Drill and Tap

[Steve Sudbeck]

New LRE on order; may/ may not scope down the road. What does the drill and tap from Shiloh look like absent the scope/ mounts (filler/ flush screws?, metal filler cap?, some other aesthetic filler I can not think of?, etc) - I do not want to significantly detract from the rifle’s looks with an upgrade that may not be used however, it is certainly more cost effective to have it done with the initial build. Thank you for the help.

[Jimhp02]

I have a Shiloh sharps 1874 with 30 inch octagonal barrel coming in next Wednesday which is drilled and tapped for an MVA scope which has not been mounted on the rifle. I will be happy to take a photograph for you if you have not already found out what you need by then.

Best,

Jim

[rdnck]

A drilled and tapped barrel looks like crap with no scope. I would not buy a used rifle with a barrel that has been D&T. Shoot straight, rdnck.

[Steve Sudbeck]

A photo would be great Jim - thank you sir.

[mdeland]

Bull Spit, with cap screws you hardly notice them and your ready to go when your eyes "will" eventually need a scope!

[Steve Sudbeck]

That is my worry with my 65 year old eyes mdeland; as long as the D & T doesn’t look too obnoxious, I may as well be prepared - a photo from Jim will tell the tale. As far as how a buyer will like/ dislike my scopeless D & T rifle, they will have to come to my grave site to let me know their thoughts. Thank you for the perspective.

[Kurt]

Steve,

I never liked a rifle tapped for a scope either but last year at 80 years I came to the conclusion when shooting Lodi and Harris MN. that it's time to put a scope on my rifles if I wanted to continue shooting the matches, especially the long range matches and silhouette because the iron critters just disappeared looking through the Apertures with a dark back stop so I put them on the mill and started drilling holes.
I probably should done this several years ago.
The pictures are not the best and looking down the barrel from behind the buttplate you wound see the plugs.

IMG_3604.jpeg

IMG_3602.jpeg

[cat1870]

Bull Spit, with cap screws you hardly notice them and your ready to go when your eyes "will" eventually need a scope!

Agreed

[Michael Johnson]

If you are ever going to put a scope on it, I believe it is better to have it done by the maker - Shiloh. I mainly shoot irons but I do a lot of my load testing with a MVA scope on the rifle.My only BPCRs without scope blocks are my 50-90 hunting rifle and two Springfield Trapdoor rifles.

[mdeland]

Those little 6 x 48 screws are perfect for these block scope mounts but many sheep and goat hunters like the 8 X 40 screws for HP rifle scope mounting ,especially for three screw mounts.You can't believe what a pounding a sheep or goat rifle/scope takes until you watch it happening to your gun and you're really trying hard to protect it as best you can.

[mdeland]

I know how you feel Kurt,at 70 I can still see the aperture sights pretty well but they ain't as sharp as they used to be for sure! I hate to have to go to scopes but I do like to shoot! I recon I ought to get an eye exam one of these years. I still don't use glasses except to read fine print.

[SFogler]

Or you could get a Wyoming sight drifter and drift out your front and rear barrel sight and put in a full length MVA scope. Then you have no holes in the barrel at all. If you get to the point you need a scope, then you won't need the globe or rear barrel sight any more anyway. More historically correct for an 1874 anyway. If you can work a tang sight you can work a full length scope mount.

[Michael Johnson]

Steve, with the MVA Creedmoor rear mount on a full length scope, can you get to 1000 yards? I do not know, just asking?

[Steve Sudbeck]

Michael, I do not know - I have never shot a Sharps (yet) with a scope. Maybe one of the more learned members can answer your question.

[Michael Johnson]

Sorry, the question was meant for SFogler.