Original item: One of a Kind. Over the years, IMA has purchased many collections and groups of antique guns, in which case we need to take all of them, as we did in Nepal. While these collections were generally full of guns that relatively good condition, they also had some that were less complete and unfortunately would take more restoration time than we were able to give them. We kept them in storage, possibly for future products, but have now decided to offer these "As Found" antique firearms to our customers as restoration projects. These are all original and as we received them, except for cleaning the dirt and grime off the exterior.

Please note that these are still real antique guns, and are being sold in "As is" condition at a significant discount from what they would sell at if we were to fully restore them. We will do our best to photograph and describe them and know that our customers will know exactly what they are getting. Some of these, such as this example, look to have possibly been project or parts guns, and are missing a significant amount of parts. These are being sold in "Grade 2" condition, and on these ALL SALES ARE FINAL.

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 Short Rimfire that fire individually by way of a single action hammer with a rotating firing pin. Easy to conceal due to the size and small "spur" style trigger, these were very popular.

The breech is opened by pulling down the button on the left side of the frame and sliding the barrel forwards for reloading, which also allows removal of the spent cartridges. This version has an ejector that slides out when the barrel is moved forward, removing the spent cartridges. The underside of the barrel is marked with serial number 3934 on the dovetail, which is also marked on the bottom of the grip. This is a all-matching Grade 2 "As Found" example of the rare Sharps & Hankins Model 3C Pistol, a predecessor to the later Sharps 4A "Bulldog".

The top of the barrel assembly has the correct Sharps & Hankins address, which is still crisp:

The pistol is also marked on the side of the lower frame:-

Condition Notes:
- Overall condition shows light overall oxidation on the metalwork, but no signs of refinishing.
- Button on the left side to open the breech has been lost, and replaced with a flat heat bolt / screw.
- Rotating firing pin mechanism is non functional, however the hammer holds and full cock and dry fires correctly.
- Bores show rifling but are overall dark due to fouling, oxidation, and dirt.

A nice Grade 2 "As Found" example of an interesting stepping stone in 19th Century American firearms. This could be the start of a great restoration project, or parts for another!

Please make sure to look at all the high resolution (2000x2000) pictures before purchasing, as ALL SALES ARE FINAL.

Specifications: 

Year of Manufacture: circa 1864
Caliber:  .32 Short Rimfire
Ammunition Type: Rimfire Cartridge
Barrel Length: 3 1/2 inches
Overall Length: 6 1/4 inches
Action: Single
Feed System: 4 Barrel Pepperbox. Rotating Internal 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.

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.