Manufactured in 1865. The Ordnance Department purchased a number of Sharps rifles to arm the U.S. Veteran Volunteer Infantry regiments formed in 1865 to serve as an elite infantry corps. The U.S. Veteran Volunteer Infantry regiments were armed with Sharps, Spencer and Henry rifles. As an incentive to enlist, volunteers were allowed to retain their weapons when they were discharged. The Civil War ended before the U.S. Veteran Volunteer Infantry regiments saw action. The top of the barrel is marked "SHARPS RIFLE/MANUFG. CO./HARTFORD CONN." ahead of the rear sight and "NEW MODEL 1863" at the breech. The left rear barrel flat is marked "TWR". The lock is marked "C. SHARPS' PAT./OCT. 5TH 1862" and "R.S. LAWRENCE' PAT/APRIL 12TH 1859". The right side of the receiver is marked "C. SHARPS PAT/SEPT. 12TH 1848" and the serial number is marked on upper tang. Pinned blade front sight and folding ladder rear sight with Lawrence patent marked base and graduated to 800 yards. The underside of the barrel is fitted with a bayonet lug. The barrel is blue, the forearm cap, barrel bands, receiver, hammer, lever, patch box and buttplate are casehardened, and the screws, band springs, rear sight base, breechblock and pellet primer have a fiery niter blue finish. Mounted with a smooth full length walnut stock with three barrel bands (sling swivel on the center band), two sharp boxed "TWR" cartouches on the left wrist, small "MNM" stamped on top of the comb directly ahead on the buttplate tang and "N.S.P." on the underside of the forearm at the breech, carbine style iron buttplate, sling swivel and patch box. There is a small "M" stamped on the buttplate tang.

Excellent plus. The rifle appears to be as issued and retains 99% of the original military blue and color casehardened finish. The case colors are vivid. The band springs, rear sight base, pellet primer, breechblock and screws retain at least 95% of the fiery niter blue finish. The barrel and receiver marks are extremely sharp. The Ordnance final inspection and sub-inspection marks on the stock are nearly perfect. The stock and forearm are both near mint with raised, feathered grain with an old storage scratch on the right side of the forearm between the first and second barrel band. This is an exceptional example of a New Model 1863 Sharps rifle in almost new condition. This is the best New Model 1863 Sharps rifle offered for sale by the RIA and most likely the best Civil War New Model 1863 Sharps rifle extant!