This Sharps sporting rifle appears to have been period assembled using a Civil War era New Model 1863 action with its pellet primer system on the lock filled in and deactivated, and rebarreled for the .45-70 Government cartridge. These conversions are often associated with E.C. Meacham of St. Louis who built rifles like this in the 1880s. This rifle also could have possibly been converted by Sharps specifically for the western market in the late 1870s to 1881. Sharps sporting rifles are considered to be one of the classic western firearms and were particularly popular with buffalo hunters. This rifle offered is full of unmistakable frontier character, and would display well in any antique American arms collection. The barrel has a Rocky Mountain blade front sight in a dovetailed base, "Old Reliable" in a boxed border and "SHARPS RIFLE CO. BRIDGEPORT, CONN." marked on top ahead of the notch and folding ladder rear sight, "CAL 45 2 1/10" on top of the breech, serial number "C,47688" marked on top of the receiver tang with matching number "47688" on the bottom of the barrel and inside of the forearm channel which also has initials "EC" carved inside, two open drilled and tapped holes for use with a peep sight on top of the receiver tang, double set triggers, period modified enlarged lever, smooth walnut forearm and straight grip stock with smooth iron carbine buttplate.

Good as period modified with a mix of brown and gray patina, scattered patches of mild oxidation, and numerous nicks, scuffs, scratches and minor cracks in the wood typical of a rugged working gun. The set trigger is nonfunctional, otherwise mechanically fine. This "frontier used" Sharps sporting rifle has the desirable "been there done that" look of a true working gun that saw some interesting things.