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Postwar Record

The record of Sharps Rifle Company after the War is beyond the scope of this book; summed up, it enjoyed great favor as a buffalo killer, Indian fighter, and long range target rifle. Why it ultimately failed as a commercial venture is a question we cannot answer. Expert shooters, favorable journalists, a packed “jury” among the military of the nation, all gave it devoted service. Perhaps the cause of failure was economic and overcapitalization. The tremendous factory which had delivered as much as 3,000 carbines in one month, could not be supported by peacetime sporting goods trade. With the passing of the buffalo, the Sharps rifle passed from the sporting scene, with out having gained any major acceptance in the postwar scramble for foreign contracts.
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