New member to the forum: Ordered my first Sharps,

Support for the 1863 shooter. Discussions of powders, loads, bullets, etc.
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Lead Head
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Joined: Thu Mar 24, 2011 7:48 pm
Location: South Central Kansas

New member to the forum: Ordered my first Sharps,

Post by Lead Head »

Howdy guys

This is my first post on the forum, always have been interested in firearms and got into the BPCR game a few years ago. I ordered my first Sharps rifle and decided that it was going to be an 1863 sporting rifle. Nothing fancy, just a .38 cal. with a standard octagon 26 inch barrel, military buttstock with patchbox, bone color cased , double set triggers, AA stock finish and an 1853 slant breech sporter shaped forearm......standard wood (hand picked dark). This is going to be my deer woods stalker and a .38 cal. 260 grn. 38/55 style cast lead bullet ought to get the job done.

Randy

PS: Of coarse, I ordered a semi-buckhorn rear, and a blade front sight :wink:
Last edited by Lead Head on Tue Apr 05, 2011 8:49 am, edited 1 time in total.
High Plains Shooter

Post by High Plains Shooter »

Hey Lead Head!

Welcome to the Shiloh forum...it's always nice to see another Kansan around here.

HPS
Todd Birch
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Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2004 12:01 pm
Location: Somewhere in the Cariboo ....

Welcome!

Post by Todd Birch »

Welcome Lead Head!

I've got three '63s - two .50s (Military Rifle and carbine) and a .54 Sporter. Plain Jane wood, DSTs.
I'd prefer a .50 in the Sporter, but enjoy it a lot. I need to shoot it more often and may make it my spring bear rifle. It's worthy of better sights than the factory blade and buckhorn.
I think my income tax refund is going to put a tang/globe combo on it.
"From birth to the packing house, we travel between the two eternities ....." Robert Duvall in "Broken Trail"
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Lead Head
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Joined: Thu Mar 24, 2011 7:48 pm
Location: South Central Kansas

Post by Lead Head »

Howdy Guys

Thanks for the welcome, I ordered my rifle in Oct. 2010, so I should get it in Oct. of 2012, if the time frame that I have been reading is correct. I am starting to get prepared for loading my rifle, and should be loaded for whitetail when the rifle is in my hands. I laid up a good supply of CCI four wing, extra strength, and RWS musket caps and have a variety of black powder. Next thing is a .377 diam. 38/55 260 grn. bullet mould, any ideas on mould make?

Todd.........I've read a lot of your posts, and seeing you are from the "Great White North," I can understand why you have the big bores. Here in Kansas, the Buffalo herd was wiped out in the 1880's and our biggest game around here is the whitetail deer. My mid-bore .38 is about right for meat around my location. In the trees along the many streams we have, a semi-buckhorn and penny front sight is sufficient. I have several BPCR target rifles that have a vernier tang rear sight, and I can just buy another rear sight base for my 1863 Sharps and mount one up for target shooting. As far as a front sight for my 1863, a globe front sight would be good for target shooting but would be a hindrance for hunting. I would think that a front blade with a copper penny would be better for hunting. The Beech folding combo front sight might be good, never tried one, so I don't know.
Todd Birch
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Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2004 12:01 pm
Location: Somewhere in the Cariboo ....

front sight

Post by Todd Birch »

Lead head

I don't agree that a globe is a hindrance for hunting. You can put any kind of insert into it from a thick post to x-hairs. I put the MVA 'Beeches' front sight on a RB I had. I found it too small to be useful. Fuggedaboudit.

Can't advise you on a .38 load. Bill Goodman can. My Shiloh 50-70 threw a shoe yesterday, giving me three failures to fire. I just may do my spring bear hunting with a '63. They go "Bang!" when you need them to.

I'm putting the old 'H' type firing pin blocks back into two of my Shilohs that had new two-piece firing pin blocks fitted. That ought to clear up the misfire problem.
"From birth to the packing house, we travel between the two eternities ....." Robert Duvall in "Broken Trail"
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Lead Head
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Re: front sight

Post by Lead Head »

[quote="Todd Birch"]Lead head

I don't agree that a globe is a hindrance for hunting. You can put any kind of insert into it from a thick post to x-hairs. I put the MVA 'Beeches' front sight on a RB I had. I found it too small to be useful. Fuggedaboudit.

Todd
I',m not too old to take advice from another experienced Sharps shooter. I have three globe front sights, but they have a different dovetail than a Shiloh Sharps. I may have to buy a MVA globe front sight for my Sharps and try it out for myself. I have a Baldwin short range (Schuetzen) vernier tang sight that I can mount on my Sharps, it has an adjustable aperture eyedisc, might just be the ticket !
Todd Birch
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Joined: Wed Mar 03, 2004 12:01 pm
Location: Somewhere in the Cariboo ....

tangs & globes

Post by Todd Birch »

LH

I'm about to order an MVA tang sight for my Shiloh 45-70 BR. Currently it wears a C.Sharps MR tang which I'm thinking of switching to my '63 Sporter.
I'm undecided between the #108 MR or the #130 Sporting. I'm primarily a hunter, not BPCR Sil shooter. The shorter staff of the #130 would probably better suit the '63.
I hate being wapped by the staff of the MR staff on the BR. I got it in trade for the LR staff I had originally. That one was a killer under recoil!
Front sight order will be an MVA #111 globe.

Decisions, decisions ... ;>)
"From birth to the packing house, we travel between the two eternities ....." Robert Duvall in "Broken Trail"
Bill Goodman
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Post by Bill Goodman »

Lead Head, Congrats on your .38 perc. sporter. I have the first one Shiloh made, for all I know, you may have the second. Remember, the bore is .375" In mine the only standard, non-custom bullet that will fit is the flat base Lyman #375248. This was the standard weight slug for the .38-55 and .38-56. Other bullets have a nose diameter too great for the tight shiloh chamber and won't bore ride. Cast 1/30 and lubed with SPG I breech seated my slugs and was able to get 5 shots at 100 yards into 1.2 -1.4 inches. I didn't weigh the slugs or weigh the powder charges. Two mule deer have been taken with this rifle. They go down, but not as fast as if hit with a .50.
Still, as the expression goes, "you can't kill them deader than dead."
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Lead Head
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Location: South Central Kansas

Post by Lead Head »

Bill

It's all your fault because I read your article on 1863's in Black Powder News. That article was good, and got my 'ol ailments flared up (OCD) obsessive collecting disorder. I want mine to have the look of a 1853 slant breech sporter, especially the gracefull and sleek forearm. I sent you a PM with some info: Thanks
Randy
SV44Magnum
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Joined: Tue Mar 22, 2011 6:18 pm
Location: Wheat Ridge CO

Post by SV44Magnum »

Hi, I’m new to the forum and just got a Sharps Rifle. I got lucky and got a 1863 Sharps conversion Rifle in 45-75 Sharps which is the same as 45-70 it’s the real dill. I have loved the sharps rifle for some time now I worked at C. Sharps for a short time and have loved them ever sense. I’m now working in Denver and this gun just walked in the door. The shop owner knew I loved them and maid me a great deal. So here I am. I am looking forward to taking it out to some shoots and I can’t wait for elk season.
Watch your top knot
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Lead Head
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Location: South Central Kansas

Post by Lead Head »

Howdy SV44Magnum

I'm new here too, welcome aboard, nice small group of people here. Your rifle sounds interesting, is it an original sporter that is chambered for the 1876 Winchester round? The Winchester 45/75 is bottlenecked, but it sounds like the cartridge is a Sharps, so is it straight walled like a 45/70? Just curious.
SV44Magnum
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Location: Wheat Ridge CO

Post by SV44Magnum »

Thanks for the welcome. It’s a straight case, From the research I have done Sharps like a lot of gun companies liked to have there own name on there calibers, so this gun was chambered for 45-70 Government but Sharps called it the 45-75 Sharps. Every one I talked to seems to agree that the gun was converted at Sharps do to the caliber markings and the way the conversion was done.
Watch your top knot
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