I love the look and feel of Sharps. I have a Shiloh in 50-90 ans a rebarreled original in 45-70. I might have chance for one of a few a buddy has. What do you feel is the most desirable cartridge? So many guns so little time.
What cartridge in a Sharps
- Thread starter a j cave
- Start date
What do you want to use it for?
If you intend to shoot it occasionally, by all means join the "mine's bigger than yours club" and buy a 45-110. You will feel ever so macho as you develop a world class flinch and risk detached retinas. Yes, you could down load it to 45-70 potential, if that makes any sense to you instead of buying a rifle in that calibre to begin with.
Shiloh will dissuade a customer from ordering the Tom Selleck "Quigley" model, recommending a chambering less punishing. Guys that do a LOT of BPCR Silhouette shooting (like Mike Venturino, Steve Garbe, Dave Gullo, et al) tend to favour the 45-70 and 45-90, but then, what the hell do they know?
I'm a casual BPCR shooter, but when I hit the range with one of my Shiloh 45-70s, I put 40-50 rds down range in a session with no ill effects. Works for me ....
My favourite BPCR is a Shiloh carbine chambered in 50-70. The same amount of powder and lead that would rattle your teeth in a light carbine like a 45-70 Trapdoor is a pussy cat to shoot in a 50-70 carbine. Bigger bore = less pressure. Drops large black bears like lightning.
A pal has a Shiloh 'Business Rifle' chambered in .50 Alaskan. Only performs well with a 600 gr bullet and top loaded with BP. He misses very well with it out to 200m. I've spotted for him several times and he is flinching before he has finished the course of fire.
He has a top of the line Shiloh on order chambered in 45-70. You pays you money - you takes you choice ....
If you intend to shoot it occasionally, by all means join the "mine's bigger than yours club" and buy a 45-110. You will feel ever so macho as you develop a world class flinch and risk detached retinas. Yes, you could down load it to 45-70 potential, if that makes any sense to you instead of buying a rifle in that calibre to begin with.
Shiloh will dissuade a customer from ordering the Tom Selleck "Quigley" model, recommending a chambering less punishing. Guys that do a LOT of BPCR Silhouette shooting (like Mike Venturino, Steve Garbe, Dave Gullo, et al) tend to favour the 45-70 and 45-90, but then, what the hell do they know?
I'm a casual BPCR shooter, but when I hit the range with one of my Shiloh 45-70s, I put 40-50 rds down range in a session with no ill effects. Works for me ....
My favourite BPCR is a Shiloh carbine chambered in 50-70. The same amount of powder and lead that would rattle your teeth in a light carbine like a 45-70 Trapdoor is a pussy cat to shoot in a 50-70 carbine. Bigger bore = less pressure. Drops large black bears like lightning.
A pal has a Shiloh 'Business Rifle' chambered in .50 Alaskan. Only performs well with a 600 gr bullet and top loaded with BP. He misses very well with it out to 200m. I've spotted for him several times and he is flinching before he has finished the course of fire.
He has a top of the line Shiloh on order chambered in 45-70. You pays you money - you takes you choice ....
I have owned a 45-120 and did not keep it very long because of the recoil. I prefer the smaller calibers because of the reduced recoil. Even though the gun is a rolling block, I have owned and shot a 38-56 for a number of years and like the caliber. In the case of my gun, the chamber has a long throat so that most of the slug is in the barrel rather than buried in the cartridge case. The barrel is also a fast twist which allows me to shoot a 300 grain bullet. For no particularly good reason, I want to make another Sharps in 40-70 bottle neck because it will have a little more oomph than the 38-56. In a general sense, it is very convenient and economical to use calibers based on modified 45-70 cases
cheers mooncoon
cheers mooncoon
I have two C Sharps 1875 rifles. Yes the guys down the road from Shiloh.
They are a 45/70 sporting/competition, and a 50/70 carbine. Both are fun to shoot with BP and you can still load smokeless loads, if that is your thing.
I find I can shoot 50 rounds per gun per session without any issues.
For a fun gun stick with the less powerful guns.
I have shot a 45/110 and definitely find it less than fun to shoot for long sessions.
They are a 45/70 sporting/competition, and a 50/70 carbine. Both are fun to shoot with BP and you can still load smokeless loads, if that is your thing.
I find I can shoot 50 rounds per gun per session without any issues.
For a fun gun stick with the less powerful guns.
I have shot a 45/110 and definitely find it less than fun to shoot for long sessions.
A lot of noobs get to shoot my High Wall in .45-70Govt, so a 300 or 405gr bullet and a load of 4198 are the way to go for me. If I get a mad urge to shoot something that makes a lot of smoke, then I load up 50gr of RS. BP is very hard to find here where we live, and a 200 mile round trip at almost $10 a gallon is not very friendly on the wallet.
tac
tac
Allen, unless you are planning to start black powder silhouette or long range target shooting you already have the best sharps cartridge. Nothing in my mind is more nostalgic than the BIG 50 . Firing a few shots down range or hunting , a 50-90 is perfect. But if you are planning to do a lot of shooting some thing a bit smaller would be my choice. I have had some experience with 38-55 and 40-65 and the low recoil is nice but for all around versatility , particularly reload ability, it's hard to beat a 45-70.
BrotherRockeye
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Rural Saskatchewan
I went 50-70 as it's the first US military caliber, an original chambering and I have enough 45-70's already.
As mentioned earlier, it really depends on the use. I don't really shoot anything other than BPTR and BPCR silhouette so I'm biased.
For silhouette my rifles of choice are the .40-65, and .45-70. For midrange BPTR I'd go with the same cartridges, or maybe a .45-90. For long range I'd choose a .45-90, .45-100, or .45-110. Anything bigger than a .45-90 needs to be as heavy as the rules allow in order to be able to shoot it all day long for 2-4 days in a row. If you are a purist, you'd likely want a .40-70 rather than a .40-65.
Stock design matters a lot too. A pistol grip stock with a high comb is best, although a straight grip stock can work well enough for the comparatively close distances shot in silhouette.
Chris.
For silhouette my rifles of choice are the .40-65, and .45-70. For midrange BPTR I'd go with the same cartridges, or maybe a .45-90. For long range I'd choose a .45-90, .45-100, or .45-110. Anything bigger than a .45-90 needs to be as heavy as the rules allow in order to be able to shoot it all day long for 2-4 days in a row. If you are a purist, you'd likely want a .40-70 rather than a .40-65.
Stock design matters a lot too. A pistol grip stock with a high comb is best, although a straight grip stock can work well enough for the comparatively close distances shot in silhouette.
Chris.
I'm sure that you are correct about that
. I have two .45-110's and the one I like most is about 16 lbs. Most people order them too light, although I suppose that for hunting that's OK. I've shot a .45-100 with a standard weight half octagon barrel. It was fine for a few shots offhand, but wouldn't be much fun for target shooting.Chris.
My first Shiloh was a business rifle in 45/120,I bought it when they first started making the 74 cartridge versions only thing was I had ordered a 45/70 and got sent the 45/120 by mistake.Shiloh was good about it , I could send it back which was a real pain or they would send me 10 boxes of 45/120 brass free,I ended up taking the brass but now wish I had of sent it back because if i had of,I probably would still have it.Even though I did manage to kill a deer with it ,the gun pounded the daylights out of me so I eventually sold it off.My current Shiloh is one of military rifles in 45/70 which is set up along the lines of Mike ventrinio s Sharps he had at one time for hunting with a shotgun butt with checkered steel buttplate, bone case colours , dovetailed front sight and double set triggers.Gun is easy to carry,has a sling and the 45/70 is easy to shoot and a lot cheaper than the odd ball rounds.
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My Shiloh Military Rifle is chambered in 50-70. Like you said, it is the ideal hunting rifle as it is fitted with sling swivels. It has dropped two large black bears for me and a 6 pt Mule Deer. Got the same in a '63 percussion model as well.
If you ever want to part with your 45-70 MR, gimme dibs.
If you ever want to part with your 45-70 MR, gimme dibs.
I like the idea of a 40-65/40-70, truth be told I look at them more than shoot them. They still give me pleasure, like all good art. I have other singles in different actions. I am just interested in your favs and experiences with the singles and the Sharps. Thanks all.
- Location
- Juan de Fuca subduction zone Yiiikes
Top two are 50-90's bottom two are 45-70's. I love my big .50's. The 16 pounder I can shoot all day in the nude. The Saddle rifle offhand with heavy loads. Kirk told me (Owner of Shiloh Sharps) that they sell more 45-70's than any other calibre.
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