Sharps New Model 1863 Rifle .52 Cal. Black Powder Civil War Antique 1863

This New Model 1863 Rifle has the iron furniture and the patch box. There were around 6,150 made this way. The serial number on this rifle is C28930. The top tang and bottom barrel are numbered alike.



This New Model 1863 rifle features: (1) Straight Breech style design. (2) Barrel is 30” round barrel. (3) Iron furniture with rear stock sling swivel and center barrel band sling swivel. (4) Sharps pellet priming system was made integral with the lock plate (bottom retaining screw still in block). (4) Walnut stock with inlet patch-box. (5) Top of the barrel near breech is marked “NEW MODEL 1863”. (6) The barrel is marked “SHARPS RIFLE/MANUFG. CO. / HARTFORD, CONN.). (7) Left side of the receiver is marked “C. SHARPS PAT. /SEPT. 12th1848”. (8) Six groove rifling. (9) The right-side plate of the action is stamped behind the hammer: “R.S.LAWRENCE PAT / APRIL 12th 1859. (10) The right-side plate is also stamped on the lower hammer area “C.SHARPS PAT. / OCT. 5th1852”. (11) The rear sight is “R. S. LAWRENCE. / PATENTED / FEB 15TH 1859”. (12) The front sight is a pinned brass oval on a welded lug block. Lug front sight is for the saber type bayonet. (13) The barrel bottom and top tang are serial numbered C, 28930.


The condition of this New Model 1863 Sharps Rifle is in “Very Good” condition. (1) Action has traces of light case-color still showing. The majority of the action has an aged blue/brown/grey finish and is not pitted or rusted.

Right side is clean and smooth no metal issues. The area behind the hammer is clean. (2) The stampings on both sides are legible and sharp indicating no refinishing. (3) The top tang still retains sharp stamped serial number and has original finish. (4) The barrel is original finish and is very strong. It holds a very strong percentage of its original blue.
The bottom of the barrel holds strong original bluing (picture) and the serial number “C, 28930” is sharp. (5) The barrel under the stock is strong 75% and the area under the barrel bands has limited ageing.
The lower tang, trigger and lever lock show decent bluing. The butt is case colored also and the same condition as the action with traces of it left. (6) The stock is in decent condition not being all dinged up. The stock appears to be original finish and is dry. It may have been lightly sanded because there are no cartouches or stampings. There is no cartouche on the left side.
(7) The forearm is in nice shape with no significant handling marks or stress cracks. There is light layer of finish added to its surface. It has a little more sheen than the stock. The underneath is dry and un-touched .
(8) The bore is bright and shiny. The 6 - grooved rifling is decent. There is some light pitting that has been cleaned up running down most of the barrel
The chamber is smooth where the shell casing sat. It has a pitted ring in the throat (picture). (9) The hammer safety sear is strong, and the hammer pull is strong.

This is a nice collector Sharps New Model 1863 Rifle. There were only 6,150 of these made.