Davide · Rifle
Pedersoli 1859 Sharps Infantry Rifle
Falling block · .54 Caliber Percussion (Paper Cartridge)
Also known as 1859 Sharps Infantry 30", Pedersoli Model S760 Sharps Infantry
About the Pedersoli 1859 Sharps Infantry Rifle
The Pedersoli 1859 Sharps Infantry Rifle is a modern black-powder reproduction of the Christian Sharps falling-block breech-loading percussion rifle used during the American Civil War. Built by Davide Pedersoli of Gardone Val Trompia, Italy, it fires a .54-caliber paper cartridge ignited by a percussion cap and features a 760 mm round barrel held by bands, a case-hardened action, an American walnut stock with patch box, and a Lawrence-pattern rear sight. It is popular with historical reenactors, muzzle-loading competitors, and black-powder hunters.
The original 1859 Sharps rifle armed elite Union units such as Colonel Hiram Berdan's U.S. Sharpshooters, whose accurate breech-loading fire earned the design a fearsome reputation; the word 'sharpshooter' is popularly, if apocryphally, linked to the Sharps name.
Pedersoli 1859 Sharps Infantry Rifle specifications
General
- Type
- Rifle
- Action
- Falling block
- Firing mechanism
- Percussion
- Trigger
- Single action
- Calibres
- .54 Caliber Percussion (Paper Cartridge)
- Magazine capacity
- 1 rounds
Dimensions
- Barrel length
- 760 mm (29.9 in)
- Overall length
- 1190 mm (46.9 in)
- Weight (empty)
- 4.30 kg (9.48 lb)
Barrel
- Rifling twist
- 1:47 in (1200 mm)
- Rifling
- Right hand
- Grooves
- 7
Materials
- Barrel
- Steel
- Receiver / frame
- Steel
- Stock
- Walnut
- Finish
- case_hardened
Performance
- Muzzle velocity (typical)
- 300 m/s (984 fps)
- Muzzle energy (typical)
- 729 J (538 ft·lb)
- Effective range
- 200 m
History
- Production status
- In production
- Country of origin
- IT
- Designer
- Christian Sharps
Features
- Breech loading falling block
- Paper cartridge
- Patch box
- Lawrence pattern rear sight
- Barrel bands
- Single set trigger
Safety
- Half cock notch
Chambered for the .54-caliber paper cartridge; the falling breech-block is dropped by the trigger-guard lever to load. Sold in the United States through distributors such as Taylor's & Co. and the Italian Firearms Group.
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