The Sharps design quickly took hold on the market and began a long-running series of like-minded guns that saw the Sharps name survive from the span of about 1850 until 1881. The Model 1852 was produced in about 5,000 examples owing little to its inherently high manufacturing costs and general distrust of breech-loaders by military authorities. In action, they proved more accurate than muzzle-loading musket-rifles and gave a higher rate-of-fire.
Sharps Carbines became very popular with mounted troopers throughout the Civil War. Overall Sharps Carbine production reached 90,000 units which set it well ahead of competing designs from Spencer and Burnside.
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