The Sharps-Borchardt Model 1878 is a single-shot hammerless

falling-block action A falling-block action (also known as a sliding-block or dropping-block action) is a single-shot firearm action in which a solid metal breechblock slides vertically in grooves cut into the breech of the weapon and is actuated by a lever. Descri ...

rifle A rifle is a long-barreled firearm designed for accurate shooting, with a barrel that has a helical pattern of grooves ( rifling) cut into the bore wall. In keeping with their focus on accuracy, rifles are typically designed to be held with ...

Hugo Borchardt Hugo Borchardt (June 6, 1844 – May 8, 1924) was a firearms inventor and engineer, born in Magdeburg, Germany. He is known for his inventions of the Borchardt C-93 pistol and the Sharps-Borchardt Model 1878 rifle. In 1860 he emigrated to the Unit ...

and made by the

Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company was the manufacturer of the Sharps Rifle. The company was organized by Samuel Robbins and Richard S. Lawrence as a holding company in Hartford, Connecticut, on October 9, 1851 with $100,000 in capital. Despite ...

. It closely resembles older

Sharps Rifle Sharps rifles are a series of large-bore, single-shot, falling-block, breech-loading rifles, beginning with a design by Christian Sharps in 1848 and ceasing production in 1881. They were renowned for long-range accuracy. By 1874 the rifle wa ...

s but has a firing mechanism that uses a hammerless striker rather than a hammer and firing pin like the old Sharps Rifle. This hammerless dropping-block breech-loader was based on a patent granted to Hugo Borchardt in 1877. It was the last of the Sharps single-shot rifles, and the Borchardt did not sell very well. According to company records 22,500 rifles were made in all models from 1877 until the Sharps Rifle Co. closed down in 1881. Although it was designed for the huge black powder "buffalo" cartridges of the day, it came too late, at the very end of the great bison slaughter. Several variants were produced: Carbine, Military, Short Range, Mid Range, Long Range, Hunter, Business, Sporting, and Express. The Military Sharps-Borchardt was made only in .45-70 with 32" round barrels and was purchased by the militias of the states of Michigan, North Carolina, and Massachusetts. The other models were manufactured in a variety of calibers, barrel types, sights, stocks, engraving, etc. and were designed for varying purposes. The Hunters variation was the most affordable. Notwithstanding its lack of commercial success the Sharps-Borchardt is admired for its strength and accuracy: reputed to be one of the strongest if not the strongest rifle action ever built before the latter 20th century. The gun was revolutionary at its time for its use of

coil spring A selection of conical coil springs The most common type of spring is the coil spring, which is made out of a long piece of metal that is wound around itself. Coil springs were in use in Roman times, evidence of this can be found in bronze Fib ...

s as opposed to

flat spring A leaf spring is a simple form of spring commonly used for the suspension in wheeled vehicles. Originally called a ''laminated'' or ''carriage spring'', and sometimes referred to as a semi-elliptical spring, elliptical spring, or cart spring, i ...

s. These guns were popular among long-range shooters and Creedmore Match competitors. Many were rechambered for use as small bore varmint rifles. Surviving guns are highly prized by collectors, especially unmodified examples chambered for heavy .45 and .50-caliber Sharps big-game cartridges. A company known as Borchardt Rifle Corporation Borchardt Rifle Corp., Silver City, New Mexico
/ref> has started fabrication of reproduction M1878 Borchardt rifles.

Footnotes

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External links

Remodeling an 1878 Sharps Military Rifle into a Midrange Target
Early rifles Falling-block rifles Guns of the American West Hunting rifles

See also

Footnotes

External links