The New Model 1859 Sharps breech-loading rifle
verses the Rifled Musket
In early 1860 (a whole year before the onset of the Civil War), the United States Marine Corps carried out field trials on the Nm1859 Sharps breech-loading rifle. Below is report dated 6th February 1860, submitted by 1st Lieutenant Israel Greene USMC.
Sir
I herewith submit for your consideration the result of the trials made as to the comparative merits of a Sharps improved rifle and the rifled musket now in use in the Marine Corps.
I selected for the trials a recruit uninstructed in the manual and the following table is the result of the firing.
| Musket: no. of rounds fired at |
100 yards |
30 |
hit |
13 |
missed |
17 |
| 200 yards |
5 |
hit |
4 |
missed |
1 |
| 300 yards |
15 |
hit |
3 |
missed |
12 |
| 450 yards |
10 |
hit |
0 |
missed |
10 |
| Total |
60 |
hit |
20 |
missed |
40 |
| |
| Sharps improved rifle |
100 yards |
40 |
hit |
35 |
missed |
5 |
| 200 yards |
5 |
hit |
4 |
missed |
1 |
| 300 yards |
15 |
hit |
9 |
missed |
6 |
| 450 yards |
7 |
hit |
5 |
missed |
2 |
| Total |
60 |
hit |
53 |
missed |
14 |
On my return from practice, the arms were put away without cleaning for one week. When both were examined, whilst the present service musket needed the attention of the armorer at the armory, and much time to put in order, the Sharps rifle was easily cleaned by myself at the office.
The Sharps arm is simple in its construction and can be handled by the most inexperienced soldier. The use of the Sharps carbine for the past seven years in the Army has shown its efficiency as a service arm in the field sufficiently to authorise its adoption in that branch of service which could, in my opinion, warrant the adoption of any arm.
The objection that has been heretofore made of the gun, of escapement of gas at the breech, waste of powder by the cutting off, difficulty of inserting the cartridge without bursting it, paper left behind in the chamber, have all been obviated. I feel authorised, in view of all the facts connected with the ease of this arm in service, to most respectfully recommend its adoption in the Marine Corps, believing as I do that such action of Government will increase the efficiency of that force now more than double its present power.
Respectfully
Israel Greene
1st Lieut. U.S. Marines
The results of the trials showed the Sharps rifle to be superior in accuracy to that of a rifled musket. In summary the percentage hits for each weapon was as follows
| Distance |
Rifled Musket |
NM1859 Sharps Rifle |
| 100 yards |
43% |
88% |
| 200 yards |
80% |
80% |
| 300 yards |
20% |
60% |
| 450 yards |
0% |
71% |
So, for every 10 shots fired from a rifled musket, on average only 3 would hit the intended target, compared to 8 out of the 10 from the Sharps rifle.
It is known that the New Model 1859 Sharps breech-loading rifle was not adopted as the service arm of the United States Marine Corps, but later during the Civil War this rifle was issued as a service arm to a branch of the Army – the United States Sharpshooters. The NM1859 Sharps rifle, proven to be accurate in the hands of a raw recruit, was now being used by trained soldiers of noted marksmanship.
In his ‘Regimental losses of the Civil War’, Colonel Fox speaks of the Sharpshooters
... and they undoubtedly killed more men that any other regiment in the Army.
in no small part thanks to their New Model 1859 Sharps breech-loading rifle.
Neil Hoddle, Company E, 1 USSS
The above article first appeared in the ACWS Newsletter, Autumn 2006
|