Sharps Model 1859 Carbine
Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company · Carbine · Discontinued · 1859
Also known as: Sharps New Model 1859 Carbine, Sharps Saddle-Ring Carbine, New Model 1859 Cavalry Carbine
Overview
The Sharps Model 1859 Carbine is a single-shot, breech-loading falling-block carbine designed by Christian Sharps with the straight-breech action credited to Richard S. Lawrence, produced by the Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company of Hartford, Connecticut. Dropping the trigger-guard operating lever lowers the breechblock to expose the chamber, where a .52-caliber paper or linen combustible cartridge is loaded and ignited by a Maynard tape primer or percussion cap; closing the action shears the rear of the cartridge to bare the powder charge. Its short 22-inch barrel, light weight and saddle-ring bar made it the most widely issued cavalry carbine of the American Civil War, allowing a mounted trooper to fire eight to ten aimed shots per minute and reload from the saddle far faster than with a muzzle-loader. Tens of thousands were converted after the war to fire .52-70 rimfire and .50-70 Government metallic cartridges.
Specifications
| Weight (empty) | 3629 g (128.0 oz) |
| Overall Length | 994 mm (39.13") |
| Barrel Length | 559 mm (22.01") |
| Action Type | Falling Block |
| Firing Mechanism | Percussion |
| Trigger Type | Single Action |
| Magazine Capacity | 1 rounds |
| Muzzle Velocity | 365 m/s (1198 fps) |
| Muzzle Energy | 1943 J (1433 ft·lbf) |
| Effective Range | 275 m (301 yd) |
| Maximum Range | 730 m (798 yd) |
| Rate of Fire | 9 rpm |
| Barrel Rifling | Right Hand |
| Number of Grooves | 6 |
| Frame Material | Steel |
| Barrel Material | Steel |
| Stock Material | Walnut |
| Finish | Blued |
Calibers
- .52-70 Sharps · primary — also known as .52 Sharps, .52-70, 52 caliber Sharps, .52 caliber paper cartridge
Features
- Firing modes: Manual
- Feed systems: Single Shot
- Features: Falling Block Breechblock, Trigger Guard Operating Lever, Maynard Tape Primer, Saddle Ring Bar, Single Barrel Band, Patchbox
Base model
Service history
Operators
- United States Army · adopted 1859
- Confederate States Army · adopted 1861
Conflicts
- American Civil War (1861-1865)
- American Indian Wars (1865-1891)
Production
Estimated total produced: 33,000 · Production years: 1859-1866
Roughly 33,000 New Model 1859 carbines were produced (about 3,000 early brass-furniture examples and around 30,000 with iron furniture); counting the closely related 1859, 1863 and 1865 patterns, well over 100,000 Sharps cavalry carbines were made during the Civil War era.
Origin
Country of origin: United States
Designer: Christian Sharps
Discontinued: 1866
Notes
The carbine variant of the New Model 1859 used a single barrel band and saddle-ring bar in place of the rifle's three bands and sling swivels. Early carbines (to roughly serial 36,000) carried brass furniture and patchbox; later examples used iron. Sharps carbines of the 1859, 1863 and 1865 patterns were by far the most numerous Union cavalry carbines, and many were converted under government contract from 1867 to fire .52-70 rimfire or .50-70 centerfire cartridges.
Background
The saddle-ring Sharps was the iconic Union cavalry carbine, its falling-block breech letting troopers reload at a gallop and lay down rapid aimed fire that outpaced any muzzle-loading musket. Captured examples armed Confederate horsemen as well, and surplus conversions soldiered on into the Indian Wars frontier.