Approximately 2,970 Model 1853 Sporting Rifles were manufactured between 1854 and 1859 in a variety of configurations. In "Sharps Firearms," Frank Sellers lists 1,127 60 bore sporting rifles with octagon barrels and plain finish. This group would have included a variety of barrel lengths and other features. The breechblock has the early oval flash hole and platinum ring, and it was one of the first few hundred manufactured given these 1853 sporting rifles fall within the 8000-27500 range. It also features a dovetailed blade front sight, folding ladder and notch rear sight, standard markings including matching serial numbers (barrel, upper tang, breechblock, lock, patch box, and buttplate), pewter forearm cap, double set triggers, saddle ring on the lower tang, smooth stock and forearm, and two screws in the upper tang (likely once fitted with a peep sight).

Fair with a mix of bright steel, oil stains, faint spotting and pitting, and minor patination. Some of the markings are partially faded. The wood is also fine and has some slight dings and scratches throughout, a sliver absent along the upper right edge of the forearm, crack along the upper left edge of the forearm, a small chip at the bottom of the lock, chunk absent at the toe, and a boxed "X" carved into the left side of the butt. Mechanically fine.