Uberti 1885 High wall

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flintyboom

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So, I've been thinking about black powder cartridge shooting matches, and I think I want to put in an order for a Shiloh Sharps in 45-90.
But because they start at about $3,500 CAD, and have a wait time of 17+ months, I want to get something to play with in the mean time.
I have been looking at the Uberti relica of the 1885 Winchester high wall. They come in 45-70 and 45-90, and are available for about $1000 USD new.
Do any of you folks know if they can be found in Canada? Also do any of you have experience shooting them? How are they?
 
I just got one imported by irunguns. It took a couple months but the rifle is awesome. Email prophet river. They might be able to get something for you.
 
That was my plan if I couldn't find one in Canada. They have a few models on Gunbroker from $879-$1200. I would buy one and get I run guns to import it.
How do you like yours? Shoots well?
 
One other thing to think about is a used highwall. I saw someone, maybe a week or so ago?, post a used Winchester/Browning 1885 BPCR rifle for sale here. It might come in at around the same price as a new Uberti after tax and import fees ( probably cheaper if you end up having to buy target sights for the Uberti as the BPCR rifles come with decent sights). I have no personal experience with the Uberti rifles but have with the Browning/Winchester BPCR rifles. They are well built and are definitely accurate once you find out what bullets they like. I know a guy who held NRA records with one. They hold their value well too.

The only downside to those rifles in my opinion is that you don't want to take them apart. That was the only reason I sold mine :).

Regardless of what you buy, highwalls are mostly light rifles. Generally a pound or more lighter than a Shiloh with upgraded wood and the same barrel length. I'd pick the .45-70 over the .45-90. I had a C. Sharps highwall in .45-90 with a 30" heavy barrel and it was pretty accurate but about 11 pounds which is too light for a .45-90 in my opinion. Oh, and get a shotgun buttplate :).

Chris.
 
I bought a Pedersoli High Wall from Marstar, they are highly rated, all come with match grade barrels, single set trigger, case colored finish, fit and finish is perfect. Supposedly Uberti uses Pedersoli barrels on there high Walls. And I hate the crescent butt plate on the Uberti
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flintyboom said:
I have been looking at the Uberti relica of the 1885 Winchester high wall. They come in 45-70 and 45-90, and are available for about $1000 USD new.
?
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Even though I like highwalls, I would not particularly recommend one for black powder. Reason is that you get fouling inside the mechanism and I think it would be prudent to strip them down sporadically to clean up the corrosive fouling. I think you would be better off with a rolling block or a Pedersoli Sharps with my preference going to the Sharps because the lock mechanism is completely separate from the open portions of the receiver

cheers mooncoon
 
I am not familiar with how any of the rifles break down for cleaning, but it would be a rifle for shooting exclusively blackpowder cartridges. If it doesn't break down well for a thorough cleaning, it won't work out well for me.
 
A highwall, at least if it's built like the originals, is pretty simple to take down. The 1874 Sharps rifle is faster yet though, and you don't need any tools which is really nice. To give you an idea of how to remove the breech block on a highwall, you loosen a retaining screw and then drive out a pin that holds the breech block / lever, and the extractor in place. The breech block/lever assembly can then be pushed out of the bottom of the action. If you want to clean the rest of the action you remove two tang screws and then pull off the buttstock. I think the Uberti rifles follow the original design so should come apart much like this.

If it's a modern built Miroku highwall it's much more complicated though.

The 1874 Sharps is easier for sure, and like Mooncoon says, the internals of the action, other than the breech block, are sealed off so won't ever get black powder crud in them. I have never owned a rolling block but I've heard those are super easy too.

Chris.
 
flintyboom said:
I am not familiar with how any of the rifles break down for cleaning, but it would be a rifle for shooting exclusively blackpowder cartridges. If it doesn't break down well for a thorough cleaning, it won't work out well for me.
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I have never taken the breech block out of my rifle, so I did a check on the internet, they say the Pedersoli is the same as the original 1885 Winchester and a hell of a lot easier than the Winchester/Browning new model
 
Out of curiosity I just did a little reading. From what I read on the internet ( always a reliable source :) :) ), the Uberti rifles use both a coil and a lever spring. (the originals used one or the other). If that's true then they disassemble a little differently than an original 1885. If the flat spring works like I expect it's just one more step though.

Chris.
 
Some of the Italian rifles now require manual cocking, unlike the originals.
This can be overcome quite easily.

My preference would be for the C. Sharps 1875. It's a simpler design and the wait times aren't as long as Shiloh's.
Disassembly is quite simple to do.
I have three of them.

Also, watch the twist rate. Some of them are fine for the middle weight bullets, but won't handle the heavier ones.
 
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that 17 month wait for a Shilo isn't written in stone. they quite often have rifles on a rack for direct sale, rifles that were ordered, built, and then the original customer cant complete the purchase. They have had some every time I have visited their show room...might not be the exact rifle you would order but still beats the 2 yr wait.
 
Here a pic of one of my Sharps rifles I purchased a while ago it s an 1875 C Sharps in 45/70

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And here is a pic of my C Sharps 1885 high wall in 22lr.It is equipped with a single set trigger

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I have a Shiloh sharps in 45 120 and havent shot it yet. Does anyone know if 45 70s will work in it? I am open to selling it for the right price.
 
5Gprep said:
I have a Shiloh sharps in 45 120 and havent shot it yet. Does anyone know if 45 70s will work in it? I am open to selling it for the right price.
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Yes you can shoot a 45/70 in a 45/120 chamber but accuracy will suffer greatly as the bullet takes quite the jump in the chamber and a lead bullet kind of gets swaged into the throat of the chamber.Also the chamber will develop a ring in it a head of the bullet if done continuously making extraction difficult with the 45/120 shell.So basically the answer is yes you can do it but you really shouldn't especially if you were planning on shooting 45/70s in it on a regular basis.You would be better off selling it and buying one in 45/70.
When Shiloh Sharps first started making the 1874 Sharps rifles I ordered a business rifle in 45/70 but was sent one in 45/120 by mistake and because sending it back was a hassle I kept it.I learned a lot about shooting the 45/120 and I even killed a couple of deer with it but I eventually sold it off as the recoil of the gun with full loads coupled with the crescent buttplate was a bit brutal if you were to fire more than a few rounds in it.It is definitely not a competition round as the gun would beat you up too much for that type of sport.I now own 4 sharps rifles a shiloh military rifle in 45/70,a C sharps 1875 in 45/70 and 2 percussion Shiloh Sharps in 54 cal ,a carbine and a sporting rifle
 
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After much consideration I have ordered a Pedersoli rolling block target rifle in 45-70 from Marstar. I have a globe front sight, and 3" Pedersoli soule rear sight for it.
They look like good rifles for the price, and Pedersoli has a reputation for accuracy. This will be my rifle for a few years while I save my pennies for a Shiloh in 45-90. I want to go to their shop in Montana and pick out every detail for my perfect rifle. Looking at what options I think I want, that'll be about $7,000 CAD, so it may be a 5-10 year goal.
 
Nope Shiloh Sharps is still in business they just put out feelers they would like to sell the business to the right person as they are looking to retire.They are hoping to pass the business on to someone that will keep up their standard of quality and customer service instead of someone buying the name and running the company into the ground in a few years which normally happens.
 
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