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MODEL 1853 SHARPS CARBINE - US ARMY INSPECTED:
A very nice specimen, this carbine is one of the
rare 250 Model 1853 Sharps Carbines purchased by the US
Army Ordnance Department for issue to the United States
First and Second Dragoons. New to the market place from
an old collection, this carbine features the clear,
legible Ordnance Department inspector's stamp "JFC"
without an outline on the left side of the stock
immediately behind the receiver. It is worth noting
that four types of inspector’s stamps are known to have
been used on these M1853 Sharps Carbines and the two
earliest forms did not have the enclosing outline as did the
later cartouches.
This carbine features the
correct stamps, all clear and legible, on the barrel,
receiver and tang. The barrel is overall bright and
smooth, with some areas of pitting along the edges of
both sides of the forearm, likely the result of poor
storage. The bore is excellent, showing bright, clear,
strong rifling the full length, with no pitting or
darkening. The original sights are present and complete
– the brass front sight and the rear sight with the
original slide. The lock and breechblock actions are
very crisp with no wear or play. The receiver and tang
have some light pitting, with smooth surfaces on the
lock, lever and trigger plate. The brass has a nice
even patinated color and the patch box lid is serial
numbered to match the carbine. The left side of the
carbine is mounted with the early pattern long carbine
sling ring bar and the left butt stock features the
desirable carbine sling wear arc across the grain. The
balance of the stock retains a pleasing even red tone
that contrasts nicely with the brass furniture, while
showing the normal dings and marks expected of a carbine
used in service as were all of these early Sharps. The
stock is free of cracks, splits or other damage save for
a small chip at the toe that has been nicely filled and
is not noticeable except on close inspection.
According to the Springfield Research Service records,
this carbine’s serial number, 9752, falls in the midst
of a series of Sharps Carbines that were issued to
Company C, 1st California Volunteer Cavalry.
It is known that when the 1st US Dragoons
were ordered to depart California for reassignment to
the Eastern states at the start of the Civil War, they
surrendered their M1853 Sharps Carbines prior to leaving
the west. These same carbines were then issued to the 1st
and 2nd California Cavalry in 1861, thus
originally this particular carbine was most assuredly in
the inventory of the 1st US Dragoons.
This is a particularly nice US Martial Model 1853 Sharps
Carbine, one of the historically important 250 that were
purchased for the US Dragoons in the antebellum years
and one that will enhance your collection for years to
come.
SOLD
NOTE: Be sure to take a look at the SHARPS
RIFLE COMPANY LAWRENCE
PRIMER TUBE TIN w/ COMPLETE LABEL & A FULL PRIMER TUBE
– AS ISSUED FOR THE MODEL 1852 – 1863 SHARPS
CARBINES listed on the first page of the Collector's
Ammunition section of this website.
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