More photos and info.
After I got the NM 1859 rifle I posted the serial number on the Spencer Shooting Society Forum and the moderator Two Flints came back with---serial number 37,325 was issued to Company 1 5th Michigan Volunteer Infantry on May 17 1865---my serial number is 37,337 (Not that far apart)
From what I understand the last Government contract for these rifles was in 1865.
He has the four volume set of the Springfield Research Service (SRS) Serial Numbers of U.S. Martial Arms.
The barrel on my NM 1859 is for the most part a dusty blue. The barrel band springs also have a nice patina.
In the patchbox there are three markings plus a punch mark on the inside of the lid.
A letter ”H” is quite clear----a number “2” stamped in the floor of the patchbox is clear—and then there are two numbers or markings in the wood at the rear of the patchbox.
Looks like 05 or 65---I don’t know.
The lever open.
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From what I understand the Berdan rifles were;
This rifle was the standard Sharps New Model 1859 military rifle except for the following changes: 1) being fitted for the angular socket bayonet which used the front sight stud to lock it in place, no separate locking nut was on the bottom of the barrel which was present on the model which accepted the saber/sword bayonet. 2) the rifle was fitted with a doubleset trigger, by pulling the rear trigger, the forward "hair" trigger was set so that the slightest pressure would release the hammer. This special configuration did not have a lever locking latch which was on the trigger tang to hold the lever closed as on the single trigger Sharps rifle
Army Inspector's marks: John Taylor, assisted by four or five civilian sub-inspectors employed by the Army were borrowed from the Colt factory, they inspected all 2,000 of the special order Berdan Sharps rifles between April 10th and May 24th 1862. John Taylor's right hand slant cartouche with the scroll initials "J T" was stamped on all original buttstocks. His initial "T" has been seen on some barrels in the normal Army inspector's location at the breech. Since Taylor had several other employees working for him, the presence of other initials would not be unusual on the barrel if it's marked "New Model 1859". Rifles received by the Army in 1865 on the last contract have different inspector's initials, including "EAW" and "TWR" on the stock.
Sharps Serial Numbers: Identifying original Berdan Sharps rifle can be confusing. There appear to be two separate serial ranges for Berdan special order rifles.
1) serial range 54390 - 57574: This an estimated serial range, documented known Berdan rifles fall in this range of serial numbers. Both the 1st and 2nd regiments are known to have carried rifles in the 54000, 55000, 56000, and 57000 range.
2) serial range 39573 - 40872: This is a second range which is believed to have consisted of a few rifles that were "on hand" at the beginning of the Berdan contract and were used to begin filling Berdan's order. They may have been single triggers that were replaced with the double triggers. Some rifles exist in this range, but do not have the "J T" inspector mark or do they fit the profile of a Berdan special order rifle. No documented rifles exist and is estimated that less than 25 rifles in this serial range may have been produced.
Serial number information from the book: Sharpshooter: Hiram Berdan and his famous Sharpshooters and their Sharps Rifle: by Wiley Sword
