Item Description
Original Item: Only One Available. This is exactly what the Mississippi gamblers carried on the River Boats after the Civil War for self protection. Featuring FOUR barrels, each in .32 Rim Fire that fired individually by way of a single action hammer with a rotating firing pin. Easy to conceal, these were very popular. This example has been "tricked out" a bit, with a nickel plated frame and lovely aged bone grips!
The pistol is reloaded by pulling down the button on the left side of the frame and sliding the barrel forwards with the hammer in the half cock position. Currently the trigger return spring is weak or broken, so the pistol needs to be tilted down or the trigger pulled forward to engage the hammer for half and full cock. The underside of the barrel is marked with serial number 13221 on the dovetail, which is also marked on grip frame under the grip scales. This is a very nice "ALL MATCHING" example of the rare Sharps & Hankins Model 4C Pistol, quite similar to the model 4A "Bulldog".
The pistol is marked on the side of the lower frame:-
C. SHARPS PATENT
JAN. 25. 1859
Overall metal finish is still quite nice, with a lovely patina of age. The iron frame still retains most of the original nickel plating, though it is flaking in areas, allowing the frame to oxidize. This has however given it that lovely worn patina that we all love! The barrel cluster still shows strong bluing in the flutes and the bottom, with the more exposed portions worn to a gray patina.
The lovely bird's head grip is fitted with some fantastic bone grip scales, which over the decades have cracked and yellowed a bit, giving the pistol a truly classic look. The advance lever for the rotating firing pin works very well on this example, and we did not notice any mechanical issues, except for the trigger return spring. The bores on the barrels are all clear, and still have clear lands and grooves, with partly bright finishes showing spots of oxidation.
An interesting stepping stone in 19th Century American firearms. Nice matured condition ready to display!
Specifications:
Year of Manufacture: circa 1865
Caliber: .32 Rimfire
Ammunition Type: Rimfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 3 inches
Overall Length: 5 1/8 inches
Action: Single
Feed System: 4 Barrel Pepperbox. Rotating Firing Pin.
NOTE: International orders of antique firearms MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services (courier). USPS Priority Mail international will not accept these. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.
- This product is not available for shipping in US state(s): New Jersey
This product is available for international shipping.
IMA considers all of our antique guns as non-firing, inoperable and/or inert. Title 18, U.S. Code, Section 921(a)(16) defines antique firearms as all guns made prior to 1899. This law exempts antique firearms from any form of gun control or special engineering because they are not legally considered firearms. No FFL, C&R or any license is required to possess, transport, sell or trade Antique guns. All rifles and muskets sold by IMA that were manufactured prior to 1899 are considered Antiques by the US BATF (United States Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Therefore, all of IMA's Antique guns may be shipped to all US States and most nations around the world.
These antique guns are not sold in "live" condition, and are not tested for the the ability to feed or load any type of cartridge. They are sold as collector's items or as "wall hangers" not for use, and we make no guarantees regarding functionality aside from what is stated in the description. Any attempt at restoring an antique gun to be operational is strongly discouraged and is done so at the risk of the customer. By purchasing an antique gun from IMA you thereby release IMA, its employees and corporate officers from any and all liability associated with use of our Antique guns.
Pre-1899 Manufacture, no licenses required, allowed to ship to almost any deliverable address across the globe. Please note that for international shipping, these MUST be shipped using UPS WW Services. International customers should always consult their country's antique gun laws prior to ordering.
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