Shiloh Rifle Forums

Go to rifle for centerfire hunting. In all my years of hunting, I have never been satisfied with any one rifle for my hunting needs. During black powder and muzzle loading season, I managed to find my .54 flintlock that is a perfect match for me about 10 years ago. Made by brad Emig of cabincreek muzzleloaders, it is a Virginia rifle in furniture grade cherry and has served me well. But for centerfire, I have searched high and low trying a variety of leverguns, bolt guns and double rifles as well as single shots, including two hand fills of sharps. But my thoughts this am while hunting, as I looked down on my 24 inch barreled saddle rifle in 45-70, I had that feeling that I never will have to think again what rifle I will reach for when I'm in the general gun season for deer, bear, boar or similar size game. Tis Shiloh will be THE ONE for a good while. I have a military three band on order but I doubt it will see as much field time as this one. Guess its time to have another fire sale of long guns. Thanks Shiloh!

Congrats on finding "The One"! I too have searched and searched and tried different guns. I have a Saddle Rifle with a 26 inch. 45-70 barrel on the way and I am pretty sure it will be "The One" for me. I have had a Hartford and a couple of Montana Rough Riders but have lusted after the Saddle Rifle. They look pert near perfect for hunting.

Congratulations Mike. I'm still not there yet, but getting closer. Seems one has to search, try, and hunt with a variety of firearms in order to refine your mental and physical definition of the perfect gun. You have luckily reached that confirmation. I think it's an ongoing evolution for most of us.

As a hunting gun, it is very hard to beat or even match a Business Rifle in 45-70. Just sayin'-- Shoot straight, rdnck.

I think if they would ever legalise a black powder cartridge rifle here in Illinois I would be in the 1874 Military Carbine in the .44-77 calibre.

Kurt

I think finding the one sharps rifle might be like quitting smoking. Easy to do since it can be done hundreds of times in a single lifetime! Seriously being happy with one rifle especially if it's the one you have in your hands is a virture to be admired. I've hunted sucessfully with big sharps rifles in the 13 to 16 pound range on elk, deer, buffalo, moose, and antelope which left a feeling I can't describe other than amazing. I've used barrel lengths from 22 to 34 inches some with peep sights also. The one combination that is my favorite hands down is my shiloh business rifle with a 30" barrel in 45-70 using paper patched bullet single trigger with a standard peep on the back end and a copper penny front sight made from scratch on the front. This is the one that keeps me grinning the most, most of the time. I like everything about it.

Marathonman,

What peep do you use? I have a saddle rifle 45-110 not cut with rear dovetail so I have a drilled out 130. I love this gun but I wish I added 1/2" to 3/4" LOP to the stock and went with a standard bbl instead of heavy. I have used a penny, globe, and quarter for the front. I really like this combo with the quarter and don't have intentions of changing it at the time. I just wish the peep was shorter or that I had ordered it without the vertical adjustment knob. Here is that front sight:



I have a new business rifle in 44-77 with semi-buckhorn and penny front with 1/2" extra LOP and I just love the balance and feel of it. I just need to get used to the semi-buckhorn, which will take a little time and practice. It is a little heavier than I want it to be for a rifle to carry on a 15-20 mile day.

I wish someone could design a Lawrence ladder semibuckhorn where the vee in the buckhorn was the same height as the ladder is in the bottom position! And leave off the marks so the user can put his own marks on it without the useless numbers there too.

I have kept the silver blade, full buckhorn ladder sight and I have a marble tang sight on it. I know, not period correct but it works. Guess I should note too that I'm using 500 gr rnfp over wad and Swiss 1.5.

Mike,

I use Swiss 1.5 in my 45-110 and can shoot 1.5 MOA (200 yards) or better with 3 shots no blowing or wiping. The 540 FP has a .446-7 nose and I seat the bands and grooves covered so repeat shot work for 3 without accuracy loss. I'm happy with that. I might try KIK 2f next with a grease cookie under the bullet to see if I can shoot more than 3 shots w/o blowing or wiping next time I cast up a bunch of bullets for it. Kik2f sure shoots clean and I thank Rdnck for his recommendation!

Mike

Mike,

Does Marbles make a peep for Shiloh w/o special drilling or tapping? I used to have a marlin 38-55 levergun that I had a marbles peep on. Sold it since the chamber was too tight to shoot groove diameter greasers with the brass I had.

Mike

I use the original sharps style standard peep sight. I got mine from the riflesmith before they closed. It is period correct and doesn't have any knobs or sharp edges on it. I set mine to shoot about 6 inches high at 100 yards and leave it right there. With that one sight setting I have killed out to 300 yards by feel, kind of like shooting pool on saturday night. The 30" barrel helps to facilitate this need by not having to monkey with the sight settings for each hunting opportunity at any kind of reasonable distance. This is not intended to be a match rifle setup but pure hunting gun with 13 5/8" pull custom made for me. I owe rdnck, Orville, and Kirk a lot for this rifle...

My 50 2 1/2" is my go to gun for hunting! I've killed with The 73 Springfield, 45 2 1/10, 2 4/10, 44/40 Winchester, 44 flintlock, and all sorts of bolt guns, BUT the 50 just feels right! After shooting Orville's 50-70 a few weeks back its in the same class in my mind as well!


Stephen Borud

The Marbles sight for the Shiloh 1874 is 991001 with screw set 995030. I have three apertures for mine. 009782 with a .102 hole. Also 009780 and 009785, .055 and .032 hole.

Thanks Mike and Marathonman!

My 30" barreled B-gun is my favorite for a hunting Sharps,45 2 7/8" Orville chamber, dst,sling swivel studs using the modified semi buckhorn and my own version of the "In God we trust" frt sight. .440 dia KAL TGBS at 548 grs and KIK Fg going to meet the buffalo in a month. bobw