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'63 Sharps Carbine Serial # (Read 3108 times)

JerryH Frequent Elocutionist Online ASSRA Member #10876 Posts: 1327 Location: Easton, CA Joined: Nov 9^th, 2014	'63 Sharps Carbine Serial # Oct 8^th, 2021 at 7:47pm	Print Post
	I'm looking for help from someone who has any books on Civil War Sharps carbines. In particular a Model 1863 Sharps carbine. It looks as though some books may contain serial numbers with reference to which units they were issued to. They may only list them in blocks of serial numbers. I have tried the library but so far haven't had any luck getting any books from them. Thanks, JerryH

	I'm not a complete idiot, some of my parts are missing.
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George Babits Frequent Elocutionist Online Posts: 1151 Joined: Sep 27^th, 2012	Re: '63 Sharps Carbine Serial # Reply #1 - Oct 8^th, 2021 at 9:09pm	Print Post
	Jerry, There were several books written, but all are out of print. The best one was a set of 8 or 10 volumes compiled in the 1990s. Hopefully someone here has one or more of them. I was able to find out that my 50-70 conversion was first issued to the First Michigan; then re-issued to the First Maryland. After the war it was converted to 50-70 and issued to the First California and served in the Modoc War. The records are pretty scanty and/or incomplete. I could find nothing on the Spencer or Maynard carbines that I have. There was one book by McCaully (I think) that had actual information on the person(s) a Sharps carbine was issued to. Really nice to learn some of the history of what we now have. Good luck. George


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JerryH Frequent Elocutionist Online ASSRA Member #10876 Posts: 1327 Location: Easton, CA Joined: Nov 9^th, 2014	Re: '63 Sharps Carbine Serial # Reply #2 - Oct 9^th, 2021 at 12:14am	Print Post
	Thanks George. I like the history also. I always ask when buying something if there's any story that goes with it. Mine is also a 50-70 conversion. The book Sharps Carbines and Rifles by Coates & McAulay appears to be the one with personal information. I tried getting it in an inter-library loan but haven't heard anything yet. It's pretty pricey to buy not knowing if I'll find mine in it. Jerry

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ndnchf Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1122 Joined: Mar 6^th, 2014	Re: '63 Sharps Carbine Serial # Reply #3 - Oct 9^th, 2021 at 6:33am	Print Post
	Jerry - I have this one. It has a good bit of serial number information.
	« Last Edit: Oct 10^th, 2021 at 7:20am by ndnchf »

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George Babits Frequent Elocutionist Online Posts: 1151 Joined: Sep 27^th, 2012	Re: '63 Sharps Carbine Serial # Reply #4 - Oct 9^th, 2021 at 9:51am	Print Post
	Yes, that is "THE" book. Would you mind to look up serial numbers for some of us? George


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ndnchf Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1122 Joined: Mar 6^th, 2014	Re: '63 Sharps Carbine Serial # Reply #5 - Oct 9^th, 2021 at 9:56am	Print Post
	Sure - be glad to try. I don't know that it has all numbers, but I can look.


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JerryH Frequent Elocutionist Online ASSRA Member #10876 Posts: 1327 Location: Easton, CA Joined: Nov 9^th, 2014	Re: '63 Sharps Carbine Serial # Reply #6 - Oct 9^th, 2021 at 11:21am	Print Post
	Thanks Steve. Sent you a PM. Jerry

	I'm not a complete idiot, some of my parts are missing.
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George Babits Frequent Elocutionist Online Posts: 1151 Joined: Sep 27^th, 2012	Re: '63 Sharps Carbine Serial # Reply #7 - Oct 9^th, 2021 at 8:37pm	Print Post
	Great. Here are the serial numbers of the two Sharps carbines I have. The one converted to 50-70 is sn. C,9557. The one still in the original percussion is C, 11859. Sure wish that I could have gotten that book when it came out. Thank you very much. George


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ndnchf Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1122 Joined: Mar 6^th, 2014	Re: '63 Sharps Carbine Serial # Reply #8 - Oct 10^th, 2021 at 6:19am	Print Post
	George - sorry, but I found neither listed. However, close numbers include: C9556 - 10th Illinois cavalry, Co. B C9548 - 1st New Hamphshire cavalry, Co. M. C11838, C11878 - 7th Indiana cavalry, Co. H and B. C11841 - 1st Maryland cavalry, Co. I. Steve


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George Babits Frequent Elocutionist Online Posts: 1151 Joined: Sep 27^th, 2012	Re: '63 Sharps Carbine Serial # Reply #9 - Oct 10^th, 2021 at 9:59am	Print Post
	Thank you very much Steve. I had no information on the percussion one (c,11859) and only a bit of later information on the conversion (c,9557) which indicated it went to the First California Cavalry after conversion. Really interesting to learn the history of these old carbines. George


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Blackhawk Participating Member Offline Posts: 20 Joined: Mar 14^th, 2016	Re: '63 Sharps Carbine Serial # Reply #10 - Oct 13^th, 2021 at 9:03pm	Print Post
	Enjoyed reading the thread. I sent a PM to Steven in hopes he can assist yet another Sharps enthusiast.


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ndnchf Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1122 Joined: Mar 6^th, 2014	Re: '63 Sharps Carbine Serial # Reply #11 - Oct 14^th, 2021 at 5:26am	Print Post
	Just a note about the serial number listings in the book. They are not all inclusive. The author gathered these from available hand written records. There are many gaps. I know it is disappointing if I cannot find your number. But I try to find one that is close to it. But that is no guarantee that yours was isdued to the same unit. The other important point is the "C" prefix on some numbers. When producution hit 99,999 units, they started using the C prefix to indicate 100,000. For example, C 1322 means 100,1322. So if your Sharps has the "C", be sure to tell me. Steve


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George Babits Frequent Elocutionist Online Posts: 1151 Joined: Sep 27^th, 2012	Re: '63 Sharps Carbine Serial # Reply #12 - Oct 14^th, 2021 at 9:34am	Print Post
	The Springfield Research Service books have a good bit of information. Volume 4 seems to have a lot of data on the Sharps rifles and carbines. I don't have either the Springfield books or McCaulay's book. From the information I have gathered from both these sources, it seems like none of the arms were issued to units in blocks of consecutive serial numbers. I would guess that if you found the serial number before and after yours, and they had both been issued to the same unit, then your's probably was too. You also have to condiser that many carbines were replaced as the war went on. Units with the Sharps would have them replaced with Spencers, and the Sharps carbines would be re-issued to another unit. And then, when the Sharpes were converted to 50-70 they were re-issued again. Record keeping 150 years ago wasn't anything like it is now. Probably a lot fewer bean counters! George


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MrTipUp Frequent Elocutionist Offline Quality is to a product what character is to a man Posts: 1402 Location: Indiana Joined: Feb 19^th, 2020	Re: '63 Sharps Carbine Serial # Reply #13 - Oct 14^th, 2021 at 7:56pm	Print Post
	I would also guess that any issued Sharps - or, indeed, any issued gun - that was sent in for repair was replaced as quickly as possible from stores rather than leave the user weaponless. When the repairs were finished, I'd further guess the gun went into storage for whomever needed one like it next rather than being returned to the previous user. In short, all things considered, determining gun-to-unit assignment over that 4-year war is likely very much a matter of amazing luck. Bill Lawrence


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ndnchf Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 1122 Joined: Mar 6^th, 2014	Re: '63 Sharps Carbine Serial # Reply #14 - Oct 15^th, 2021 at 9:36am	Print Post
	The book shows a number of instances where the same rifle was issued to multiple soldiers.


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