which falling block action , Sharps, Browning, Martini or Ruger?

catnthehatt

catnthehatt

CGN Ultra frequent flyer
EE Expired
Rating - 100%
128   0   0
Location
Ft. Mac. Alberta
The tilte says it all, which don you guys prefer and why?
I own or have owned all of them and all heve rheir own merits, but I want to know what others think.
This is in reponse to Kombi's question about getting bored with the short/long thing!:D
I like the 1885 for hunting (open hammer) ,
Sharps for BPCR( easy takedown), and Ruger for targets because of the trigger upgrades available, and the lock time.
The Martini does everything, but is not as strong, IMHO.

LET THE GAMES BEGIN!:D
cat
 
Last edited:
I like them all.
I like the Remington Rolling Blocks, have one in 7X57 But I would only shoot light loade out of it. I have had the Pederosoli rolling blocks in 45-70 but they are too heavy to carry.

The Browning single shots are nice and I prefer the 78 over the 85 any day. Just got a really nice 6mm 78, this morning with Browning rings and octagon barrel. Can't wait to shoot it.

I have a Ruger No1 AB model in 7X57 and I will use that one for hunting in the fall if I can get out. It is compact and solid, and is always a surprise when it comes to weigh, they always weigh more than one would imagine. The only problem with a Ruger is getting a scope and rings to fit the shooter.

I have had Martini's but the only one I kept was a 22 target model. I like them but I prefer them in original condition, but they don't have a safety. I would like to have a 303 again or a custom built military full stock one in 40-65, or 45-70. It would look original but be in an another caliber.


The Sharps rifles are beautiful, but heavy. I have a paper patch carbine in 54 and it shoots great. Just a lot of preparation and cleaning with paper cartridges, and shooting black powder or substitutes.

I have a Maynard No16, and when I get some rounds made up for it I will try it out on the range. It isn't exactly a falling block but a single shot hinge break.

Another fine gun is the Ballard, I believe they are being made by a small company but with a big price. I have a No2 model with a 30" octagon barrel in 38 long. I believe it will shoot great.

I guess the winner would be the exposed hammer and feel of the Browning's, especially the 78's. They can be light or heavy as hell depending on the options.
 
Last edited:
What do you prefer about the Browning 78 over the 1885?

I mounted a Leupold 2-7 Vari-X II on my Ruger Number 1 "International" and find that you have to set it as far back as possible for it to be comfortable. The Leupold's generous eye relief helps and they are mounted on my Number 1's for that reason. The Number 1 "International" is short, but has some "substance". My Browning Low Wall (.22 Hornet rechambered to .221 Fireball) is a much lighter rifle (and deadly on gophers), but the triggers on the Number 1's seem "cleaner".

My fav's are: Ruger Number 1: either "1-A" for sheer good looks, or "International" - for compactness (1B is OK too); Browning 1885, either Low Wall (for its light weight) or High Wall (for its strength and classic lines).

The Sharps 74 is another classic that's hard to "not want", but the cost is prohibitive. I lucked out and got a Shilo .54 paper cartridge rifle (not the carbine) from another Gunnut last year, but I'm not finding it as accurate as the cartridge single shot rifles (for example, the Browning 1885 in 45-70).

Can you provide any suggestions on how to squeeze more accuracy out of the .54 Sharps?
 
I've got an 1885 45-70 that I use for a walking around hunting rifle. No scope to snag on things. Quiet to get into action...no safety snapping off. Easy to carry and just plain fun to creep through the woods with.

I have a Ruger #1H in 458. It's a great little rifle and again, short, easy to pack around. It's a bit heavier and I don't like the rear sight. Still looking for a good express style rear sight to replace that stupid folding POS that comes on teh Ruger.

And of course, my Rolling Block for BPCR. I find the way the action is set up that I can #### the hammer with my thumb and snap the breech block open with my trigger finger while picking up my blow tube with my left hand. I like the rhythm of it.

Now all the wonderful carrying attributes of the single shots are, IMHO negatied by scoping them. No matter how low profile a scope you get, they tend to block the action to some extent and slow reloads as well as getting caught un things whilst wandering in the woods. And they get in the way when you're carrying the rifle and mess up the balance. I carry my 1885 in my right hand with my hand on the stock in shooting position. The barrel sits in the crook of my left arm and my left hand holds my right wrist. I can walk all day with the rifle like this, and it limits how much extraneous movement your arms go through. Couple that with slow walking and it gives you extra time when you spot an animal plus you can get the rifle into action very quickly for a jump shot.
 
BigUglyMan said:
I carry my 1885 in my right hand with my hand on the stock in shooting position. The barrel sits in the crook of my left arm and my left hand holds my right wrist. I can walk all day with the rifle like this, and it limits how much extraneous movement your arms go through. Couple that with slow walking and it gives you extra time when you spot an animal plus you can get the rifle into action very quickly for a jump shot.
Click to expand...

I also carry my rifles this way, scoped or otherwise. To free up the right hand for other things, I just wrap my left had around the bottom of the pistol grip and leave the barrel sitting in the crook of my arm. Very comfortable, and keeps the rifle balanced and at the ready.
 
kodiak1 said:
I prefer the Sharps.
Have a Ruger and a Rolling Block but I am sure (in my own little mind) the Sharps is the strongest of them all. Thanks Ken
Click to expand...

Qué? I love the Old Man's Sharps, but I'm also quite sure that it's not of the same strength as the #1 (I'm sure I've read that somewhere). The Sharps is certainly stronger than the Rolling Block (especially an old Roller like mine with an iron frame) but I'm pretty sure it's behind the 1885 and #1, even in modern production.

Mind you, the point is moot. You'd have to be insane to try to fire modern ammo in any vintage rifle. The smokeless loads I have for my 1885 would have you picking block, hammer and pins out of your skull if fired from my Roller, I'm sure. I an't see any reason to try to amp up the loads in a modern Sharps anyways... that's why God and Bill Ruger made a #1 in 45-70.:D
 
Now see. this is thee differenxce between us single shooters and those other guys that argue about "long versus short" .

No flaming, just nice conversation!:D

Cat
 
Why isn't there a poll, Cat!:confused: :p
You probably already know I'll say Martini.....that is the Martini Henry or the Martini Cadet.:D
The Martini & Hagn is really another Farquarson style action like the Ruger #1.
The large frame Henry is actually a great action.
It's potentially very strong.
Only the old metalurgy limits it.
But it has 3 real problems.
First it really only works with rimmed cartridges; second the action accepts cartridges of a limited length and lastly, because it ejects up, it isn't really happy about standard eye relief scopes.
But for .303, 45-70 and a number of BP cartridges it's great.
It would also be fine for 30/40 Krag and for stuff like the 307 & 356 Win plus the 8x57R, 7x57R, 7x65R and 6.5x57R and any wildcats based on the above.
I've seen a 6.5/303 Epps Improved, 6mm/303 Improved and a 303/25 built on them.
A particularly good wildcat would be the .416 Barnes.
Opens up access to good big game bullets.
The Cadet however can accept some rimmed cartridges but the rimless extractors click over the rim as the breech closes and they don't like extracting really hot and sticky loads.
And while it copes with scopes a little better it's still clearly not designed for them.
They also have an even shorter OAL limit than the large frame, are quite a bit weaker as they were designed for a 32-20 style cartridge and the narrower barrel shank prohibits cartridges with a case diameter too large.
But apparently there are ways around it.
I know of Cadets in .22 Hornet, .22 K-Hornet, .22 Jet, .222 Rimmed and .222 Rem, 5.6x50R, 25-20, 7.62x39 Rimmed(wildcat), 30-30, 32-20, 32-40, 357 Magnum, 357 Maximum and 44 Magnum.
I'd like to build a few in the future if I can.
I have a very nice 25-20 Cadet already.
I also have some very incomplete Belgian-style Martini Cadet sized rook rifle barrelled actions and if I can find parts for them I'll add a 32-20 and 297/230 Rook to the collection.
I also bought an Egyptian Martini Enfield action last week.
It's an interesting thing.
It'll eventually become a .303 Improved.
If you're interested I'll post some pics.
I do go on, don't I.:p
Suffice to say, I'm a little addicted.:redface:
 
Last edited:
Poll? We needed a poll?
DANG!:eek:
Too late to put it in mow I guess.
The thing that I have not been corrected on yet, because I think that it is usually thrown in with the standard falling blocks, is that the martini is NOT a falling block action!
(INFO FOR YOU NEW GUYS!:D )
It is in fact its own type, with the breach block being pinned at the rear and dropping forward.
This is the case legnth limiting factor , for those not aware.

I think that the biggest problem with the Martini is the length of the grip distance for the trigger finger, and I have seen nemerous ways of geting around that, mostly cocking lever changes.
It never bothered me because zAI like shooting them for the fun factor...
Cat
 
albayo said:
I like them all.
I like the Remington Rolling Blocks, have one in 7X57 But I would only shoot light loade out of it. I have had the Pederosoli rolling blocks in 45-70 but they are too heavy to carry.

The Browning single shots are nice and I prefer the 78 over the 85 any day. Just got a really nice 6mm 78, this morning with Browning rings and octagon barrel. Can't wait to shoot it.

I have a Ruger No1 AB model in 7X57 and I will use that one for hunting in the fall if I can get out. It is compact and solid, and is always a surprise when it comes to weigh, they always weigh more than one would imagine. The only problem with a Ruger is getting a scope and rings to fit the shooter.

I have had Martini's but the only one I kept was a 22 target model. I like them but I prefer them in original condition, but they don't have a safety. I would like to have a 303 again or a custom built military full stock one in 40-65, or 45-70. It would look original but be in an another caliber.


The Sharps rifles are beautiful, but heavy. I have a paper patch carbine in 54 and it shoots great. Just a lot of preparation and cleaning with paper cartridges, and shooting black powder or substitutes.

I have a Maynard No16, and when I get some rounds made up for it I will try it out on the range. It isn't exactly a falling block but a single shot hinge break.

Another fine gun is the Ballard, I believe they are being made by a small company but with a big price. I have a No2 model with a 30" octagon barrel in 38 long. I believe it will shoot great.

I guess the winner would be the exposed hammer and feel of the Browning's, especially the 78's. They can be light or heavy as hell depending on the options.
Click to expand...

The Maynard is a very interesting action due to the openess( tech term:D ) of the action/breach/ case relationship!
Maybe you could post a pic to illustrate what I mean?
I have owned a few Ballards , but they are prety much limiteed to .22LR and BPCR loadings due to the weakness of the frame.
Cat
 
catnthehatt said:
I think that the biggest problem with the Martini is the length of the grip distance for the trigger finger, and I have seen nemerous ways of geting around that, mostly ####### lever changes.
Click to expand...
Do you mean the fact it usually uses a straight wrist piece?:confused:
Because plenty of sporters don't and besides, my 25-20 has a straight wrist piece and is very comfy.
Yes, you can heat & bend the lever almost in loops if it appeals to you so it'll fit a pistol grip or thumbhole stock.
But I love the classic look, as do you I believe, Cat.;)
 
Your 25/20n is a cadet however( I think) , The large framed martinis can be quite a reach for some shooters, becuse of thre length of the action and the position of the trigger.
And yes, I like them anyway!:D
Cat
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom