.52RF. 24" round barrel. SN: 8259. Color casehardened frame, leather covered barrel, walnut buttstock with brass buttplate. Single shot metallic cartridge breechloading carbine with sliding barrel to expose the chamber, adjustable tangent rear sight, fixed musket style front sight, sling swivel in toe of stock. Right side of receiver marked: SHARPS/&/HANKINS/PHILADA, and left side marked SHARPS/PATENT/1859. Standard production carbine with frame mounted firing pin and sliding safety next to hammer. One of the first cartridge breechloading long arms to be adopted by the US Navy, some 6,686 were acquired by them circa 1862-1865 for use during the American Civil War. Most saw extensive service and examples with complete leather barrel coverings are relatively scarce. {ANTIQUE}