runningiron,
Concerning your checkering pattern, there were two models (grades) of the CS, the Presentation grade, which you have and the standard grade that was really never offered publicly. In the standard the buttstock varied in that it was not drilled for or had a ctg. trap and the simpler checkering pattern, some no cheek piece. The standard forearm was shorter and the same checkering as the standard buttstock. Many of the stocks of both styles were purchased in the original deal from the Sharps Arms Co. of Salt Lake City. The beavertail forearm came with both checkering patterns.
Point is there are two styles for two different grades.

The rifle was made in more than "white powder" and whether anyone  likes it or not its a very interesting and unique rifle. It was supposed to be a  modern version of the Sharps 78. The entire story is quite interesting.

bjm

runningiron wrote on Nov 16^th, 2010 at 7:52am:


Hello Runningiron,

Well, when the Colt Sharps first emerged there were very few newly manufactured single shot rifles available on the US market. 

The few single shot enthusiasts did have a choice of several original actions as the demand for them was relatively small. However, with the revival of Creedmoor Long Range Shooting Competitions, BPCR Sillhouette shooting, and competitions like 'The Quigley', the Wasserburg 'Mile' and Cowboy Action shooting, original period single shot rifles became more expensive and much harder to find. The Shiloh Sharps Co., and several other manufacturers were formed to cater for the demand and foreign manufacturers from Italy and Japan jumped on the bandwaggon, all making copies of 19th.C. single shot rifles.

Hunters of American big game wanted to emulate the Buffalo Hunters of the 1860's and 70's and take a 'Buff' with a Sharps Rifle, some even took these single shot replica's with BP cartridges to Africa, and were successful, on all but the most dangerous of game.

After the film 'Quigley Down Under' came out, Shiloh Sharps, the maker of the rifle featured in the film, had a four to five year backlog of orders. Many a Firearms Manufacturer would love to have that problem. 

Some companies prospered, a few fell by the wayside because of poor quality or financing.

It seems to me that Colt came in at about the end of the 'Varmint Rifle' era with their single shot, and although offered in larger calibres it was also too expensive for the average 'Joe' to afford.

Just my opinion of course.

Harry

Very Interesting link and rifle. 
I might suggest that it possibly was late Salt Lake City Sharps made up as presentation rifles with that particular wood, but its really hard to say.
Salt Lake City offered barrel sizes 1 - 6 but I wasn't aware Colt ever did. Colt did make up some specials and standard grades (#2) for writer evaluation but nearly all were #2 barrels or barrels obtained from SLC as far as I know. If I'm not mistaken all the receivers Colt built were serialed with CS prefix. Very nice example.
Two Colt reps were sent to SLC and did pick up a dozen completed unmarked presentation rifles from Swanson after the sale.
I worked on one of those a couple years ago that also was a HB. They were special and one may have been kept by Colt all these years. 


bjm

There have been a few mentions of a safety cutoff switch.  My rifle is numbered CS1xx and has a screw in the bottom of the receiver immediately to rear of the breech block.  The screw will only turn about 90 degrees.  However, it does not deactivate the automatic safety when I turn it.  Do I have something else wrong with the rifle, as well?

But I am going to get this one shooting.  It's too good looking a gun to be a display piece.

Rod,

I got home today and looked into the cutoff. 90 degrees is all they turn. Colt shows early ones held in by a screw and no spring. This I believe is incorrect as you would find it necessary to remove the stock to loosen the screw to turn it on or off. If you turn yours 90 degrees its in correctly, and if it doesn't change things the alignment of the ear on the safety lever is off enough (bent) that it hits the switch screw when it should clear it.
The safety levers are assembled rather loosely and sloppy. though it could be bent slightly. When you have the block out check for correct position of the cut off and see where the "ear" hits it and bend the ear accordingly to clear.
As a point of interest I have two triggers, one SLC one Colt and both have different length of safety levers.

bjm