Sharps New Model 1863 .50-70 conversion...

[Len]

Yesterday I received a call from my LGS advising me that they had just taken in a weapon I might be interested in. It turned out to be a CW era Sharps New Model 1863 carbine that had been converted , post CW , to .50-70. She's a bit brown and needs a good cleaning but is in good solid condition with a bright bore (the original 6 groove barrel) and the only down side is that the breechblock takedown lever needs to be replaced. is it possible to check the serial # through the SRS? Here are some pics.

Len

[SMOKEY]

Nice

[mannparks]

OK, you came out with honey it looks like.
Its nice when a shop calls with something like that.
Depending on what you had to give she looks good from hear.
Congrats
Charles

[Southron]

Super Nice Sharps! Congratulations! If I read the inspector's Initials "DFC" correctly, they stand for David F. Clark. He is listed as being an inspector Colt, Starr and Remington Revolvers. Apparently he also worked a spell at Sharps.

S & S Firearms sells two versions of the Sharps Hinge Pin (a.k.a. the "Breechblock Take Down Lever.")

One version is for the Percussion New Model 1859 and New Model 1863 carbines and the other one is for "Cartridge Sharps." You might wish to check with S & S to see which one you need. S & S sells original Hinge Pins. Here is the cartridge hinge pin:

http://www.ssfirearms.com/proddetail.asp?prod=SH126

[Southron]

The Percussion Sharps were manufactured in .54 Caliber. When Springfield Armory was converting them to the 50-70 Centerfire caliber after the war, some of the Sharps with pitted bores had the rifling reamed out and a .50 caliber, rifled barrel liner sweated into the barrel that was then chambered.

With some of the carbines, the ones that still had almost pristine bores, Springfield did not go to the trouble to ream the rifling out and sweat in a barrel liner, but left the original barrel intact except for chambering it for the 50-70 cartridge. The "theory" that Springfield was operating on was that the soft lead .50 caliber bullet would "slug up" to .54 caliber on the way down the barrel.

Needless to say, the accuracy of these particular conversions were not optimum! So, IF you are planning on shooting your Sharps and it does not have a sweated in, rifled barrel liner then "slug" your bore to determine its actual bore diameter and then tailor your bullet diameter to match your bore diameter.

With the proper load you will be amazed how accurately a Sharps can shoot.

GOOD LUCK!!!

[Alkali]

Yep, this is an absolute gem of a genuine Sharps carbine. Glad to know stuff like this still shows up at your local gun shop. Congratulations !

I also got an example last year at my LGS. Mine needed a lot of parts but I have found and purchased most everything needed from S&S, Dixie, and eBay. It will be shootable when completed. Not nearly as nice as yours, but treasured all the same.