It just so happened that in the United States, small arms were developed by a lot. The same Browning made a homemade gun while still a boy, and then what to say about adults? And someone expected success, but someone did not. But nevertheless, people tried to create something of their own, to improve the work of their predecessors. So Christian Sharp patented his first gun back in 1849, and its design turned out to be so perfect that they began to produce it almost immediately. First of all, it must be said that it was a rifle with a bolt sliding vertically in the grooves of the receiver, controlled by a lever or "Spencer's bracket" located at the bottom.
Sharpe rifle 1859
The cartridge for it was initially made of paper, and the ignition was carried out using a primer. But Sharpe designed everything so well that the rate of fire increased significantly, and the ease of use increased. The upper part of the bolt had a wedge-shaped shape and - after the cartridge was inserted into the barrel and the bolt itself rose up - it cut off the bottom of it, opening the access of hot gases from the capsule to the powder charge. The capsule itself was put on the brand tube on the bolt manually. From it to the trunk there was an L-shaped channel, through which gases fell exactly into the central part of the trunk. However, attempts were also known to automate and speed up this process - in particular, a container for a primer tape was installed on the receiver, which was fed outward automatically, and was superimposed on the hole of the hose when the hammer was cocked. This was, for example, his 1848 carbine, which weighed 3.5 kg and had a caliber of 13.2 mm.
Sharpe's rifle chambered for Berdan's cartridge 1874
In 1882, the company created by Sharpe ceased its activities, but the rifles and carbines of his system then remained in the hands of people for a long time and were actively used by them. During the entire production of weapons, Sharpe managed to sell 80512 carbines and 9141 rifles.
Sharpe rifle 1863
As soon as unitary cartridges appeared, Sharpe carbines and rifles were redesigned for them. Now, when lowering, the bolt opened the charging chamber, where a unitary metal cartridge was inserted, while the trigger hit its edge, in which the initiating compound was located.
Sharpe rifle with a faceted barrel.
By 1861, it was the Sharpe rifle that turned out to be the most rapid-fire weapon of the cavalry and infantry of the unionists, that is, the northerners, and was actively used on the battlefields of the American Civil War. In particular, the so-called "US Riflemen" and snipers were armed with the rifle. The carbine was popular with pioneers and settlers in the era of the conquest of the "Wild West". Unlike the regular infantry regiments of the North, the soldiers in this brigade were recruited not from one state, but from the whole country, and they were the only army unit of the northerners to wear dark green uniforms. The main selection criterion was the ability to shoot accurately. The strict rule by which the volunteers were selected was: “not a single person who cannot hit a target from a distance of 200 yards with 10 consecutive shots so that none of these hits is more than 5 inches from the bull's-eye., will not be accepted into the ranks of the brigade. " Sharps were also used to equip other elite shooters of the civil war - snipers.
Sharpe's rifle with a sniper scope of the 1861-1865 war.
Their weapons were usually equipped with telescopic sights that were the same length as the barrel on which they were mounted. Snipers fired aimed fire, having as their main target the officers and generals of the enemy. They acted from both sides and at the same time they sometimes managed to shoot down very "big game". For example, at the Battle of Gettysburg, a southerner sniper's bullet killed General Reynolds, the commander of the 1st Corps of the Potomac Army. True, southerner snipers used other weapons, namely the English Enfield rifles with Joseph Whitworth's drilling. However, ordinary soldiers on both sides considered snipers to be professional killers and, again, in both armies, they hated them with fierce hatred. One northerner soldier wrote, for example, that the mere sight of a killed sniper - no matter whether he was a Confederate or a Federal, and it was easy to recognize them by the sniper scope on a rifle - always caused him great joy.
Samples of popular small arms on the US market after the Civil War - from top to bottom: Sharpe rifle, Remington carbine, Springfield carbine.
Moreover, Sharpe's rifles were distinguished by their long range. It is known that in 1874 it was from Sharpe's rifle that a certain Bill Dixon hit an Indian warrior from a distance of 1538 yards (about 1406 m), which for that time was a real record for firing range.
The device of the Sharpe rifle, model 1859. The sharp edge of the bolt cut off the rear part of the cartridge, but the protection against the breakthrough of gases was provided by a rotating platinum ring of a special shape, which, when fired, expanded the gases, so that their breakthrough outward was excluded.
However, despite the success, in the early 1860s Sharpe closed his firm and, having entered into a partnership with William Hankins, began to produce together with him small-bore four-barreled pistols, and, again in demand, breech-loading rifles and carbines. True, in 1866 their partnership fell apart, and then Sharpe re-founded his own company and continued the production of weapons. Interestingly, after his death, the company he created began the production of powerful rifles that were named after him. These included the famous.50 caliber rifle known as the Big Fifty.
It was named so because of the.50 caliber. A bullet in a cartridge of this caliber had a diameter of 13 mm, so one can imagine its destructive power. The photo shows the Big Fifty rifle and its cartridges next to it.
And here is another photo of cartridges for comparison: from left to right - 30-06 Springfield (7.62 × 63mm),.45-70 Government (11.6mm),.50-90 Sharp (12.7 × 63R) … The muzzle energy of the black powder charge was 2, 210-2, 691 Joules. In a cartridge with smokeless powder, the muzzle energy of a bullet can reach 3, 472-4, 053 Joules.
The accuracy of shooting and the great stopping effect of the bullets of Sharpe's large-caliber rifles have become a legend, and a fatal shot from them could well have been fired at a distance of 900 meters. It is interesting that in the twentieth century their production continued, and since the 1970s, many copies of Sharpe rifles have been made in … Italy.
A modern copy of the "Sharp" with a diopter sight and a faceted barrel.
Thus, for example, the Sharpe-Borchardt 1878 model appeared - a gun designed by Hugo Borchardt and manufactured by the Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company. It was very similar to the older Sharpe rifles, but its design was based on a Hugo Borchardt patent from 1877. It was the last of the Sharpe and Borchardt single-shot rifles, but did not sell well. According to the company, a total of 22,500 rifles have been produced since 1877, and in 1881 the company was already closed. The reason was that it was calculated for cartridges with black black powder.
View of the bolt carrier on the right.
View of the bolt carrier on the left.
Several versions were released: "Carbine", "Military", "Short range", "Medium range", "Long range", "Hunter", "Business", "Sporting" and "Express". The Sharpe-Borchard military rifle was manufactured with 32-inch round barrels and was purchased by militias from the states of Michigan, North Carolina and Massachusetts. Other models were made in various calibers, with faceted barrels, engraved, etc. The option for hunters was, of course, the most affordable.
"Sharp" with an open shutter. The second trigger with the sneller is clearly visible and the sneller adjustment bolt located between the hooks.
The bolt removed from the frame.
Despite the lack of commercial success, this rifle is admired for its strength and accuracy: it is considered one of the strongest, if not the most powerful weapon ever created before the beginning of the 20th century. The gun was revolutionary in its day, as it began to use coil springs, rather than flat ones. Having survived to this day, these rifles are highly sought after by collectors, especially the unmodified examples designed for heavy, oversized.45 and.50 caliber rounds.
Today you can buy not only an exact replica of a Sharpe rifle, but also buy it with metal parts engraved personally for you …
