This is a Sharps 1874 Buffalo rifle.
RICK: OK, it sounds dangerous.
SELLER: It is dangerous.
It can't be any more dangerous than that shirt.
[gunshot]
[music playing]
AL: This was a very powerful gun.
I love it because of the historical connection
to the West.
I'm hoping to get 37,000.
In a few years, I'm gonna have to sell my entire collection.
Might as well start now.
RICK: This is cool.
Where did you get it?
AL: I bought the rifle from a friend I knew in Wyoming.
And he said, you're gonna see something
like this once in your life.
It's for hunting buffalo.
It's a .44/90 caliber.
Now this was the most powerful caliber made in 1874.
RICK: Yeah, it was a powerful enough
bullet that 800 yards away, you could
still bring down a buffalo.
AL: Yep.
Buffalo hunting was a big business.
RICK (VOICEOVER): This rifle would pack one hell of a punch
and was the top choice for big game in North America.
AL: Yeah.
In 1874, this rifle took the Creedmoor record, hitting 19
out of 20 targets at 800 yards.
RICK: Well, yeah, this is where the term sharpshooter came
from, was from a Sharps rifle.
Originally, the guys who could shoot really far
were Sharps shooters because they shot with Sharps.
AL: I didn't know that.
RICK: It's definitely cool.
It's in great shape.
How much do you want to get out of it?
I want 37,000 for it.
Whoa, this is a gun, not a car.
RICK: [laughs]
AL: It's extremely rare.
RICK: Quite honestly, it sounds a little high.
Do you mind if I call someone to take a look at it?
I just want to make sure everything is legit,
and I'd like to get his opinion on the value.
AL: If he knows what he's doing, that'll
probably help both of us.
OK, let me go give him a call.
I'll be right back.
Thank you.
I'm fine about them bringing in a person with knowledge.
This rifle is in very good condition,
and I'm a pretty good salesperson.
It's the model 1874.
This is very accurate.
And you know what gave it that accuracy was
the falling block mechanism.
And it's a technology that was special and unique to this gun.
When you actually have a round in the chamber,
the breach goes up, seals the round in the chamber,
and doesn't move around.
And therefore, it's very accurate.
I mean, you shoot this gun, it goes off.
It makes a big smoke powder, as you know.
It's gonna knock down whatever it hits.
Hey, you're a buffalo hunter, this
is a gun you'd like to have.
A .44/90 is a big bullet.
If you shoot a buffalo with a .44/90, It's not gonna hurt.
It's gonna kill him.
The color back here is a little different than the color
up front.
But I don't think it matters that
much, because it's right around where you're manipulating it.
So--
AL: Where your hand is.
--I can really see that that's from some honest hand wear.
RICK: Is it all original?
It's definitely original.
It's also a popular gun.
I would think, in the Sharps market,
this is probably the most popular model.
RICK: OK.
So what do you think it's worth?
CRAIG GOTTLIEB: As it sits, given its condition, given
its rarity, I'd probably place this gun
maybe 6,000 to $10,000.
Well, you know, I'm asking $37,000,
because when I take it out and I show it to my friends,
we go on for a half hour talking about the Old West
and shooting buffalo.
So to me, all of that is more valuable.
CRAIG GOTTLIEB: I know you love it.
I just don't think you can sell the love.
That's just my opinion based upon being
a dealer in firearms.
This guy talks about sitting around, talking to his friends
for hours on end about what guns like this did.
That doesn't matter to collectors.
They want to buy the gun because it's an 1874 Sharps.
CRAIG GOTTLIEB (VOICEOVER): You don't need to add something
to it unless you want $37,000, in which case, you
have to tell lots of stories.
We seem to be very far apart at the moment.
I would be willing to spend like 6 grand on the gun.
What about stepping up to like 15?
No, I'd go 6.
That's what I paid for it years ago.
RICK: Quite frankly, guns have stayed flat
or gone down over the past few years.
It's up to you, but I really can't pay more than 6 grand.
I guess I'm gonna get to shoot it some more.
RICK: OK.
AL: Thank you.
Have a good one.
I'll just go back and shoot the gun some more.
I've got a few years that my shoulder will hold up.