Serial number help for Sharps Carbine

wyatt8591

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Jul 3, 2018
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I also have a Sharps Carbine Cartridge Conversion with a serial number of 74667. Sellers book states that after the war several thousand of the old percussion model Sharps were converted to metallic cartridge. This one is a three grove re-lined barrel and has the DFC cartouche on the stock along with another cartouche that appears to read EF under the sling bar. Also has the patch box.

Anyone who might have information on Sharps carbines used during the war would be appreciated.

Happy 4th!!!
 
Sorry #74667 is not listed. DFC was David F Clark who was a government inspector from 1861 to 1886. There were 2 government inspectors that fit EF. E Ferrar inspector 1860 to 1868 and Edward Flather 1862 to 1863
 
Here is the range of your Sharps with the units they were issued to.
74620 100163CO B 10TH ILL VOL CAV
74625 100163CO B 10TH ILL VOL CAV
74634 100163CO B 10TH ILL VOL CAV
74649 100163CO B 10TH ILL VOL CAV
74653 64CO D 1ST MASS VOL CAV
74695 C 040164CO B 10TH ILL VOL CAV
74698 C 010165CO B 10TH ILL VOL CAV
 
One fact about Sharps rifles and carbines: Receivers were made up and serial numbered in order and then put in bins. However weapons were not completed in serial number sequence. Workers grabbed any receiver out of a bin and barreled it and other workers completed the weapon but these were not shipped out in consecutive serial number order. That would have taken too much time -- they weren't concerned with collectors 160 years later! The same goes for Springfield carbines of the 1870's and probably many other firearms including Colts. A wooden case may have contained 20 carbines but the accounting was for 20 -- not 20 in serial number order. Serial numbers existed to let the maker know how many firearms they were producing.

So you find guns that are numbered close to each other but mixed in with guns that went to completely different units and actually today there are records for only a fraction of the guns produced. Finding a particular firearm in Franklin Mallory's lists is like finding a needle in a haystack. A few have been found to match but the important word here is FEW.
 
Getting a hit in SRS books is a rare firearm indeed

You can say that again. Of all the weapons I have owned over the years, I've only had 3, a Spencer, 1851 Colt and a Burnside.
 
What I found interesting was that the Sharps carbine used during the war was the percussion type. Something I did not know until owning one. The fact that this one started out life as a percussion carbine and was then converted to metallic cartridge gave me some hope that it was used in the war and not just a carbine that was purchased to be used privately.
 
looking for any history, unit etc for sharps carbine 89563, now a 50 70 conversion. thanks.
 
IMG_0015.jpg
 
sure is. bore is lined of course during conversion in 68, but bore is perfect and prints 2 inches at 50 yards.
Ken
 
this is my mid range 40 70 SS. factory letter says Bridgeport production, NRA Fine or better, 95% blue, 85% bore, all lettering 100% and as new. wood same...case colors are there but light... 30 inch bbl. shipped in Sept 76 then again in 79.
listed by SN in Arming the West, and in new Sharps book too. Man at Arms did a spread years ago, and of course I still have the magazine.
my baby....Ken
 
this is my mid range 40 70 SS. factory letter says Bridgeport production, NRA Fine or better, 95% blue, 85% bore, all lettering 100% and as new. wood same...case colors are there but light... 30 inch bbl. shipped in Sept 76 then again in 79.
listed by SN in Arming the West, and in new Sharps book too. Man at Arms did a spread years ago, and of course I still have the magazine.
my baby....Ken
Very nice
 
this is my mid range 40 70 SS. factory letter says Bridgeport production, NRA Fine or better, 95% blue, 85% bore, all lettering 100% and as new. wood same...case colors are there but light... 30 inch bbl. shipped in Sept 76 then again in 79.
listed by SN in Arming the West, and in new Sharps book too. Man at Arms did a spread years ago, and of course I still have the magazine.
my baby....Ken
 
The sharps is an awesome rifle. I have a Pedersoli Made 1873 model hunting rifle in 45-90 caliber. I took it on a elk hunt in Canada in 2006 and was able to take a nice bull with it. He was standing on the side of a hill at 250 yards when I shot him. When I shot I saw dust fly up behind him and i though i had missed him. I reloaded and lined him backup in the sights ( the front bead of the sight completely covered him at that range) and fired again but he lunged forward just as i fired and the bullet hit him in the back leg spinning him back around and he ran almost back where he was standing in the first place. I
Elk Hunt 092.jpg
reloaded again and was just about to pull the trigger when my guide started yelling don't shoot. I ask why and he said you hit him the first shot i see blood running down his side. A couple minuets later he fell over. i had hit him high in the lungs and it took a bit for his lungs to fill with blood. But the sharps shot completely through the Elk at 250 yards and kicked dirt up on the other side of him.
 
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