This is one of only 400 produced, according to the estimates in Flayderman's Guide, making it one of the scarcest of all Sharps productions arms. The Model 1851 is easily identified by its hammer mounted inside of the lock plate. These sporting rifles generally saw hard use by pioneers in the West where they were used primarily for hunting larger game such as bison prior to the Civil War and also served as protection in the case of attacks by Native Americans and criminals. This example has a Rocky Mountain style brass blade front sight, folding leaf rear sight, Maynard primer, standard markings, and a smooth stock and forearm with brass furniture including a patch box with a roll of primer inside. There is a spot on the upper tang for a peep sight.

Fair. The rifle is mostly a mottled gray and brown patina and mild pitting on the iron and a smooth aged patina on the brass. The heavily sanded, reoiled wood is undersized and has a crack in the bottom of the forearm. The markings are mostly legible throughout. Mechanically functions fine, although the tape priming feed is incomplete. These Sharps 1851's are seldom encountered in any condition!