Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company was the manufacturer of the Sharps Rifle. The company was organized by Samuel Robbins and Richard S. Lawrence as a holding company in Hartford, Connecticut, on October 9, 1851 with $100,000 in capital. Despite Sharps departing from the company bearing his name, Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company produced over 100,000 rifles, but it dissolved in 1881 with the widespread use of repeating rifles.[1]
Early tape priming system developed by Richard Lawrence integrated on a Sharp's model 1859 Carbine.
Side view of a Sharps model 1859 carbine with the action open.
History
Hartford sewing machine company building that housed Sharps Rifle Co.
Christian Sharps (1810–1874), patented his rifle in 1848. The first contract for 5,000 rifles was in 1850 and manufacturing started in 1851. The Model 1851 "box-lock" was developed by Christian Sharps, Rollin White, and Richard Lawrence at Robbins & Lawrence of Windsor, Vermont. The second contract for 15,000 rifles was so large that no suitable land was available in Windsor, Vermont. The holding company advanced Robbins & Lawrence $40,000 to purchase 25 acres (100,000 m2) of land in Hartford, Connecticut, and to erect a brick factory building.[1]
Christian Sharps left the Company in 1853. He later formed a partnership with William Hankins in 1862, known as Sharps & Hankins. In 1855, manufacturing was moved to Hartford and continued until 1876. Operations were then moved to Bridgeport, Connecticut.[2]
The Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company produced over 100,000 firearms during the US Civil War for the Union Army, but the company was plagued by lawsuits and eventually succumbed to a shifting marketplace as repeating rifles became more popular with shooters.[1]
Left side view of Lawrence priming system integrated on a Sharps Model 1859 carbine.
Legacy
Reproductions of the paper cartridge Sharps 1863 Rifle, the metallic cartridge 1874 Sharps Rifle, and Sharps-Borchardt Model 1878 are manufactured today for use in hunting and target shooting. A number of companies, among them Shiloh Rifle Manufacturing Company and C. Sharps Arms Co. Inc., both of Big Timber, Montana, and the Italian gunmaker Davide Pedersoli & Co. of Brescia, offer a line of Sharps reproductions.[4][5]
The Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company had manufactured bicycles under contract for Weed Sewing Machine Company in Hartford. When Sharps relocated to Bridgeport, Weed bought the old Hartford plant to manufacture bicycles themselves.[6]
References
^ abcFoster-Harris, William (2007). The Look of the Old West: A Fully Illustrated Guide. Skyhorse Publishing Inc. pp. 67–69. ISBN978-1-60239-024-9.
^ abFlayderman, Norm (December 17, 2007). Flayderman's Guide to Antique American Firearms and Their Values. Iola, Wisconsin: F+W Media, Inc. p. 194. ISBN978-0-89689-455-6.
^Accurate Smokeless Powders Loading Guide Number Two (Revised), Book by Accurate Arms Co, Wolfe Publishing, 2000 p.368
^Ramage, Ken (August 5, 2008). Gun Digest 2009: The World's Greatest Gun Book. Iola, Wisconsin: F+W Media, Inc. pp. 88–89. ISBN978-0-89689-647-5.
^Taffin, John (1995). "The Sharps 1874". Guns Magazine. Harris. 41 (5): 60–63.
^Hounshell, David (September 1, 1985). From the American System to Mass Production, 1800-1932: The Development of Manufacturing Technology in the United States. JHU Press. pp. 193–194. ISBN978-0-8018-3158-4.
7.Marcot, Roy - Marron, Edward - Paxton, Ron. "Sharps Firearms: The Percussion Era 1848 - 1865"
January 26, 2023
sharps, rifle, manufacturing, company, manufacturer, sharps, rifle, company, organized, samuel, robbins, richard, lawrence, holding, company, hartford, connecticut, october, 1851, with, capital, despite, sharps, departing, from, company, bearing, name, produce. Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company was the manufacturer of the Sharps Rifle The company was organized by Samuel Robbins and Richard S Lawrence as a holding company in Hartford Connecticut on October 9 1851 with 100 000 in capital Despite Sharps departing from the company bearing his name Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company produced over 100 000 rifles but it dissolved in 1881 with the widespread use of repeating rifles 1 Sharps Rifle Manufacturing CompanyTypePrivateIndustryFirearmsFoundedOctober 9 1851 1851 10 09 in Hartford Connecticut U S FounderSamuel Robbins and Richard S LawrenceDefunct1881 1881 FateDissolvedHeadquartersBridgeport Connecticut U S Area servedU S Key peopleJohn C Palmer Christian Sharps Richard S LawrenceProductsRiflesEarly tape priming system developed by Richard Lawrence integrated on a Sharp s model 1859 Carbine Side view of a Sharps model 1859 carbine with the action open History Edit Hartford sewing machine company building that housed Sharps Rifle Co Christian Sharps 1810 1874 patented his rifle in 1848 The first contract for 5 000 rifles was in 1850 and manufacturing started in 1851 The Model 1851 box lock was developed by Christian Sharps Rollin White and Richard Lawrence at Robbins amp Lawrence of Windsor Vermont The second contract for 15 000 rifles was so large that no suitable land was available in Windsor Vermont The holding company advanced Robbins amp Lawrence 40 000 to purchase 25 acres 100 000 m2 of land in Hartford Connecticut and to erect a brick factory building 1 Christian Sharps left the Company in 1853 He later formed a partnership with William Hankins in 1862 known as Sharps amp Hankins In 1855 manufacturing was moved to Hartford and continued until 1876 Operations were then moved to Bridgeport Connecticut 2 In 1872 Sharps introduced the 50 90 Sharps hunting cartridge 3 Hugo Borchardt designed the last rifle made by the company the Sharps Borchardt Model 1878 but the company went bankrupt and was defunct three years later in 1881 2 The Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company produced over 100 000 firearms during the US Civil War for the Union Army but the company was plagued by lawsuits and eventually succumbed to a shifting marketplace as repeating rifles became more popular with shooters 1 Production Sharps Model Type Caliber1849 to 1850 Model 1849 Rifle 0 441850 to 1850 Model 1850 Rifle 0 441852 to 1855 Model 1851 Carbine 36 44 521853 to 1855 Model 1852 Rifle 0 521853 to 1855 Model 1852 Carbine 0 521853 to 1855 Model 1852 Shotgun Various1854 to 1857 Model 1853 Carbine Various1856 to 1857 Model 1855 0 521856 to 1857 Model 1855 U S Navy Rifle 0 521855 to 1857 Model 1855 British Carbine 0 521859 to 1866 Model 1859 Carbine 0 521859 to 1866 Model 1863 Carbine 0 521859 to 1866 Model 1865 Carbine 0 521859 to 1866 Model 1859 Rifle 0 521869 to 1871 Model 1869 Carbine 0 521869 to 1871 Model 1869 Military Rifle 0 50 701869 to 1871 Model 1869 Sporting Rifle 44 77 50 701871 to 1881 Model 1874 Various1877 to 1878 Model 1877 0 451878 to 1881 Model 1878 Various Left side view of Lawrence priming system integrated on a Sharps Model 1859 carbine Legacy EditReproductions of the paper cartridge Sharps 1863 Rifle the metallic cartridge 1874 Sharps Rifle and Sharps Borchardt Model 1878 are manufactured today for use in hunting and target shooting A number of companies among them Shiloh Rifle Manufacturing Company and C Sharps Arms Co Inc both of Big Timber Montana and the Italian gunmaker Davide Pedersoli amp Co of Brescia offer a line of Sharps reproductions 4 5 The Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company had manufactured bicycles under contract for Weed Sewing Machine Company in Hartford When Sharps relocated to Bridgeport Weed bought the old Hartford plant to manufacture bicycles themselves 6 References Edit a b c Foster Harris William 2007 The Look of the Old West A Fully Illustrated Guide Skyhorse Publishing Inc pp 67 69 ISBN 978 1 60239 024 9 a b Flayderman Norm December 17 2007 Flayderman s Guide to Antique American Firearms and Their Values Iola Wisconsin F W Media Inc p 194 ISBN 978 0 89689 455 6 Accurate Smokeless Powders Loading Guide Number Two Revised Book by Accurate Arms Co Wolfe Publishing 2000 p 368 Ramage Ken August 5 2008 Gun Digest 2009 The World s Greatest Gun Book Iola Wisconsin F W Media Inc pp 88 89 ISBN 978 0 89689 647 5 Taffin John 1995 The Sharps 1874 Guns Magazine Harris 41 5 60 63 Hounshell David September 1 1985 From the American System to Mass Production 1800 1932 The Development of Manufacturing Technology in the United States JHU Press pp 193 194 ISBN 978 0 8018 3158 4 7 Marcot Roy Marron Edward Paxton Ron Sharps Firearms The Percussion Era 1848 1865 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company amp oldid 1033190315, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
