vmicraig
Sergeant
- Joined
- Mar 12, 2018
- Location
- London, England
One of my favorite carbines in my collection is the Sharps and Hankins .52 Navy Carbine. She ain't the prettiest, nor the cleanest, but I find her interesting and also have her brother, the 24" Army model, displayed next to her at home.
The carbine is a .52 caliber breechloader produced by the Sharps and Hankins Company, Philadelphia. The carbines were made between 1862-1865 with an approximate total of 8,000 produced in 4 variants:
- 19" barrel army cavalry carbine
- 24" barrel army cavalry carbine
- 24" leather covered barrel navy carbine
- 32 3/4" barrel army rifle
By official records, the Navy purchased 6,686 “Navy carbines.” The Navy model bears a 24” barrel that was originally covered in leather to protect against rusting from saltwater spray when used aboard ships. Although many leather covers remain intact in various conditions, the typical Navy carbine is often found with no leather cover, as many rotted off over the years and were never replaced. It was later determined that the leather covers caused more harm than good, trapping the salt and water underneath, resulting in pitting and damage to the barrels. The leather was secured by 2 screws at the breech of the barrel and a band of steel at the muzzle. It was believed to have seen extensive service aboard various vessels which may account for the lack of leather on many surviving models.
The .52 caliber rimfire carbine employed a metal cartridge which was loaded by sliding the barrel forward using a loading lever on the underside, secured by a small latch inside the lever which can be awkward to operate. Standard features include a brass buttplate, iron loading lever, unique hinged sight; the metal forearm is an extension of the block. Carbines had a single strap hook on the butt and a rifled bore with 12 lands & grooves.
Markings include "SHARPS / & / HANKINS / PHILADA" on the right side. Mark on left side: "SHARPS / PATENT / 1859". Serial numbers were located on the rear tang and inside on the loading lever. The Navy inspector mark "P / HKH" is found on the right side.
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