4/26/2021 0 Comments Lyman Serial Numbers
The machining is good, the barrel is straight and the bore is beautifully finished with a mirror-like surface.Rifles produced by the (Christian) Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company, later reorganized as the Sharps Rifle Company, were originally offered from approximately 1851 until 1881, but quickly became a larger-than-life legend famous for their accuracy, power and rugged reliability.Even more remarkable was that their production numbers were very limited.With so few rifles produced, it is amazing that they built such a monumental worldwide reputation.
The U.S. won its first world long-range championship using Sharps rifles. Today, on those occasions when desirable rifles are offered for sale, they command especially high premiums. As a result, several companies have responded with top-drawer reproductions, including Shilo Sharps and C. While there are (or have been) several foreign companies that offer replicas with varying degrees of quality, Italian manufacturer Pedersoli produces a quality rifle at an attractive price and is generally considered the best of the imports. Recently, Lyman has teamed with Pedersoli to produce the Model 1878, but it is more or less similar to the very rare Sharps Model 1877 side hammer. With excellent sights and a comparatively lightweight configuration compared to most buffalo rifles, it will appeal to target shooters and hunters alike. The history, models and variations of original Sharps rifles would literally fill volumes and is not appropriate here. Suffice to say the Model 1874 with side hammer is the one most commonly reproduced. Many original Model 1874s were heavy buffalo rifles that usually weighed at least 12 pounds, and even up to 18 pounds, but most were 14 to 16 pounds. The extremely rare Model 1877 was likewise a side-hammer design, but it featured an imported English lock that was trim, lighter in weight and gave it a distinctive, more graceful appearance. While the basic action was similar, the receiver sidewalls are more or less straight up and down, whereas the Model 1874 features sidewalls slanted slightly backward. Clearly Sharps was attempting to lighten the action and streamline its appearance. The exact number of Long-Range Model 1877s produced is unknown; however, it was probably less than 100. Sadly, the famous manufacturer was struggling and began taking steps to close its doors, with the last of the Model 1877s being made into sporting rifles and sold to J.P. Lower in Denver, Colorado, in 1880. ![]() It features a smaller, gracefully shaped lock with side hammer along with a Sharps-pattern falling breechblock. However, it retains the slightly slanted sidewalls of the Model 1874. To reproduce an exact copy of the original (with more or less straight up and down side-walls) would require complete re-tooling and would probably be cost prohibitive. In fairness, most shooters have never seen an original 1877 and probably would not pick up on the subtle differences. The 1878 Sharps features an English-pattern lock that is similar to the Sharps Model 1877, which is trim and lightweight. I have worked with several Pedersoli Sharps-pattern rifles in years past. They have proven to be accurate, well-made rifles, but the Lyman 1878 displays better fit and finish than previous guns.
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