Sharps vernier sight in yesteryear?

[filmhog]

Ive seen a bunch of photos of old 1874 sharps and they did not have the vernier sights. Did the old buffalo hunters use the rear ladder sight or was the verner sight common on the hunteing rifles. Maybe everybody knows the answer but me, I thought I'd ask though.

[bobw]

They made a sight called the sporting tang sight. No windage but a slider on the ladder. The slider had a peep. Bobw

[77 sharps]

With practice, the ladder sights are scary accurate. The sight Bob mentioned were definitely used as well as verniers, scopes, and Lyman tang sights. Various makers also sold their proprietary sights also.

[SchuetzenDave]

Ladder sight on a Sharps .50-70 rifle (first use of some 1874 parts) made in 1873.
Used to hunt buffalo in Cypress Hills.
Rifle from Fort WhoopUp collection.

[Don McDowell]

Jim Bakers sharps rifle

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[bobw]

Nice pic Don , OP that is a sporting tang sight I mentioned. Bobw

[Don McDowell]

Bob that's an interesting rifle. From the elk horn forearm to the buckhorn in the dovetail to the interesting way that barrel was sleeved after it was bored from 44 to 50 cal.. The question that I have is that sporting tang set where it was the last time Jim shot it , or is it just where someone moved it to. Then you turn around and look at the other glass case and see the Sundance Kids 86 chambered in 40-82

[bobw]

Yeah some neat stuff. I know a collector who has another Jim Baker Sharps 74 in 44-77 that did not shoot well because the bore and groove were oversized. So Baker had it sent back to Sharps and had them ream the neck of the chamber to 45 because the bore was dang near that big. So big bullets and skinny paper isn't a new idea just a reborn one. All documented in the Sharps Co correspondence and found during letter research. Yup he has the gun and documentation. Provenance of an original adds alot to value. Bobw

[Don McDowell]

It is interesting how those that have put in the rime and research to learn what the ODG did can replicate their results

[nineteen76]

I have come across 3 different "Original" Sharps Sporting tang sights over the years.
All three have been reproduced by either Axtell Rifle aka Riflesmith or by C.Sharp's contractor in the 1980's.
From let to right is Axtell (Riflesmith's) basic Sporting Tang with sliding elevation and windage.
Middle is Axtell (Riflesmith's) Sporting tang with eye disc, sliding elevation by loosening the eyepiece and no windage.
Far right is a C. Arms "contract" Sporting tang with screw elevation and sliding windage.


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[77 sharps]

OP, are you just curious or are you setting up a hunting rifle?