Most of us have probably heard of Jim Baker, the mountain man. He was born in December, 1818, headed west at the age of 20 years, and attended the Green River rendezvous in 1839. He spent the rest of his long life in the mountains as a trapper, hunter, scout, and guide. He knew all the notables of the time and place. There is a very good account of his life in the April, 2009, Volume 99 Bulletin of the American Society of Arms Collectors. You can access it online here: https://americansocietyofarmscollectors ... en-Man.pdf
That link will open a PDF file, but as far as I know it is safe. My computer had no issues with it.
Obviously, Mr. Baker started out shooting muzzleloaders. He was gifted a Spencer, but shortly after receiving it, he experienced the accidental detonation of an apparently full magazine tube, which was in the rifle's buttstock. Jim sustained some pretty serious injuries from this and he was scarred for life. Moreover, he swore off repeaters for good.
However, by 1879, he did have a Sharps. This rifle is still in existence, now in possession of the Little Snake River Museum in Savery, Wyoming. I am unable to post pictures on this forum, but the museum has a few photos on their web and Facebook pages.
I don't know how to contact the editors of the Black Powder Cartridge News, but if any of them are reading this, I think it would be great if Mr. Baker's Sharps could be examined, photographed, and written up by a professional for publication in that journal. I think it would make an interesting article, and I would like to know if it is the same rifle referenced in the ASAC bulletin mentioned above. This rifle does have some unusual features... It was evidently rebored and rechambered at some point, and the wood forend was replaced by a forend of elk horn, fashioned by its owner.
Just a suggestion, well intentioned. I enjoy every issue of the Blackpowder Cartridge News, but an article about the Jim Baker Sharps would be a real treat.
Best regards,
Notchy Bob
Jim Baker's Sharps Rifle
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RandallM
- Posts: 11
- Joined: Tue Apr 18, 2023 5:44 am
- Location: Winchester, VA
Re: Jim Baker's Sharps Rifle
Notchy,
Great links on Jim Baker. The ASAC article is a nice one, but I didn't find any photos of the Sharps on the Little Snake River Museum website. (And I don't do Facebook... )
I agree that it would make a great piece in the BPCN magazine as well. Letters to the BPCN can be sent to sheryll@wolfpub.com, so that might be a place to start with your request.
Nice to see you over here as well as on our Muzzleloading Forum. Like you, I'm a recreational shooter with a somewhat recent 1874 pattern Shiloh Sharps. I've got some supplies on backorder at the moment, and once those arrive, I'll be casting up some bullets and starting with load development. Fortunately, I've got primers in hand, and if you were closer to Virginia, I'd happily give you some.
Randall
Great links on Jim Baker. The ASAC article is a nice one, but I didn't find any photos of the Sharps on the Little Snake River Museum website. (And I don't do Facebook... )
I agree that it would make a great piece in the BPCN magazine as well. Letters to the BPCN can be sent to sheryll@wolfpub.com, so that might be a place to start with your request.
Nice to see you over here as well as on our Muzzleloading Forum. Like you, I'm a recreational shooter with a somewhat recent 1874 pattern Shiloh Sharps. I've got some supplies on backorder at the moment, and once those arrive, I'll be casting up some bullets and starting with load development. Fortunately, I've got primers in hand, and if you were closer to Virginia, I'd happily give you some.
Randall
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Notchy Bob
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Wed May 25, 2022 7:22 pm
Re: Jim Baker's Sharps Rifle
Thank you, RandallM
I appreciate the information, and the comments! I will follow up, and see if I can get in contact with them. The late Miles Gilbert did a really good short write-up of James Henry Carleton about a year ago, with excellent photographs of his Wurfflein rifle, which was a percussion muzzleloader. Maybe they'll consider this.
Best regards,
Notchy Bob
I appreciate the information, and the comments! I will follow up, and see if I can get in contact with them. The late Miles Gilbert did a really good short write-up of James Henry Carleton about a year ago, with excellent photographs of his Wurfflein rifle, which was a percussion muzzleloader. Maybe they'll consider this.
Best regards,
Notchy Bob
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Notchy Bob
- Posts: 13
- Joined: Wed May 25, 2022 7:22 pm
Re: Jim Baker's Sharps Rifle
I'm unable to edit my last post, so will just submit another one.
I'm not Facebook-savvy, either. However, I was able to bring up a page with an image and description of the rifle which can be viewed without logging in to Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Littlesnakeriv ... 48/?type=3
There was also an article that may be of interest published in The Colorado Magazine, Volume 4, No. 4 (1927) entitled "Some Characteristics of Jim Baker." The author, Chauncey Thomas, interviewed people who had actually known Mr. Baker. There are several mentions in this article of guns owned and used by the old mountaineer. You can access it online here: https://www.historycolorado.org/sites/d ... st1927.pdf
Also, if you Google "jim baker sharps rifle little snake river museum" or some variation of that, you may scrounge up some more photos. I found a YouTube video at one time, showing a couple of fellows who were involved in getting the rifle from Jerry Wheeler and bringing it to the museum. I recall the video was disappointing, though... the two guys made it all about themselves, with very little and only brief glimpses of the actual rifle. I was unable to recover the video today, though.
I hope the folks at The Black Powder Cartridge News will consider writing it up. I'll try to contact them.
Notchy Bob
I'm not Facebook-savvy, either. However, I was able to bring up a page with an image and description of the rifle which can be viewed without logging in to Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Littlesnakeriv ... 48/?type=3
There was also an article that may be of interest published in The Colorado Magazine, Volume 4, No. 4 (1927) entitled "Some Characteristics of Jim Baker." The author, Chauncey Thomas, interviewed people who had actually known Mr. Baker. There are several mentions in this article of guns owned and used by the old mountaineer. You can access it online here: https://www.historycolorado.org/sites/d ... st1927.pdf
Also, if you Google "jim baker sharps rifle little snake river museum" or some variation of that, you may scrounge up some more photos. I found a YouTube video at one time, showing a couple of fellows who were involved in getting the rifle from Jerry Wheeler and bringing it to the museum. I recall the video was disappointing, though... the two guys made it all about themselves, with very little and only brief glimpses of the actual rifle. I was unable to recover the video today, though.
I hope the folks at The Black Powder Cartridge News will consider writing it up. I'll try to contact them.
Notchy Bob