A Sharp's Carbine question

[KeystoneGuard]

Gents,

Coming to you with a question from my father (who is currently in unit transition). He bought a new Sharp's Carbine last season for a cheaper than dirt price. When he received it, he found out that it is actually a sporting carbine. He decided since he paid a very good price, he would just live with it.. The barrel is 28" instead of 22" and it also lacks the saddle ring (which it should since its a sporting rifle).

He would like to know if it would be more acceptable for him to let it the way it is or have a gunsmith shorten the barrel and apply the saddle ring? We have a great local gunsmith which some of you may know, Getz Barrels (Beavertown, PA). He does a lot of work with Rev. War flintlocks and does some with Civil War rifles.

The carbine actually resembles the 1863 Military Carbine, which didn't have a patch box.

Thank you for your help.

[jpbab]

Re: A Sharp's Carbine question

With the amount of work to be done and the price of the parts needed, I'd opt for selling to a black powder enthusiast and get one more correct.
I also looked into exactly what you did. I think I found a sporting sharps for 400 a few months back

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: A Sharp's Carbine question

Hallo!

There are fictional "Sharps Sporting Rifles" of a number of types by a number of makers.
One the comes to mind first comes in two versions both will 30 year old "Sile" design (now offered by IAB) with the lockplate flat to the wrist (as on C.S. Robinson Sharps copies rather the true U.S. Sharps), both with checkered wrists and forestocks, and one with a 29 inch octagonal barrel with the other being round.

At any rate, the above advice is sound. IMHO, even starting at "free" it will most likely cost more to replace the incorrect parts and have a gunsmith shorten the barrel (or lathe turn an octagonal one), etc, etc than the cost of what a used "military Sharps" can often be found for.
IMHO, sell it and reinvest the Yankee Greenbacks in something "less wrong."


Curt

[KeystoneGuard]

Re: A Sharp's Carbine question

Curt,

I feel the same way. Sell it and buy a proper carbine, now all I have to do is sell this information to my father. You may know the answer to my next question since we're talking about sporting carbines: were they used by Union Sharpshooters?

I will clarify some much needed info about this carbine. It is a round barrel and does not have the double set triggers. The biggest problem it has is the checkered stock and 28" barrel.

Thanks to the both of you gentlemen in my endeavor!

[Curt Schmidt]

Re: A Sharp's Carbine question

Hallo!

"You may know the answer to my next question since we're talking about sporting carbines: were they used by Union Sharpshooters?"

In brief and to over-generalize, for a short reply.... no.

Although, Hiram Berdan had wanted the 1st U.S.S.S. to be equipped with the slant breech Sharps M1853 Sporting Rifle (as his vision was not entirely "military") but they were given the Colt M1855 Revolving Rifle and then the Berdan Contract NM1859 Sharps Rifle.
And, it might bre worth mentioning, that initially, the first new recruits were to have been given $60 (never happened) for the "target rifles" they brought from home for the qualification trials and subsequent service. It would appear, that that did not happen either, as I recall no accounts of Berdan's in service with their own rifles after that.

Again, overly brief and generalized...

Curt