1424

SHARPS MODEL 1874 SPORTING RIFLE.

Currency:USD Category:Firearms & Military Start Price:6,250.00 USD Estimated At:12,500.00 - 17,500.00 USD
SHARPS MODEL 1874 SPORTING RIFLE.
SN 156570. Cal. 44-77. Standard sporting rifle with 32" medium weight oct bbl, rare tube front sight, standard Lawrence Patent ladder rear sight and an early Sharps vernier tang sight with 4" staff. Bottom rear of the staff is marked "19". Mounted with straight grain, uncheckered American walnut with Sharps semi-schnable forearm and straight stock with Sharps semi-crescent steel buttplate. Top flat of the bbl has the "OLD RELIABLE" cartouche and Bridgeport address forward of the rear sight along with the caliber marking and the mark of B. Kittredge & Co., Cincinnati, OH between the rear sight & receiver. According to Sellers there were only 3,881 of these rifles produced at Bridgeport in the period 1876-1880. This period being at the height of the Indian Wars and the shooting of the great buffalo herds, it is likely that this rifle would have seen service on the American frontier. Accompanied by a Sharps Factory records letter which identifies this rifle as a Model 1874 sporting rifle, invoice at Bridgeport on Aug 30,1876 to B. Kittredge & Co. It is described as being in cal 44, case length not specified with 32" full oct bbl, double triggers, open sights and oil finished stocks with weight listed as 10 lbs 4 oz. Rifle was in an order of 80 Model 1874 sporting rifles shipped to Kittredge on that date, 70 were in cal 44 and 10 in cal 40 in a variety of configurations. The letter further states "B. Kittredge & Co was an important wholesaler to the western part of the country. Collectors consider the Kittredge Sharps to be western guns, with particular respect to the TX buffalo hunt in the 1875-1877 period". CONDITION: Fine to very fine. Bbl retains 97-98% strong orig blue with only faint sharp edge wear and a couple of nicks; receiver, lockplate, hammer, lever & buttplate retain faint case colors being mostly a smooth plummy brown patina. Wood is sound and retains most of a restored finish. Mechanics are crisp, strong bore with moderate pitting. 4-47748 JR328