Sharps rifles are a series of large-bore single-shotrifles, beginning with a design by Christian Sharps in 1848, and ceasing production in 1881. They were renowned for long-range accuracy. By 1874 the rifle was available in a variety of calibers, and had been adopted by the armies of a number of nations. It was one of the few designs to successfully transition to metallic cartridge use.
The Sharps rifles became icons of the American Old West due to their appearances in many Western-genre movies and books. Perhaps as a result, a number of different rifle companies currently offer reproductions of the Sharps rifle.
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