Many Sharps started their life as percussion arms carried by cavalrymen, survived the devastation of the Civil War, and saw use well into the late 19th century and even early 20th century during the settlement of the West and the related Indian Wars. This carbine was manufactured in 1863-1865 as a percussion carbine for use in the Civil War and was one of 31,098 Sharps carbines and 1,086 rifles converted and refurbished by Sharps for the U.S. government to fire the new .50-70 cartridge in the late 1860s. This example has the 3 grooved lined barrel, Lawrence patented folding ladder rear sight graduated to 800 yards, "NEW MODEL 1863" barrel marking, saddle ring and Lawrence and Sharps patent markings on the lock plate. The stock has a "TF" inspector marking under the saddle ring bar and a David F. Clark cartouche on the left side of the buttstock. The barrel is blue and the remaining surfaces are casehardened.

Very fine as factory refurbished. The carbine appears to be largely unused since it was converted by Sharps and re-accepted by the U.S. government. The barrel retains 98% plus of the refurbished blue finish. The remaining surfaces retain 85% of the vivid case colors. The wood is also very fine showing a long hairline stress crack along the grain near the buttplate (left side), some chipping on the forearm at frame (underside) and a few scattered minor handling marks. The cartouche is clear. Mechanically excellent.