Sharps Long Range Bullets

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Pictured below are boxed sets of 10 long range bullets for the Sharps rifle, manufactured by the Winchester Repeating Arms Co. The first box was sold in May 2012 by Little John’s Auction Service. The packaging identifies the bullet calibre, weight, form and mixture. Both packs are .45 cal. bullets, weighing 550 grains, and of long point (L.P.) form. Note the mixtures vary slightly, 1-14 and 1-11.

Sharps Rifle Long Range Bullets
Sharps Rifle Long Range Bullets
Sharps Rifle Long Range Bullets
Sharps Rifle Long Range Bullets

Bullets from the second packet are pictured below, their lack of deterioration likely a result of the hard alloy.

Sharps Rifle Long Range Bullets
Sharps Rifle Long Range Bullets

The bullets have a cupped base and a double wrap of paper. The patched bullets have been weighed and average at 551.7 grains. Length is 1.5 inch and .451/.452 inch diameter measured at the base.

For further comment on the use of hard bullet alloys in the 19th century see The Science of Long Range Shooting, in which Kenny Wasserburger discusses Edwin Perry’s  ‘Modern Observations on Rifle Shooting‘ (1880), some of the major changes / advancements at Creedmoor, and in particular regarding bullet alloys.

Provenance

The featured pack of bullets were originally found by a UK collector in the immediate post war years. In the 1960s these were passed on to a second collector, with whom they remained for over 50 years.