This carbine must have had a colorful and interesting life. It was originally manufactured in percussion for use during the Civil War and was then converted to .50-70 c. 1869. It was subsequently modified and decorated for frontier use, including being changed to .28 gauge smoothbore. The front sight blade has been replaced with a larger brass blade, and the Lawrence patent folding ladder rear sight has a period added taller buckhorn notch added and the elevator bar removed. The action has the usual Sharps patent markings. There is also a "C" on the left and on the lever pin, "H.D.H." on the saddle ring bar base, and a "P" on the hammer. The original carbine wood has a row of brass tacks down the forearm and a triangle pattern of brass tacks on left side of the buttstock. The right side of the buttstock has nine grooves cut diagonally into wood and a finger-woven strap attached with additional brass tacks to hold cartridges.