Fellow Sharpshooters,

Update: April 2024

Tim Prince, owner of College Arsenal Antiques, has sold a number of Berdan Contract New Model 1859 Sharps rifles over the years, the last one I posted was sold in October 2023. I’ve listed 3 Berdan Contract Sharps, that although sold, provides an excellent overview of the of the men who invented and perfected the breechloader (Christian Sharps, Albert Nippes, Richard S. Lawrence), the man who formed the special regiments that so effectively wielded them on the battlefield, (Hiram Berdan), and lastly; a detailed description of the features that make the Berdan Contract Sharps unique in the pantheon of military arms.

Here are the links:

https://collegehillarsenal.com/berdan-s ... n%20sharps

https://collegehillarsenal.com/Attic-Un ... n%20sharps

https://collegehillarsenal.com/Attic-Un ... n%20sharps


Bill Skillman
Michigan Companies
Berdan Sharpshooters Survivors Association