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Old April 10, 2011, 10:11 AM   #1
Yobtaf
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1863 Sharps Carbine Marking?

I have what I believe to be an 1863 Sharps carbine that was converted to .50-70 Government after the Civil War. The serial number is 77860. It has all the proper markings except for no model number, such as "New Model 1863" or similar behind the rear sight. And it doesn't appear that the area is worn where a marking should be. Did all Sharps carbines have some kind of model designation behind the rear sight?

Last edited by Yobtaf; April 10, 2011 at 02:51 PM.
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Old April 11, 2011, 11:42 PM   #2
Scorch
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Here are some pictures of an original Sharps 1863 carbine. I can't see any markings behind the rear sight.
http://www.antiquearmsinc.com/sharps...us-cavalry.htm
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Old April 12, 2011, 08:11 AM   #3
Yobtaf
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1863 Sharps Carbine Marking

Thanks for the reply, but on the link you provided the third photo from the left on the fifth row from the bottom clearly shows "New Model 1863" behind the rear sight. Mine has no discernable marking.
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Old April 12, 2011, 03:19 PM   #4
James K
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All those conversions were refinished by Sharps, so it is very possible that the original barrel marking was removed in the process, especially if the area had rust and had to be polished down. The barrels generally were lined, not replaced.

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Old February 22, 2017, 09:05 PM   #5
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I would be able to give you the entire history of that particular firearm since it came home from the Plains Wars until about 2009 if you want to PM me.
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Old February 23, 2017, 09:48 AM   #6
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I would be able to give you the entire history of that particular firearm since it came home from the Plains Wars until about 2009 if you want to PM me.
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Can you track other rifle's from the Plains Wars? Like Trapdoor 50-70s?
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Old September 7, 2017, 06:38 PM   #7
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Sorry for the horrifically long delay and unnecessary bump, but I can just this one since it was in the family until about a year before the guy posted it with the full serial number, and I was amazed to find even a cold trail years later when I googled it on a whim. This is the closest I've been since going to a gun show after it was stolen and asking the guy with all the Sharps rifles if he'd seen any more and being told that there was a guy there the day before trying to sell one for short money and acting belligerent until he was asked to leave. 130ish year in the family until some junkie stole it.

So if a future owner cares to search the serial number, here you go: This carbine came back to the East Coast from the Plains war as an obsolete weapon, it remained with its original owner until 1944 when it was given to my Grandfather as a high school graduation present by his great-uncle, who had taught him how to hunt and fish during the great depression while his father was traveling for work. My Grandfather then went to Europe, fought in the Bulge and Rhineland campaigns, received a Bronze Star for action at one of the Roer River dams, and went on to liberate Dachau. He returned to the Northeast after completing his tour after the war. His mother had sent three sons into the service and he had been in the most action, she had assumed he would not make it back, and had given away or sold many of his belongings preparing for the worst, an also moved a few blocks over and her forwarding address never made it to him until he was home. The rifle disappeared for close to a decade until my Grandfather spotted what at first looked like a rusty pipe in his brother's basement. He recognized it as the carbine and cleaned the rust off, the barrel looked great, the receiver and lockwork not so much. There is some pitting on the lever from this and the carbine was apparently in immaculate condition prior to the mid 1940s. The 3-groove lined bore was still bright and shiny as of 2010. In the mid 1970s most of my grandfather's firearms, and some belonging to his friend, were stolen. Among these was a .36 Navy Colt with engraving of a naval battle. The thieves only missed the Sharps because it was hanging on the back side of a wooden beam out of sight. The thief was a classmate of my father's who pawned the other firearms but unceremoniously threw the Colt out of a car window when he discovered it was a black powder gun. I still have the holster.

In 2010 I was gifted the carbine as a graduation present from a 4 year college, becoming the only person in my family to have done so (with a degree in History and education). I delayed taking possession of it at the time as I thought it really belonged in the house. After taking my grandfather on his last fly fishing trip, I noticed it was missing along with a revolutionary war era bayonet that they found in the house he bought after the war, and a scrimshawed whale's tooth letter-opener. Those were the only items taken. I still believe I missed the thief at the gun show by a day. I have managed to find only two references to it since then, one a listing at an auction house in CT, and this post dated after that. My Grandfather passed away three months after the original post here. The account that posted this is inactive as well as the email address, moderators were helpful enough to look into it. So if someone someday searches this serial number, you have a bit of the History, and an open offer to purchase the firearm since homeowners insurance paid out for it almost a decade ago.

Last edited by MilsurpMutt; September 7, 2017 at 07:53 PM.
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