I am the proud owner of an original 1859 Sharps carbine conversion in 50-70. It has the 3 groove sleaved barrel and patch box stock. I am thinking of doing a sort of Quigley clone by putting a longer octagon barrel on it probably staying with 50-70. Can anyone suggest a route to go for sourcing an octagon barrel? The gunsmith at Epps can do the work. Please don't lets get into a destroying collector value discussion on this. It's just in the thinking stages so far. Thanks and stay warm people.
Sharps carbine 50-70
- Thread starter Hiwatt
- Start date
You can't be all that proud of it in view of what you posted. Suggestion - sell your carbine 'as is' to a collector and then get what you want as opposed to desecrating an antique.
Oh - I wasn't supposed to say that .....
As the owner of a couple of Shiloh .50 calibre carbines (a '63 and a '74 and four other Shiloh rifles) I lost my composure at the very thought of what you proposed. It isn't collector value that's at stake, it's history.
Your original carbine is one of only 27,000 such conversions done under an 1867 contract for the US Ordnance Department. Yours likely has the original hammer modified for centre fire and the hump of the primer feed still on the receiver wall. These were once issued to the Texas Rangers who referred to them affectionately as "Lead Belly". You see one in John Wayne's "True Grit" in the hands of LeBoeuf.
I have a friend with an original conversion of such a carbine to 45-70. Being historic, it's a bit of an anomaly and a treasure.
Oh - I wasn't supposed to say that .....
As the owner of a couple of Shiloh .50 calibre carbines (a '63 and a '74 and four other Shiloh rifles) I lost my composure at the very thought of what you proposed. It isn't collector value that's at stake, it's history.
Your original carbine is one of only 27,000 such conversions done under an 1867 contract for the US Ordnance Department. Yours likely has the original hammer modified for centre fire and the hump of the primer feed still on the receiver wall. These were once issued to the Texas Rangers who referred to them affectionately as "Lead Belly". You see one in John Wayne's "True Grit" in the hands of LeBoeuf.
I have a friend with an original conversion of such a carbine to 45-70. Being historic, it's a bit of an anomaly and a treasure.
Ditto.
building a modern gun on a nice original would be like chopping up an original hemi 'cuda to build a resto-mod worth half as much.
You could likely trade it even to someone with a modern version of exactly what you are after, and no collectible rifles would be harmed.
building a modern gun on a nice original would be like chopping up an original hemi 'cuda to build a resto-mod worth half as much.
You could likely trade it even to someone with a modern version of exactly what you are after, and no collectible rifles would be harmed.
'Your original carbine is one of only 27,000 such conversions done under an 1867 contract for the US Ordnance Department'
Like to make a guess as to just how many are left now? And you want to reduce that by one? I'm at least three thousand miles away from you, so I can safely say that I think you're crazy.
Like to make a guess as to just how many are left now? And you want to reduce that by one? I'm at least three thousand miles away from you, so I can safely say that I think you're crazy.
So far there has been no information about the current condition of the barrel; if the barrel is in poor condition, I don't see much loss. As long as you keep the original barrel, it can be re-installed by a future owner and the gun's antique value should not be affected. The few collectors that I have run across have been only interested in pristine guns and are very fussy about small details. They have little interest and attach little value to guns that have been "rode hard and put away wet".
I am more of an accumulator that a collector and my interest is more in the mechanics of the antiques that I have acquired. Most of my guns have been in fairly tired condition or already altered when I acquired them and I have had little compunction about returning them to shooting condition
cheers mooncoon
Hiwatt didn't say it was in "poor condition". Some of us don't have very high standards when it comes to rare collectible firearms. It doesn't need a pristine bore to be a shooter. In fact, the relined Sharps were not known for their accuracy and were not popular with the troops as most had been "rode hard and put away wet", like Hiwatt said.
BTW - I just checked my copy of Seller's book and the total number of all conversions (rifles & carbines, including '74 Rifle Muskets and Sporting Rifles) was 44,000. The figure I quoted earlier was for a contract to convert 1868 model carbines. Many minor mods, parts replacements and upgrades were part of the conversions and the variety is endless.
BTW - I just checked my copy of Seller's book and the total number of all conversions (rifles & carbines, including '74 Rifle Muskets and Sporting Rifles) was 44,000. The figure I quoted earlier was for a contract to convert 1868 model carbines. Many minor mods, parts replacements and upgrades were part of the conversions and the variety is endless.
Thank you for that Mooncoon. I couldn't agree more. Since I bought this from a business the price was a good indication that there wasn't great collector value to start with. Regards.
One for sale on Gunbroker for about $3,000.00 US, enough for 2 Pedersoli Sharps.
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/792430648
https://www.gunbroker.com/item/792430648
Outstanding! Looks as good as my Shiloh '63 SRC.
Ron Smith in Wimborne, AB can do the work. He makes barrels from scratch and can install them, too. Absolutely top notch barrels.
He repaird and rebarreled a very tired and worn Winchester highwall for me last year. He is not fast and not inexpensive, but the work is outstanding.
He does not have a website or email, so you have to call. He's also a bit hard of hearing, so have patience on the call: 403-631-2405.
It will likely cost you about the same as buying a good used Pedersoli Sharps.
I have a friend who recently acquired a 50-70 Sharps conversion who is going to try to get it up and shooting with suitable BP loads. Yours might shoot well as it is with a bit of effort on making good ammunition.
Good luck with the project!
He repaird and rebarreled a very tired and worn Winchester highwall for me last year. He is not fast and not inexpensive, but the work is outstanding.
He does not have a website or email, so you have to call. He's also a bit hard of hearing, so have patience on the call: 403-631-2405.
It will likely cost you about the same as buying a good used Pedersoli Sharps.
I have a friend who recently acquired a 50-70 Sharps conversion who is going to try to get it up and shooting with suitable BP loads. Yours might shoot well as it is with a bit of effort on making good ammunition.
Good luck with the project!
Thank you very much for the helpful information. If I decided to proceed I will contact him. Kind regards.
I got this Sharps carbine in February 1990 in a multi item trade together with a converted Spencer carbine.
The Spencer.
On these converted Sharps carbines in addition to the normal inspector markings found on Sharps percussion arms, an extra inspection stamp (initials DFC _for David F. Clark in a ribbon cartouche) was marked in the center of the left side of the buttstock.
The trade also included the cartridge box shown below with the Sharps and Spencer cartridges.
The carbine with the cartridge box.
Traces of inspector’s cartouches from the Civil War period.
The Spencer.
On these converted Sharps carbines in addition to the normal inspector markings found on Sharps percussion arms, an extra inspection stamp (initials DFC _for David F. Clark in a ribbon cartouche) was marked in the center of the left side of the buttstock.
The trade also included the cartridge box shown below with the Sharps and Spencer cartridges.
The carbine with the cartridge box.
Traces of inspector’s cartouches from the Civil War period.
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I'm drooling ...... You are the envy of all those who admire the Sharps and Spencer carbines/rifles.
I just modified my repro cartridge box to accept 56-50 rounds with a wooden block drilled as per what you posted. Mine holds 20 rds whereas the one pictured holds 22.
I was notified yesterday that a Chiappa Spencer in 56-50 I ordered is in the dealer's hands awaiting shipment. I've already assembled brass, bullet mould, etc. to shoot it. I hope it's a good one.
I just modified my repro cartridge box to accept 56-50 rounds with a wooden block drilled as per what you posted. Mine holds 20 rds whereas the one pictured holds 22.
I was notified yesterday that a Chiappa Spencer in 56-50 I ordered is in the dealer's hands awaiting shipment. I've already assembled brass, bullet mould, etc. to shoot it. I hope it's a good one.
