Sharps-Borchardt Model 1878
Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company · Rifle · Out Of Production · 1878
Also known as: Sharps Model 1878, Old Reliable Model 1878, Borchardt Sharps
Overview
The Sharps-Borchardt Model 1878 was the last single-shot rifle produced by the Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company, based on Hugo Borchardt's 1877 hammerless falling-block patent. Unlike earlier Sharps rifles, it used an internal self-cocking striker and coil springs instead of an external hammer and flat springs, producing one of the strongest and fastest-locking actions of the 19th century. Offered in military, sporting, and long-range target configurations, it earned respect among Creedmoor competitors but sold poorly, and only about 8,700 were built before Sharps closed in 1881.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 4080 g (143.9 oz) |
| Overall Length | 1245 mm (49.02") |
| Barrel Length | 813 mm (32.01") |
| Action Type | Falling Block |
| Firing Mechanism | Striker Fired |
| Trigger Type | Single Stage |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Magazine Type | Internal |
| Muzzle Velocity | 411 m/s (1348 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 2210 J (1630 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 500 m (547 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 900 m (984 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 8 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Wood |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .45-70 Government · primary — also known as .45-70, .45-70 Govt, .45-2.1"
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot Breech Loading
- Safety mechanisms: Sliding Safety Lock, Self Cocking Striker
- Features: Hammerless Falling Block Action, Internal Coil Springs, Lever Actuated Breech, Automatic Extractor, One Of The Strongest 19th Century Actions
Variants
- Sharps-Borchardt Model 1878 Military Rifle — Military
- Sharps-Borchardt Model 1878 Mid-Range — Target
- Sharps-Borchardt Model 1878 Sporting Rifle — Hunting
Service history
Operators
- Michigan State Militia · adopted 1878
Production
Estimated total produced: 8,700 · Production years: 1878-1881
Approximately 8,700 rifles built across military, sporting, and target configurations; the last Sharps single-shot before the company folded
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Hugo Borchardt
Discontinued: 1881
Notes
The military model was made only in .45-70 Government with a 32-inch round barrel. Hugo Borchardt later applied the same coil-spring expertise to the C93, the first commercially successful self-loading pistol.
Background
The Sharps-Borchardt was a commercial flop, but its designer Hugo Borchardt took the coil-spring action he perfected here and used it to build the C93, the world's first successful semi-automatic pistol and a direct ancestor of the Luger.