Rare 10th Cavalry marked Sharps 1865 Saddle Ring Carbine. .52 caliber with a very good bore. Strong rifling with minor spots of pitting and still has a shine. Metal has a smooth gray patina. Wood is very good with normal handling wear. Right hand side of the barrel near the frame reads “F 10 Cav.”, which stands for Company F of the 10th Cavalry. The 10th Cavalry was made up of black soldiers and were given the nickname “Buffalo Soldiers”. These units were involved in heavy fighting with the Indians, often with second rate supplies. The 10th Cavalry was stationed in Kansas and Texas. Company F in particular was involved in the Battle of the Saline River in 1867 where Company F was surrounded by 400 Cheyenne warriors! The battle went on for 30 hours before Company F made it back to the fort with surprisingly only one casualty. Very historical gun that almost certainly saw action!