Great day at the gunshow

[Aaron]

Went to the gunshow yesterday and had the pleasure of meeting two gentlemen who have been casting for years. Talked to them about 1 1/2 hours. Theyhave machine shops at their homes. One was a retired engineer and machinist. They both gravitate heavily toward the 45/70. Matter of fact, by the time we parted ways, one of them gave me a small sack of plinker bullets that are dead ringers for the 45 collar button GB going on. One is the third owner an original Sharps 45 2.1. If this makes sense to anyone, it was originally bought off of J.P. Lauer(SP?) wagon. Apparently some guy that sold these out the back of a wagon. Anyway, I really enjoyed talking to the two and we exchanged numbers. I hope to get to shoot that Sharps some day. Then to top it off, I purchased an unfired High Grade Browning 1886 45/70 minus the box for $1000. Great Day!

Aaron

[floodgate]

Aaron:

I think that was J. P. Lower, 1833- 1915, gunmaker and distributor for other makes. Worked in Philadelphia 1851- , Denver 1872 - ; J. P.Lower & Sons. lasted until about 1918. One of the major distributors of Sharps arms.

One of the better-known "independents" of the 19th Century. The story you were told is very likely a true one.

floodgate

[Aaron]

Well, here is the Reader's Digest version of the story as best as I can recite. The gent I met, Dennis, acquired the rifle from the second owner by meeting him through an aquantence. Dennis was trying to find an original Sharps to blueprint and make one for himself. This guy loaned him his rifle for this purpose. Well, when Dennis was done, the guy did not care to take the rifle back saying to keep it and shoot it for a year or two. One day the second owner of the rifle had a business in Central City and needed a couple of parts made. He asked Dennis if he could make them, which was apparently no trick for him. Instead ofpaying Dennis, this gent said he would trade the rifle to him. Basically he just wanted Dennis to have the rifle. The second owner acquired it from a ranch owner on the western slope here in Colorado. He was hunting there as a guest in the 30s or 40s. He saw the Sharps propped in a corner of the ranch house. After he asked about it the ranch showed it to him. The man asked if the ranch owner would consider selling it and he said no. But, he would consider giving it to him, and did. The ranch owners father, who was the previous generation to own the ranch bought the rifle from Lower, but it sounded like he bought it from the back of a wagon from Lower. Maybe he made trips around the state selling rifles?

Aaron