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The slant breech models.

In November of 1852 the production of the “slant breech” series of Sharps rifles and carbines began. This series of guns would encompass four models, the Models 1851, 1852, 1853 and 1855. These were the first Sharps’ patent guns produced on anything approaching a “large scale”, as the earlier Sharps designs (M-1849 and M-1850) had been manufactured on a very small scale, less than 100 Model 1849s and less than 200 Model 1850s. It is somewhat disingenuous to say that Christian Sharps, inventor of Sharps breechloading design, holder of the patent rights thereto and namesake of the Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company was the “designer” of the Model 1851. The Model 1851, the first of the “slant breech” Sharps, was certainly based upon Sharps’ patent and a model he had produced and submitted to his production partners at Robbins & Lawrence. However, it was the modifications to the design added by Richard S. Lawrence and William Jones that resulted in the unique Model 1851 design. The “slant breech” series derive that appellation from a change to Sharps’ initial design affected by Lawrence & Jones. Rather than the sliding breech block engaging the breech face of the barrel at a 90-degree angle, perpendicular to it, they inclined the breech 22 degrees to the rear, resulting in an operating angle of 112-degrees. This inclined plane is clearly evident from the exterior of the gun, as the breechblock is obviously canted to the rear. It would not be until the introduction of Sharps’ New Model 1859 series that the slanting breechblock would be discarded, and Sharps would return to his original patent design of a perpendicular breechblock. The Model 1851 series of gun utilized the Maynard Automatic Tape Priming mechanism that had been patented by Doctor William Maynard in 1848, and had a unique “box lock” mechanism, with the hammer inside the lock plate, rather than outside the lock. This allowed the bottom portion of the hammer to serve as the tumbler upon which the hammer operated, rather than having a separate tumbler inside the lock that connected to the hammer outside the lock. This unique arrangement would be abandoned with the Model 1852 Sharps designs and the box lock system would not be revisited by Sharps. The Model 1851s were produced in both carbine and sporting rifle variations, with a total of about 2,050 produced based upon factory serial number records. Of these less than 200 were rifles (Seller’s cites 193 but notes that the lack of records for 38 serial numbers could cause his number to be incorrect) and the balance were carbines. Of the carbines 150 were delivered on a US Army contract and another 60 were delivered on a Navy contract. The guns were serial numbered sequentially from 1 to 2,050 and were produced from November 1 of 1852 through April 1 of 1855. The Model 1851s were produced in three calibers or rather bore sizes. Sharps rated the guns by bore size, or the number of lead balls that could be cast from a pound of lead for that size of bore. Under that system the larger the “bore” number, the smaller the caliber, and vice versa. The guns cataloged in in 32 bore (nominally about .52 caliber), 60 bore (about .43 caliber) and 90 bore (about .38 caliber). The sporting rifles were offered with either round or octagon barrels in lengths ranging from 18” to 34”, with 27” being the “standard” and most encountered length. The carbines were produced with 21” round barrels. Most carbines were mounted with some variant of a sling bar for mounted carry. Almost all Model 1851s were brass mounted with brass patch-boxes and butt-plates standard and brass barrel bands on most carbines. Some Model 1851s were produced without patch-boxes, but not many. The rifles typically had pewter forend caps, but some were made without them as well. The standard sights were a fixed front and folding “squirrel tail” shaped rear mounted on the barrels of both rifles and carbines. On the carbine a fixed brass blade was the standard front sight, and a fixed globe front sight was standard on the rifles. An additional folding long-range sigh was typically mounted on the receiver tang of the rifles as well. Of course, special order sights were available for the sporting arms, and both sporting rifles and carbines were available with factory embellishments like high grade wood, standard engraving, “extra” engraving, etc. Factory records only reveal 193 Model 1851 Sporting Rifles being produced, and of these the large majority were plain (not engraved) octagon barrel guns. Only 66 Sporting Rifles were listed as being produced with round barrels, of these 10 were 32 bore plain, 30 were 60 bore plain, 24 were 90 bore plain, and 2 were 60 bore engraved. One lone oddity is listed in the factory records as a half-octagon half-round 60 bore Sporting Rifle. Even though the Model 1852 and Model 1853 series of arms had been introduced during the latter part of Model 1851s production life, the Model 1855 was manufactured in limited quantities through the first quarter of 1855, at which time the production of the “box lock slant breech” came to an end.

Scarce original Sharps Model 1851 Military carbine.

This rare Sharps Model 1851 Military carbine is manufactured from 1852-55 with a total production of about 1,857, some of which were sold on U.S. Army and U.S. Navy contracts. They were known as the "Box Lock" Carbine and were made by Robbins & Lawrence for Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Co. and carried the Sharps name. This is a breech loading 32 bore (.526 caliber), paper cartridge with grooved lead bullet with a 21 ½ inch round barrel with six groove rifling, percussion carbine, using Maynard tape primer contained under a hinged trapdoor on the front of the lock. It has a slanted breechblock. The barrel has an equal tabaco brown color and is unmarked which is correct for the early carbines, the upper tang is marked:

“C. SHARPS/PATENT/1848"

followed by the serial number “21” and the primer cover is marked:
"EDWARD MAYNARD/PATENTEE/1845"

It has the correct brass blade front sight and folding "squirrel ear" rear sight. The forearm is mounted with a single brass barrel band and the stock has a brass butt-plate which is correct for the military carbines. The forend and stock are still in great condition with a nice dark brown color, the stock has a unit marking “417” on the left side near the butt-plate and a minor repair on the right side wrist. This carbine is still in perfect working order with a new like six groove bore.
These rare early carbines are well sought after by collectors in any condition.

Sharps Model 1852 Military Carbine.

The Model 1852 Military Carbine was a distinctly different firearm from its predecessor, the Model 1851 “Boxlock” Military carbine. This was the first Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Co’s, “Slant Breech” percussion designs with a side hammer. It is the first model which uses the C. Sharps patent pellet priming system, U.S. Patent Nr. 9820, Patented June 28, 1853. This carbine has a correct 21-inch round barrel which has no browned finish left. The caliber is 30 bore (.526) with six groove rifling, the bore is like new. The ammunition for these carbines was a .52 paper cartridge with a grooved lead bullet. The brass barrel band is retained by the front screw of the 9-inch sling ring rod. The barrel is factory fitted with a brass blade front sight and a v-notch rear sight; a very few were fitted with a v-notch rear sight. The barrel is marked in three lines with the following address:

SHARP’S RIFLE
MANUFG CO.
HARTFORD CONN

The lock plate is stamped in three lines:

SHARP’S
PATENT
1852

The receiver top tang is stamped in three lines and the serial number:

SHARPS
PATENT

1848

Followed by  the serial number “3529” which is also stamped under the barrel and breech block face, which is the correct early type. The wood is in fine condition with nice brass furniture on it. All iron parts have no original finish left.
These carbines were made between June 1853 and July 1855 in a serial number range from 2041 to 7500. A total of 4488 Model 1852 Military carbines were made along with 209 Model 1852 Sporting carbines.