Old Sharps Rifle

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VAshooter
Posts: 48
Joined: Wed Aug 06, 2003 2:43 pm
Location: Richmond, VA

Old Sharps Rifle

Post by VAshooter »

While I was at a gun show in Richmond, VA over the weekend I saw an original Sharps hanging on a rack above one of the tables. The rifle looked like a factory conversion from percussion and was chambered (according to the tag) in 44-77. It had the wide lock with the metal for the tape primer still in place. The barrel was heavy, maybe 1 1/16 or 1 1/8th diameter full octagonal and about 32 inches long. It had a hooded front sight, a semi buckhorn rear sight and a long range tang sight. The stock had a straight grip and crecent but plate. The rifle was in good condition but brown patina on all metal parts. The price listed was $7000.00

I asked the dealer if I could look at the rifle because I had not had a chance to look at a coverted rifle before and wanted to look it over. The dealer told me that his rifle WAS NOT a conversion and turned and walked away. Now that I think about it, I think he thought I was calling the rifle a fake cause he sure got angry.
Freedom Isn't Free

Doug
nohorse
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Post by nohorse »

Dealers like that just chap my butt. Makes ya wonder why they even go to the effort to show up. Then they gripe to other dealers 'cause they haven't sold anything, and its a "bad show", and how they're losin' money 'casue of the expenses just to show up. What happened to the good 'ol dyas when they actually had good prices and deals at the shows? And dealers that actually had fun and enjoyed talkin' guns? There was a time when they would actually make historical displays of Colts and such and just talk guns! Thanks for lettin' me vent.....Hope the short fused dealer realizes he missed the opportunity to make a friend, and later sales.......
Shiloh #1!
Guns:
45 - 70 #1 Sporter, 30 inch heavy octagon with MVA mid range soule and MVA spirit level sights
45-70 Hartford Model, 30 inch heavy octagon with Axtell Hartford Transition and MVA combination sights [the hunter!!]
Omak Cowboy
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Joined: Wed Jul 02, 2003 2:35 pm
Location: Renton, Washington

$7,000 gun

Post by Omak Cowboy »

That "dealer' must really be in love with his "$7,000 ornament, cuz with an attitude like that he's gonna have it a while, a long long while!
Omak
THIS SPACE FOR RENT
RIFLE:
45 - 70 #1 Sporter, shotgun buttplate, bone charcoal, 28 inch heavy octagon, semi fancy wood, pewter tip, MVA soule sights. 11 lbs, 10 1/2 ounces.
MLV
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Post by MLV »

I wonder if that rifle was a Model 1869? They had the wide lock plates and were in .44-77 caliber. I've never heard of a factory conversion in other than .40 and .45 caliber.
VAshooter
Posts: 48
Joined: Wed Aug 06, 2003 2:43 pm
Location: Richmond, VA

Old Sharps Rifle

Post by VAshooter »

MLV
The rifle was up on a rack out of my reach. I asked the dealer if he would take it down and let me look at it but he refused.
I tried to check as many features as I could but I've only seen a couple original Sharps so I'm not experienced enough to understand the differences between all the models. It had the wide lock and the metal which made up the primer feed. I couldn't tell whether it had a plate for the saddle ring as another rifle was in the way. It had a military type cresent buttplate but had a pewter forend cap. For a man trying to sell stuff the dealer wasn't very friendly. I wish I had been able to inspect it closer. Not many original Sharps in Richmond , VA
Freedom Isn't Free

Doug
MLV
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Post by MLV »

Dear Va shooter: I've run in to exactly the same sort of thing at gun shows and gun stores. I used to think there were a lot of jerks messing with guns, but now that I'm older I think there's just a lot of jerks. At least we don't have them on this forum. I'd bet that was a Model 1869. I've never seen a factory conversion with a pewter tip either - not a factory one at least. Good luck to ya. I bet if you had had $100 bills sticking out of all your pockets that dealer would have been friendly!
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