though I'd prefer anything in center fire to a 22 RF

Bill DeShivs · January 28, 2015, 03:57 PM

Uberti made thousands of them pre-1968. Copies may have been made by other Italian makers, also.
The Svendsen, HJS, and (I assume) Iver Johnson copies are much smaller than the original Sharps or Ubertis.

James K · January 28, 2015, 08:25 PM

Actually, the originals are not at all scarce. Sharps made well over 100K of them in all models and some 60K in the first model alone. They can be found at most big gun shows and a fair condition functional one will run $500-600 and a grand will get one in nice condition. (Expect to dicker to get the best price.) You might do better if you don't mind one that you can't fire since ones in .30 RF will usually be cheaper.

Jim

**Mike Irwin** · January 29, 2015, 07:54 AM

As far as I know, they were made in .22, .30, and .32 Short and Long, all rimfire.

I'm not sure if the .22 versions were .22 Short or Long.

January 26, 2015, 10:27 AM	#1
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,791	Sharps Four Barrel Derringer? I'm looking for information about a "Sharps" derringer. A friend asked me to see what I could find out. He remembers (vaguely) a Sharps (Sharps/somebody?) four barrel derringer, made or imported in the 1960s. A modern cartridge gun, (possibly patterned after an old one?) the barrels slid forward to load/unload. I have no clue, so I ask here. Anyone have any info on this oddball? Friend said Sharps made thousands of them, in the old days. The gun he is trying to find out about is a modern repro of those, he thinks. (apparently it wasn't around very long?) Any help will be valuable. Thanks. __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

January 27, 2015, 08:17 AM	#4
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	I may have a picture of my original Sharpe & Hankins 32 rim fire... sounds the same... looks like I don't have a dedicated picture, but it's on this rack... it has a button that slides down, allowing the barrel assembly to slide forward, if done sharply, 4 tabs eject the spent cases, it has a ratchet rotating firing pin on the hammer, so the gun fires one barrel at a time... mine seems to function OK, but I've yet to shoot it ( I have a pretty limited supply of 32 Rim Fire ) it is quite difficult to get to slide open, as the button is pretty flat, & not knurled, & the gun is pretty tiny, plus it's kind tough to get the button engaged in the right position to get the barrels free I looked at the pictures in the links, my Sharpes & Hankins is most close to the Navy Arms 22, although it looks like the barrel release is under the barrels, & on mine, it's on the side, just before & under the hammer... ( you can see the flash glint off the button on the side exposed, just under the chambers ) it's 7th down on the right side, just above the bottom break S&W, also in 32 Rim Fire... __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust... Last edited by Magnum Wheel Man; January 27, 2015 at 08:40 AM.

January 27, 2015, 10:09 AM	#5
44 AMP Staff Join Date: March 11, 2006 Location: Upper US Posts: 28,791	Thanks for the info, I'll pass it on to my friend! (I sure HOPE he doesn't ask me to find him one...) __________________ All else being equal (and it almost never is) bigger bullets tend to work better.

January 27, 2015, 10:50 AM	#6
Glenn E. Meyer Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2000 Posts: 20,064	Iver Johnson has reported for a few years that they will make a new 22LR version. There's a picture on their website and it was reported at Shot. If it happens I don't know. I was in Florida about 15 years ago and stopped by a gun show. A guy had a table covered with the HJS gun but I wasn't going to pay the FFL fees for what was an $80 gun then. HJS also made a one barrel 380 or 9mm version - IIRC. It was viewed in Guns and Ammo as being snappy. I also loved the gun after watching Yancy Derringer. I'd buy a new one for grins if it was terribly expensive. __________________ NRA, TSRA, IDPA, NTI, Polite Soc. - Aux Armes, Citoyens

January 27, 2015, 11:39 AM	#8
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,379	I'd love to have a modern version in .22 or even .32 Long with a positive safety. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

January 26, 2015, 10:46 AM	#2
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,528	Yes, there was such a thing, imported from Italy by Navy Arms. It was a pretty faithful copy in .22 Short. Sharps made something over 100000 of them, Navy sure didn't sell that many. It is not significant enough to make it into the Blue Book so I can't say just when or how long Navy Arms offered them.

January 26, 2015, 10:49 AM	#3
thickice Member Join Date: December 15, 2009 Location: Texas Posts: 69	Here's an Uberti imported by Navy arms. http://www.confederateordinance.com/...by-uberti.html And here's one made in Texas: http://unblinkingeye.com/Guns/HJS/hjs.html

January 27, 2015, 11:04 AM	#7
Jim Watson Senior Member Join Date: October 25, 2001 Location: Alabama Posts: 18,528	There is a guy around here who has a somewhat mysterious one of these. Either it is a very early one before Navy Arms got them on the US market or maybe it has been defarbed to get off the Italian proof marks and importer's marks. It is not an original, just an odd repro. But it is worrying him to death; he posts it on a Facebook board every couple of months begging for information.

January 27, 2015, 03:18 PM	#9
Glenn E. Meyer Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2000 Posts: 20,064	A 32 would be really neat. Then I would dress like Yancy with one in each jacket sleeve. One in each vest pocket and one in my old style southern hat. I recall him saying on the show that he carried 32 Sharps. Of course, after than show, the actor went on to play Tarzan - hard to conceal in that outfit. __________________ NRA, TSRA, IDPA, NTI, Polite Soc. - Aux Armes, Citoyens

January 28, 2015, 12:46 PM	#10
DPris Member Emeritus Join Date: August 19, 2004 Posts: 7,133	For those interested in new, I saw the IJ at SHOT. Obviously a toolroom sample, but looked promising & they said expected late summer. Denis

January 28, 2015, 03:11 PM	#11
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	I'd love to see a good pic of a new one.... I'd really like a "shooting" example, though I'd prefer anything in center fire to a 22 RF __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust...

January 28, 2015, 03:57 PM	#12
Bill DeShivs Senior Member Join Date: April 7, 2006 Posts: 10,978	Uberti made thousands of them pre-1968. Copies may have been made by other Italian makers, also. The Svendsen, HJS, and (I assume) Iver Johnson copies are much smaller than the original Sharps or Ubertis. __________________ Bill DeShivs, Master Cutler www.billdeshivs.com

January 28, 2015, 08:25 PM	#13
James K Member In Memoriam Join Date: March 17, 1999 Posts: 24,383	Actually, the originals are not at all scarce. Sharps made well over 100K of them in all models and some 60K in the first model alone. They can be found at most big gun shows and a fair condition functional one will run $500-600 and a grand will get one in nice condition. (Expect to dicker to get the best price.) You might do better if you don't mind one that you can't fire since ones in .30 RF will usually be cheaper. Jim

January 29, 2015, 07:54 AM	#14
Mike Irwin Staff Join Date: April 13, 2000 Location: Northern Virginia Posts: 41,379	As far as I know, they were made in .22, .30, and .32 Short and Long, all rimfire. I'm not sure if the .22 versions were .22 Short or Long. __________________ "The gift which I am sending you is called a dog, and is in fact the most precious and valuable possession of mankind" -Theodorus Gaza Baby Jesus cries when the fat redneck doesn't have military-grade firepower.

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