Farmingdale Shiloh '74 45-70 "Business Rifle"

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Sharps '63

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I'm looking to part with my Shiloh 45-70 "Business Rifle".

it has a 28" RB, DST, crescent butt, equipped with a C.Sharps mid-range tang site, Lyman globe front. Two breech blocks - one large firing pin, t'other small.
No mark, dings, scrapes, rust and the bore is excellent. Lock upgraded by Kirk at Shiloh in Montana.

It's been a safe queen for years and I seldom shoot it. I'll throw in a Lyman DC 500 gr RN bullet mould.

What should I ask for it?
 
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It would probably depend on how much of a rush you are to sell it.For a plain Jane older Farmingdale model somewhere from $1800 to $2200.I have Shiloh big timber made 74 military rifle rigged up for hunting as suggested by Mike Venterino with double set triggers,shotgun butt ,dovetailed front sight,and bone case coloring in45/70 with one box of shells thru it.If I was going to let it go I would ask $2600especially since with the new 77Sharps military rifles won t be made for a bit.
 
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Thanks, Chasseur!

I'm always amazed at how well Shiloh rifles hold their value if well cared for. I've got other Shiloh rifles (including a Military Rifle in 50-70 and matching carbine), but the Farmingdales are the ones that wear the [Old Reliable] label on the barrel. No big deal, unless you place value on the cachet of the Sharps legacy.

Always wanted a Military Rifle in 45-70 and/or a carbine. The Business Rifle is too much gun to carry where I live.
 
Ya if you want the Old Reliable marking you have to buy a C Sharps version, I believe my C Sharps Hi Wall
has that marking.The early Farmingdale Shilohs sometimes suffer from real plain grade or almost furniture grade wood and bring less on the resale market
 
Easyrider said:
As did most of the originals...
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Thank you, for that!

Long before I was able to afford a Shiloh Sharps, I stopped in at Big Timber to drool. I was asked which rifle on the wall I would leave with if I could. Without hesitation I touched the "Business Rifle".

I was told that was a first as most go for the most gussied up rifle with all the bells, gongs and whistles. When asked "Why?", I told her that it looked like the original 'Business Rifle' in the display case, a rifle that looked liked what a Buffalo hunter would have used. It was a working tool of the trade, not an extension of an effete Easterner's ego.
 
With the cost of a new basic Shiloh at roughly $2100 US plus taxes, import fees, and exchange, and maybe a 2 year wait, the price can easily jump to $3500 and up depending on upgrades. So yours with $500 sights on it, and bullet mold should sell at the prices mentioned.
 
Though the originals had plain grade wood a lot of people when ordering a Sharps seem to go all out on all the bells and whistles, with engraving , high polish bluing supreme wood etc. It's probably a safe bet more than half the Sharps bought never go into the woods.But if you want authentic plain wood is where it s at. Also most buffalo Sharps didn t have checkered stocks.Sad as it is most people buying a Sharps aren t trying to be historically accurate like anything pretty sells for more.
 
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I was at a club shoot in Pala, California a couple of weeks ago (spectator), and man, were there some fancy rifles there! But... the one that impressed me the most was the one that knocked all of his silhouettes over. I talked to him afterwards, and his was a plain jane Shiloh, with MVA sights. He said that he took the $2500 that he saved on fancy wood and checkering, and engraving, and invested it in Swiss powder and lead. It was well worn, but man, could he shoot that thing! That's for me...
As always, YMMV
Glen
 
I ve owned at least six Shilohs 3 farmingdales the rest big timber Sharps not one was fancy grade not even semi fancy wood about my only extra was a pewter nosecap on a couple.You buy what you want or can afford it s a personal choice but like I said pretty sells for more.A plain woman might make the best wife but how many guys would try to get a knock out hottie first.Plain or fancy doesn t for a more accurate gun or shooter.
 
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ryan said:
With the cost of a new basic Shiloh at roughly $2100 US plus taxes, import fees, and exchange, and maybe a 2 year wait, the price can easily jump to $3500 and up depending on upgrades. So yours with $500 sights on it, and bullet mold should sell at the prices mentioned.
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Agreed, but what something ought to sell for and what it will bring in the real world is another matter. Something is worth what someone will pay for it.

I ask myself what I would be willing to pay for a rifle, bearing in mind the tariff and the two year wait; 18 months for a 50-70 carbine I ordered only to ship it right back to have the stock shortened to the original specs. Seems people are getting larger these days and the LOP has been adjusted. This was not mentioned at the time the order was placed and I did not specify.

The BR in question has very nice straight grain wood. It also has the "high half ####" of the original action. I discussed this with Kirk Bryant re" safety and he didn't think it was an issue. Apparently it happened as a result of converting from the percussion models to brass case. The "high half ####" was necessary to place a cap on the nipple of the '63's manually.
When the conversions took over, the factory used up the inventory of percussion parts, and Wolfgang Droegge(?) did the same thing as it was the percussion models he first offered. Considering the complexity of the percussion breech block, that has always puzzled me.

Considering the fast twists of the rifling in Sharps rifles these days, the only thing really 'authentic' about them is the head stamp on the brass. But even that is moot, as the modern cases have a solid head that will not allow 70 grs in a 45-70 or 90 in a 45-90 case, unless the bullet is seated with a grease groove or two exposed.
 
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