Manufactured in 1878, the first year of production, this is an extremely scarce example of the Sharps-Borchardt Model 1878 Business rifle. The Business rifle was only in production for about four years and was made to be a no frills all-purpose weapon. Due to being priced between the cheaper Hunter's rifle and the more expensive Sporting rifle, with many shared features, the Business rifle was not a high seller. Reportedly 89 total were ever produced, and due to their utilitarian nature, many of that number were undoubtedly used up working on the frontier, making fine surviving examples such as this incredibly scarce. These rifles would have made an ideal weapon for protection or hunting in the American west, and at quite a reasonable price for the time. The left side of the receiver has the standard three-line Borchardt patent and three-line address. The top of the matching number heavy round barrel has the Old Reliable marking and Sharps address in front of the rear sight and "BUSINESS 45" behind the sight. The serial number is on the bottom of the receiver just in front of the trigger. It is fitted with a German silver blade front sight and folding ladder rear sight. It is mounted with a smooth Schnabel tip forearm and straight grip stock with a checkered shotgun buttplate. The included factory letter states that the rifle was invoiced on 31 July, 1878, and originally shipped to William Read & Sons of Boston, a Sharps agent at the time. It states that the rifle was noted as a Business rifle in .45 caliber with a 26 inch fully round barrel.

Fine, showing all the signs of a western working gun, retains 40% of the original blue finish with the balance having thinned to a smooth grey patina and few scattered small patches of light pitting. The reoiled wood is very good with a sliver absent from the left upper edge of the forearm and some minor ding and scratches scattered throughout, the scars of life on the frontier. Mechanically excellent.