One of the most iconic firearms in history, the Sharps Breech Loading Pistol, was not just a weapon; it was a testament to the innovative prowess of the 19th-century arms industry.
Overview of the Sharps Breech Loading Pistol
The Sharps Breech Loading Pistol is a .36 caliber, single-shot, percussion pistol, renowned for its rifled breech-loading mechanism. Manufactured by C. Sharps & Co., the pistol has a unique dropping block lever action, complemented by two-piece wooden grips. The mountings were made of iron, adding a touch of durability and robustness to the firearm.
Historical Context
The Sharps Breech Loading Pistol's story cannot be told without mentioning its creator, Christian Sharps. Born in 1810, Sharps established his company in 1858 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. His company, C. Sharps & Co., was responsible for producing 80,512 pistols and rifles for the U.S. Government during the Civil War. The company subsequently changed its name to Sharps & Hankins in 1863 but was still listed as C. Sharps & Co. in the 1875 directory. The company's most notable contributions were the self-priming pistols and rifles, which were a marvel of the era.
Manufacturing
The Sharps Breech Loading Pistol wasn't mass-produced due to the limited demand for this type of pistol at the time of its manufacture. Only about 850 of these pistols were made between 1854 and 1857. The lever-activated action of this pistol is similar to that of a rifle or carbine. The pistol is based on the Model 1848 Sharps Pistol, showcasing the evolution of firearm design over the years.
Unique Features
The Sharps Breech Loading Pistol is marked with the stamp “C. SHARPS & COS/GUN WORLD/PHILA PA” under the hammer. On the opposite side, the stamp reads “C. SHARPS/PATENT/1840-1852”. These stamps add a touch of authenticity and historical significance to the pistol. The pistol's overall measurements are 10 1/4 in; 26.035 cm overall, and 1 1/2 in x 10 3/8 in x 5 3/8 in; 3.81 cm x 26.3525 cm x 13.6525 cm.
Christian Sharps: The Man Behind the Pistol
Christian Sharps, the inventor of the Sharps rifle and the Sharps Breech Loading Pistol, was a man of many talents. He was an apprentice gunsmith at the Harpers Ferry Arsenal in the 1830s and worked under the guidance of Captain John H. Hall, the inventor of the Hall rifle, an early breech-loader. Sharps also became well-versed in the manufacture of weapons with fully interchangeable parts.
In 1851, he formed the Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company with $1,000 in capital. The company built a factory in Hartford, Connecticut, and Sharps was paid a royalty of $1 per firearm. However, he left the company in 1855 to form his own manufacturing company, "C. Sharps & Co.", which later became "Sharps & Hankins" in 1862. Both firms were located in Philadelphia and produced four-barrel pistols, the single-shot Model 1861 Navy Rifles, and the Model 1862 Carbines.
After the partnership ended in 1867, Sharps continued to manufacture firearms under the C. Sharps and Co. name. He moved to Vernon, Connecticut, in 1870, where he continued his work on firearm designs and started a large trout farming business. Sharps died in 1874, and "C. Sharps & Co." was shuttered after his death, marking the end of firearms production. However, "Sharps Rifle Co" continued to produce his namesake rifles until 1881.
The Sharps Rifle
Sharps was issued a patent for his design of a breech-loading rifle on September 12, 1848. The Sharps rifle was designed with a vertical dropping block action, operated by a lever which also served as a trigger guard. Sharps' first rifle, the Model 1849, was manufactured by A.S. Nippes & Co. Despite not being the first breech-loading rifle, Sharps' was the first to be accepted widely and, with the onset of the American Civil War, the first to be produced in large quantities.
The Sharps & Hankins 4-Shot Pepperbox Pistols
One of the more common pocket pistols found in the "Old West" were the Sharps Pepperboxes. They are four-barrel, single-action pistols with a revolving firing pin. They come in .22, .30, and .32 rimfire, and their four barrels slide forward to load and unload. These pistols were made by "C. Sharps and Co", and are sometimes classified by modern collectors as a pepperbox.
Legacy
The legacy of Christian Sharps and his Breech Loading Pistol continues to this day. In 1983, Shiloh Rifle Manufacturing Company began to produce a line of modern reproductions of the legendary 1874 Sharps Rifle, featured in the 1990 Western film Quigley Down Under, starring Tom Selleck.
The Sharps Breech Loading Pistol is more than just a firearm; it is a symbol of an era when innovation and craftsmanship were at their peak. It is a testament to the genius of Christian Sharps, a man whose contributions to the firearms industry continue to resonate today.
References
- Flayderman, Norm. Flayderman’s Guide to Antique American Firearms…and their Values, Gun Digest Books, Iola, 2007. 9th edition.
- Gardner, Robert E. Col. Small Arms Makers: A Directory of Fabricators of Firearms, Edged Weapons, Crossbows and Polearms, Crown Publishers Inc, New York: 1963, p. 174.
- Marcot, Roy - Marron, Edward - Paxton, Ron. "Sharps Firearms: The Percussion Era 1848 - 1865"
- Sellers, Frank. Sharps Firearms.
- Smith, Winston O. The Sharps Rifle.
- Severn, James E. "The Sharps Sporting Rifle", in The American Rifleman, April 1962.
Further Reading
- Scientific American, 9 March 1850.
- Daily National Intelligencer, 21 October 1850.
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