Shiloh Sharps New Model 1863 54Cal Percussion Cap Three Band Military Rifle
SOLD FOR: $2,725.00
LSB#: LSB250930KK015
Make: Shiloh Sharps Farmingdale NY.
Model: New Model 1863 Three band Military Rifle
Serial#: 640
Year of Manufacture: Modern most likely in the late 1970s
Caliber: .54 Caliber percussion cap rifle.
Action Type: Single Shot Lever Operated Falling Block Breach Loading Percussion Cap Rifle with single trigger. Half cock safety.
Markings: The tang is marked “640”. The right side of the barrel is marked “SHILOH PRODUCTS INC.”. The top of the barrel is marked “NEW MODEL 1863”. The left side of the barrel is marked “54 CAL. USE BLACK POWDER ONLY” The left side of the receiver is marked “SHILOH PRODUCTS INC.” The right side of the receiver is marked “FARMINGDALE NEW YORK” and “SHILOH NEW MODEL 1863”. The right side of the barrel has a small wolf’s head mark. This mark is said to signify the rifle was made by the company’s founder Wolfgang Droge.
Barrel Length: 30” the rifle weighs 8lbs 15OZ.
Sights/ Optics: The front sight is a half moon blade fixed by the muzzle. The rear sight is a ladder which presents a “V’-notch in the down position. When raised, the rear sight presents an integral “V”-notch at the top, a “V”-notch slider and is marked 2-8. The rear sight is dovetailed to the barrel with a screw set leaf spring.
Stock Configuration & Condition/ Grip: The furniture set is a two-piece smooth wood featuring a forend that is secured with a screw and mounted with three barrel bands secured by springs with a case colored nose cap. The rifle has two sling swivels. The stock features a straight hand grip with a straight comb, and a metal butt-plate with a patch box. The LOP is 13.5” from the trigger to the rear end of the butt-plate. The wood shows minor rub wear with some discoloration from handling. The wood also shows some surface level lines and some very minor compressions with the most notable marr being on the lower left edge of the forend right at the receiver. There are no visible chips or cracks. The patch box door functions correctly. The metal butt plate shows some surface level lines. Overall the furniture set is in Very Good+-Excellent condition.
Type of Finish: The barrel is blued, the barrel bands, nose cap, receiver, lever, trigger, hammer, patch box, and butt plate are case color.
Finish Originality: Original
Bore Condition: The bore is mirror bright and has sharp rifling. There is no visible pitting or erosion in the bore. The muzzle is very clean. The top of the breach block is clean. In this writer’s opinion the bore rates 10/10.
Overall Condition: This rifle retains about 99% of its metal finish. The finish shows some minor handling. There is a very small spot of surface rust freckling on the patch box door and some scattered spots on the butt plate. The markings are clear and the screw heads are sharp. Overall this rifle is in about Very Good+-Excellent condition.
Mechanics: The action functions correctly. We did not fire this rifle. As with all used firearms, a thorough cleaning may be necessary to meet your maintenance requirements
Box Paperwork and Accessories: None.
Our Assessment: This Shiloh Sharps New Model 1863 three band military rifle, built in Farmingdale, NY in the 1970s, is a faithful and highly desirable reproduction of the percussion breechloader carried by soldiers during the Civil War. Chambered in .54 caliber with a full-length 30″ round barrel, it follows the classic three-band infantry configuration and features the distinctive Wolf’s Head barrel mark of Wolfgang Droge, the company’s founder, an emblem sought after by collectors for its association with Shiloh’s earliest and most handcrafted production era. The smooth walnut furniture is correctly styled with a round-profile forend secured by three barrel bands, a case-colored nose cap, and a straight-grip stock fitted with a functional patch box, all echoing the look and handling of the original service rifles.
The New Model 1863 is historically significant as one of the Sharps Company’s most refined percussion breechloaders, widely praised for its reliability, speed of loading, and strong gas seal that gave riflemen a marked advantage over traditional muzzleloaders. Farmingdale-era Shiloh rifles are known for their tight machining and careful attention to 19th-century details, and this example captures that quality with both mechanical precision and period-correct aesthetics. Altogether, it offers an impressive blend of historical authenticity, early-production Shiloh craftsmanship, and the battlefield pedigree of one of the Civil War’s most respected rifles. To better understand this rifle please see our high quality photos via the link and best of luck with your bidding!!!-R.L.
