MODEL 1853 CARBINE Description
.36, .44, or .52 cal., Sharps pellet primer, falling block, slant breech, breech loading single shot, 16, 19, 21 1/2, or 24 in. round barrels, dove tail mounted brass blade front and folding leaf rear sights standard, single or double set triggers, blue, brown, color case hardened, plated, or white finish, walnut stock and forearm with brass or iron patchbox, buttplate, and forearm tip, with or without saddle ring bar mounted on the left side from wrist of buttstock to the receiver, barrel stamped "SHARPS RIFLE/MANUFG. CO./HARTFORD, CONN.", "SHARP'S/PATENT/1852" stamped in three lines on the receiver, and "SHARPS/PATENT/1848" stamped on the upper tang. Approx. 10,519 mfg. in the 8000-26000 serial number range circa 1854-1857. RF=1.
This model is sometimes referred to as either the "John Brown Sharps" or "Beecher's Bibles" model.