This Sharps Model 1874 sporting rifle has an accompanying factory letter that lists it under its original serial number 156687 (without an added extra number 7 noted later in this description) as invoiced from the Sharps Bridgeport factory on September 24, 1878 to J.G. Dow of Bozeman, Montana Territory, in 45 caliber, shell length not specified, with a 30 inch octagon barrel, double triggers, open sights, and oil-finished stocks. This is the same shipment date and location as the Sharps 1874 sporting rifle in the next lot with serial number 160980. This purchase was likely on the behalf of Bozeman, Montana dealer Walter Cooper, as J.G. Dow was the bank representing him prior to bankruptcy. An accompanying consignor note also states, "This rifle came from the B.M. McCay Hardware, Bozeman, Montana, where legend has it that the rifle was simply hung up as a display for years. When the hardware closed, McCay's daughter and husband Kenneth Stimson, took the gun to their home where it remained until after the death of both. I bought it from their estate about 1972." These Sharps Model 1874 rifles were a highly valued arm on the frontier, not only due to their firepower but also their long range accuracy. These rifles were popular for both protection and hunting and saw widespread use throughout the turbulent American west, commonly referred to as "buffalo rifles" as used by the commercial hunters of the period. According to "Sharps Firearms" by Frank Sellers, Sharps only manufactured approximately 6,400 of these sporting rifles in a variety of configurations between 1871 to 1880. This example features a 30 inch octagon barrel chambered for the desirable .45-70 caliber, with a dovetail mounted German silver Rocky Mountain blade front sight and a buckhorn notch and ladder rear sight. The upper receiver tang is fitted with a later replacement ladder peep sight. The top barrel flat is marked "Old Reliable" ahead of the Sharps Bridgeport address with "CAL.45" at the breech, with "2 1/10" on the right barrel flat at the breech. The left side of the receiver is marked with the two-line Sharps 1869 patent date, and the serial number "1566877" (an extra "7" is added in error due to the modern replacement tang sight hole) is marked on the upper tang beneath the tang sight, with "156687" on the bottom of the original barrel. It is mounted with a smooth walnut forearm and straight grip stock with a flat checkered steel buttplate.

Fine as Montana used, retains 70% original blue finish on the barrel with some areas of thinning and a few dings, smooth brown patina on the casehardened surfaces showing traces of original case colors strongest in protected areas, with sharp markings and edges in the metal overall. Wood is very good as lightly sanded and re-oiled, with numerous scattered dents and scratches, a crack visible at the left of the wrist, a spliced replacement section at the toe. Mechanically fine.