Breechldrs sharps rifle

[BRE_AMN]

I just inherited a sharps rifle and would like to find out more the serial number is c28897 any help would be greatly apperciated

 

[gary]

I went through Wiley Sword's book, Sharpshooter: Hiram Berdan, his famous Sharpshooters and their Sharps Rifles, and see that 28897 is below the serial # range of those issued to Berdan's men.

Confirm it's a rifle and not a carbine?

 

[JOHN42768]

Post photos please

 

[UCVRelics]

I just inherited a sharps rifle and would like to find out more the serial number is c28897 any help would be greatly apperciated

If you could post photos to include the serial # it would be helpful. We can take a look at the data base and see what we can find out for you. Looking forward to seeing your Sharps.

 

[bayonet]

I just inherited a sharps rifle and would like to find out more the serial number is c28897 any help would be greatly apperciatedView attachment 583663View attachment 583665View attachment 583666View attachment 583664View attachment 583667

The C stands for 100,000 so the serial # is really 128897

 

[gary]

Doesn't matter if it was Berdan or not. It's a Sharps!

I'd clean the rust off with coconut oil (pure/organic) and a nickel (5 cent piece).

 

[Old Soldier]

At least it is a RIFLE, not a carbine.

 

[BRE_AMN]

If you could post photos to include the serial # it would be helpful. We can take a look at the data base and see what we can find out for you. Looking forward to seeing your Sharps.

At least it is a RIFLE, not a carbine.

how can you tell its a rifle and not a carbinr

 

[BRE_AMN]

If you could post photos to include the serial # it would be helpful. We can take a look at the data base and see what we can find out for you. Looking forward to seeing your Sharps.

 

[Bugattimiller]

It is a late New Model 1863. Most of these were issued to the Veteran Volunteer Infantry, very late in the war. The incentive to the veterans was that they could keep their weapon when hostilities ended. Most hardly fired a shot in anger, I believe. Out of interest serial number C28896 was issued to James Thompson Co B of the 2nd Veteran Volunteers (US) and C28900 was issued to Nathan Sprague of the same company and regiment. Nothing can necessarily or should be read into this as serial numbered rifle were not always (hardly ever) issued in sequence but is a good guide to age. I have serial number C33931 (nearly mint), again very close to numbers issued to a soldier in 4th Veteran Volunteers (US), like yours just one number away. As they say, if the number is not in the book it's not in the book. Info came from Civil War Sharps Carbines and Rifles by Earl Coates and John D. McAulay.

 

[Bugattimiller]

Further to my last post I wondered if your rifle has any government inspector cartouches on the left side of the stock at the wrist. Mine has 2 albeit faint, as seen in the photo. I think most, if not all, of these late NM 1863 rifles had a patchbox whereas the carbines didn't. Very nice example, I do agree with gary that it would be a good idea to carefully remove the surface rust.

 

[Old Soldier]

how can you tell its a rifle and not a carbinr

Barrel length, sight radius, and the fact it has sling swivels.

A Sharps Carbine:

These were new weapons and offered in several barrel lengths to test the market. We mostly see them as cavalry carbines as that was the favored and most useful deployment. There was at least one sharpshooter (infantry) regiment armed with them too as, like many early breechloaders, they were quite accurate.

" In addition, the Sharps rifle was expensive to manufacture (three times the cost of a muzzle-loading Springfield rifle) and so only 11,000 of the Model 1859s were produced." (Wiki)

At this point, they were still 'capping breechloaders' using a paper catridge and a percussion cap and there was a general thought that the higher rate of fire would complicate ammunition supply.

There will not have been a dedicated artillery carbine as the gun was the primary weapon and any firearms issued, if any, would not be personal issue.

 

[BRE_AMN]

I went through Wiley Sword's book, Sharpshooter: Hiram Berdan, his famous Sharpshooters and their Sharps Rifles, and see that 28897 is below the serial # range of those issued to Berdan's men.

Confirm it's a rifle and not a carbine?

its a rifle

 

[BRE_AMN]

Further to my last post I wondered if your rifle has any government inspector cartouches on the left side of the stock at the wrist. Mine has 2 albeit faint, as seen in the photo. I think most, if not all, of these late NM 1863 rifles had a patchbox whereas the carbines didn't. Very nice example, I do agree with gary that it would be a good idea to carefully remove the surface rust.

View attachment 583701

View attachment 583702

yes it does have cartouches

 

[Bugattimiller]

Can you upload some photographs of the cartouches, would be interested to see. With regards to any Berdan connections, I think the sharpshooters were only issued New Model 1859 rifles.

 

[BRE_AMN]

Can you upload some photographs of the cartouches, would be interested to see. With regards to any Berdan connections, I think the sharpshooters were only issued New Model 1859 rifles.

they are not clear thats the best i could get

 

[JOHN42768]

The smaller box is likely TWR for Thomas W. Russel. No luck on other larger box

 

[Bugattimiller]

View attachment 583713View attachment 583714View attachment 583715
they are not clear thats the best i could get

They look very similar to mine. It certainly means it was a government purchase, I would guess early 1865. Thanks for sharing.

 

[BRE_AMN]

They look very similar to mine. It certainly means it was a government purchase, I would guess early 1865. Thanks for sharing.

no problem thank you for the information. just trying to learn as much as i can about the sharps and possibly trace it back to the family member that carried it

 

[bayonet]

no problem thank you for the information. just trying to learn as much as i can about the sharps and possibly trace it back to the family member that carried it

good luck with tracing it back to a family member! Better luck having peace in the Middle East!