1874 Sharps Little Betsy

Davide Pedersoli & Co. S.r.l. · Rifle · In Production · 2018

Also known as: Sharps Small Betsy, Sharps Little Betsy

Overview

The 1874 Sharps Little Betsy is a single-shot falling-block rifle produced by Davide Pedersoli, a scaled-down and lightened reproduction of the classic 1874 Sharps sporting rifle. Chambered here in .357 Magnum, it pairs a 24-inch blued barrel with a forged and CNC-machined, floral-engraved frame, an American walnut stock, a double set trigger, and a tunnel front sight with a folding Creedmoor rear sight. Its slim, reduced-size receiver keeps weight down while retaining the lines of the original 19th-century Sharps.

Specifications

Weight (empty)3450 g (121.7 oz)
Overall Length1045 mm (41.14")
Barrel Length617 mm (24.29")
Action TypeFalling Block
Firing MechanismHammer Fired
Trigger TypeDouble Set
Magazine Capacity1 rounds
Effective Range100 m (109 yd)
Barrel RiflingRight Hand
Rifling Twist457 mm (17.99")
Number of Grooves8
Frame MaterialSteel
Barrel MaterialSteel
Stock MaterialWalnut
FinishBlued

Calibers

Features

Variants

Production

Production years: 2018-present

Modern reproduction sporting/plinking rifle, not a military arm

Origin

Country of origin: Italy

Designer: Davide Pedersoli & Co.

Notes

The 'Little Betsy' name reflects the reduced-scale frame; the same model is offered in .22 LR, .22 Hornet, .30-30 Winchester, .357 Magnum and .38-55 Winchester. Also marketed in some markets as the Sharps Small Betsy.

Background

The original Model 1874 Sharps rifles earned the nickname 'Old Reliable' and were legendary among buffalo hunters and long-range Creedmoor target shooters of the American frontier. Pedersoli's Little Betsy shrinks that iconic falling-block design into a light, small-caliber rifle for recreational and small-game shooting.