52 Caliber straight-breech loader carbine manufactured  by Sharps Rifle Manufacturing Company, Hartford Connecticut from 1859 to 1866 with total quantities of 115,000. The straight breech models were a definite improvement over the earlier slant-breech types and are considered the most common of the Sharps rifles and carbine. This example is serial numbered 59715 with many in this number range issued to the 1st Colorado Cavalry, 2nd California. By December 1862 more than 60% of all breech loading carbines in the field of service were Sharps carbines.