Original Sharps Shooting

Kirk Stovall · Post by **Kirk Stovall** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 9:50 pm

I don't know if this forum is ready for this, but I figured out how to post pictures...

Here are 2 critters that fell to this 130 year old original Cooper Sharps from Walter Cooper Armory in Bozeman circ. 1878.

MLV · Post by **MLV** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 10:16 pm

Don't you dare put that 3rd picture in there. I'm saving that for something special.
MLV

Kirk Stovall · Post by **Kirk Stovall** » Sat Oct 20, 2007 10:22 pm

MLV...

I actually had the photo ready to send with the others, but in a brilliant maneuver, deleted it for your sake.

mannyspd1 · Post by **mannyspd1** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 1:10 am

Kirk,

Nice pictures. What are the details of the rifle? Caliber and load?

Manny

kimwcook · Post by **kimwcook** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 9:23 am

That's really cool Kirk. Not many can say that they used an original to hunt with and were successful. I'd like to see the third picture as Mike doesn't want you using it.

Kirk Stovall · Post by **Kirk Stovall** » Sun Oct 21, 2007 4:15 pm

The rifle is an original Sharps that is lettered to Kittredge of Cinn. Ohio. It then was probably shipped up the Missouri to Fort Benton Montana Territory, then freighted from there to Bozeman, where Walter Cooper made it into the gun seen in those pictures.

Walter Cooper had several buyers he used to get these guns, as Sharps had issues with Cooper not paying invoices in a timely manner. They also didn't like the customization of their guns, as some people felt other barrels were better than original Sharps barrels, and others shot those original barrels out, thus the need for a different barrel.

The caliber of this particular gun is 40-90 bottleneck. I have enlisted the aid of MLV in building loads as his knowledge and background in this stuff is legion. The only downside with MLV, is he isn't that great of a shot, so I have to do all the shooting.

MLV has been using 1-20 lead alloy and 85-88 grains of black powder to get this thing rolling. The bullet is a grease groove about 380 grains. We are still fine tuning it to see what the best accuracy will be.

As to the unpublished picture...MLV would have copyright cops on my porch if I used it. It will be made public soon enough.

buffalocannon · Post by **buffalocannon** » Mon Oct 22, 2007 6:44 pm

Dear Mr. Kirk Stovall

Thanks for the interesting information on the "Cooper Sharps." I had never heard of it before. Ah, the legendary Sharps. A most interesting firearm in all its various configurations!