Your advise on older Shiloh

[R Allen]

I am looking at at a 2000s Shiloh 1874 45/70 in excellent lightly to unfired condition.
My question is, was the quality and accuracy of the early 2000s Shilohs on par with the Shilohs built today? Would it be of comparable value?
Thanks, Robbie

[Michael Johnson]

My understanding is that this gun is a Bryan era Sharps. The quality should be on par with the rifles they are currently producing. The only question is how well the firearm has been maintained. More guns are ruined because of improper maintenance and cleaning methods. - Mike

[George Babits]

And there isn't anything wrong with the pre-Bryan Shiloh Sharps either if they ahve been taken care of. All my Shiloh rifles, some I got new, and some used, are pre-Bryan. They still shoot a whole lot better than I can. In fact, I prefer the earlier ones, but that's just me and maybe a result of my friendship with Wolf Droege and never having met the Bryans.

George

[Clarence]

I agree with Michael. If your rifle was built;t in the 2000's, it is definitely a Bryan rifle. My 40-65, from the mid-90's, and my .45-70, from the early 2000's, are both finely accurate, and the one you're looking at should be as well, as long as it has been properly maintained.

Clarence

[Michael Johnson]

My 1998 built 45-70 No. 1 and my 2003 built 45-100 LRE are both Bryan guns and are supremely accurate. They are currently building me a 40-90BN. Great rifles! - Mike

[charlie young]

George, since you have several Pre-Bryan rifles, I will direct this question to you. Haven't visited with Kirk yet on this. I purchased a 32-40 about a month ago, and this week was the first time I've fired it. Shoots amazingly well, with the few rounds I've put thru it. But we have an issue. The hammer has 3 positions, 1st is just off the anvil, 2nd is about 1/2 cock, 3rd is full cock, but it just clicks and will not hold. So I shot my rounds at 1/2 cock, and of course not all of them fired. I have dug around on here and found a little info on the 1/2 cock, when it was used on percussion rifles, but I guess I need a little info on what is really going on. The rifle is a matching numbers gun.

Thanks,
Charlie

[nineteen76]

Charlie,
If you purchased that 32/40 from First Stop in Rapid City, SD it is a rifle I owned at one time. If so, it will be a 26” round barrel pistol grip rifle. I sold it to a friend who passed away and First Stop sold his guns (lots of single shots).
Your 3 position lock is a special “speed lock”
That Wolfgang make for Schuetzen Bench Competition.
It has a very stiff pull on the hammer and the lock time
is much faster than the normal Shiloh lock.
it worked fine when I owned and shot it.
Perhaps something has happened to it?
A very accurate rifle that I regret selling!!

[charlie young]

Nineteen76, yes that is the rifle. I only shot it at close distance, but I didn't even have to adjust the Unertl scope, so I knew it had been used and shot. I had to laugh when I shot it after shooting my 45-90. Dont know what I was expecting but basically no recoil. I used a Lyman mould that I use in my winchesters and loaded it with Swiss.

[George Babits]

Charlie,

That's a new one for me. Sounds like your question has already been answered. Yup, the 32-40 is pretty much recoilless! I have a 32-40 HiWall which I am still trying to get used to. The 30-40 Krag Shiloh I got in about 1986 is pretty pleasant to shoot as well, especially with cast bullets which is what I shoot in it most oft he time.

George

[bobw]

Nineteen76, yes that is the rifle. I only shot it at close distance, but I didn't even have to adjust the Unertl scope, so I knew it had been used and shot. I had to laugh when I shot it after shooting my 45-90. Dont know what I was expecting but basically no recoil. I used a Lyman mould that I use in my winchesters and loaded it with Swiss.

Charlie you came damn close to not getting that rifle. I was at 1st stop after that estate collection arrived and wrote a description on those guns options I missed the spd hammer set up but sure liked the rest of it and the 30-40 as well as the sweet 38-55. The guy who owned that collection had good taste. Bobw

[charlie young]

Bob, I was just a smidge late getting the 38-55. Yes it sounds like he had quite the collection. I'll visit with Kirk about this one and see if I can get it to him to take a peak at.