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MODEL 1874 SHARPS SPORTING RIFLE – .44 SHARPS - SHIPPED IN MARCH 1875 – SHOWING GREAT EVIDENCE OF USE ON THE WESTERN PLAINS:  Showing all the indications of being a true veteran of frontier use, and documented in the Sharps Rifle Company records as having been shipped from the Hartford, Connecticut factory in March 17, 1875, this fairly early Model 1874 Sporting Rifle was most certainly used during the great buffalo hunts that occurred during mid to late 1870’s on the western plains.   

According to the company records detailed in the accompanying letter from Dr. Richard  Labowskie, current owner of the Sharps Company records, this rifle, Serial Number C54455, was shipped in “.44 caliber, with a 30 inch full octagon barrel, single trigger, open sights, and oil finished stocks, and was the standard rifle weight, i.e. less than 12 pounds”.  The description matches the current configuration of the rifle.   

The letter continues, “three Octagon Rifles of this description were shipped to the Schuyler, Hartley and Graham [SH&G] firm on this date, as well as one Octagon Rifle in .50 caliber.”  It is well documented in Frank Seller’s SHARPS FIREARMS, pages 303 – 307, and in particular, in Herbert Houze’s new volume, ARMING THE WEST which includes the SH&G shipping records for 1868-1886, SH&G sold Sharps Rifles on a single piece basis to individual hide hunters, as well as being one of the primary suppliers of Sharps Rifles to the retailers in the west who sold directly to the hunters on the plains.  According to Houze, pages 144-146, SH&G sold a total of 49 Sharps Model 1874 Sporting Rifles in .44 caliber from its store on Meriden Lane alone, and the wear and obvious signs of use present on this rifle make it very apparent that this Sharps was one of those sold by SH&G to a hunter or one of the retail firms on the western frontier.     

As it presents today, this rifle features several characteristics of prolonged frontier use.  The fore stock has been heavily worn, typical of these rifles that were carried across the pommel of a saddle or the neck of the horse for many miles.  As can be seen in the photographs below, the wood has been polished away, leaving high points around the metal fittings of the forearm screws and nosecap, and a slight sliver of wood has been worn away on the top edge of the right side of the forearm and there is an area of wear in the wood where it meets the receiver on the left side – all wear commensurate with the obvious use of the rifle and certainly occurring within the period of the rifle’s use.  The pewter nose cap is present, tightly in place, with some wear to the upper right edge, matching the wear to the adjoining wood.  There is an old screw hole between the lock and trigger plate on the right side, evidence of a “poor man’s set trigger” as is commonly found on frontier used long guns.  When present, this screw would be turned in or backed out to apply or relieve pressure on the sear to adjust the trigger pressure required to fire the rifle.  The butt stock, like the forearm shows evidence of wear through honest use, and features the same hand polished patina of the forearm.  In addition to the normal handling marks there is some wear to the wood on both sides of the butt plate tang.  The toe of the stock chipped away at some point and the original piece of wood was pinned back in place with wire brads.  There is an old glue repair to the wood immediately behind the receiver, on the upper right stock extension between the receiver tang and the lock plate.  Again, the original wood is present with no other patching wood used, and the repair appears to be a very old one.  This butt stock must have been inletted at the factory for a double set trigger plate, as there is a contoured wooden plug set behind the trigger plate to fill the additional room in the channel that is an excellent fit and is attached with brass pins.  As this rifle is documented in the Sharps factory records as having been shipped with a single trigger, this work must have been done at the factory when the rifle was made.   

The serial numbers on the receiver tang and the under side of the barrel are matching.  The surfaces of the receiver, lock, trigger group and barrel are all smooth with no pitting and have a pleasing even brown patina. The edges of the barrel flats are sharp and smooth and the under side of the barrel, where it is protected by the fore arm, retains much of the original bright blue finish.  All of the patent information on the receiver, both serial numbers (receiver and barrel), the caliber and Hartford address stamps on the top flat of the barrel, and the R.S. Lawrence patent information on the rear sight are all legibly stamped and all are readily visible. The hammer/trigger action is crisp, and the breech block lowers smoothly without any play and “snaps” into place when raised back into battery as it should.  The bore retains strong, clear rifling with no dark pitting spots, is still quite respectable, and would still shoot a decent group.  The bore would likely benefit from a polishing if someone was so inclined as it does not shine like some collectors prefer, but I chose to leave that decision to the new owner.  The butt plate is pitted, likely from poor storage standing in a damp corner through the years.  Being a military style plate, this could be easily upgraded if you chose to do so, but here again as I believe it to be original to the rifle I left it as is. 

One of the most intriguing features of this rifle is a series of initials and numbers that were hand engraved on the bottom flat of the barrel just forward of the pewter nose cap, reading “KA-AK-EA 1180.5 LB”.  The number is apparently a recorded weight, but I haven’t been able to divine the meaning of the initials.  The inscription is certainly period to the rifle’s use on the frontier and definitely not something recently applied, possibly the hunting record of the original owner.   

I have noticed in the past few years that collectors’ interest has been cooling with regards to the brand new, “never went anywhere” large bore guns, and as they begin to search out these that show frontier use to satisfy their desire to own a bit of history along with the artifact, guns such as this one will be difficult to find available.  If you are dead set on collecting condition, and that is your primary or only concern, this Sharps isn’t for you.  However, if you are a collector who enjoys pieces that played a part in the saga of the Old West, I can virtually guarantee this rifle isn’t a “hot house rose” that spent the 1870’s and 1880’s confined in the shooting galleries of the East.  Historically documented Sharps Rifles, identified to individual hide hunters have always commanded a premium price, but opportunities to purchase those rifles are few and far between.  While there is no such definitive documentation for this rifle, there is little doubt given the early shipping date, and the silent testimony of the pattern and type of wear and aging shown on this Sporting Rifle, that it “was there” on the plains during those short years of the buffalo hide trade.     $7500

 
 
 
 
 

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