50-70 and Barrel Length

Hunter · Post by **Hunter** » Tue Dec 02, 2003 9:44 pm

Kirk, or someone else with a clue. I'm fixing to throw the dice again. Want as short a bbl. 50-70 as will effeciently burn the powder (the real stuff). Looking at a round bbl Hartfort with a 26 incher. Will 26 inchs do the job?? Hunter

Post by **Kirk** » Wed Dec 03, 2003 7:34 am

Good morning, A 26" will work fine, you can even go down to the 22". My 110 is 26" and does the job good. Thanks Kirk

Ken Hartlein · Post by **Ken Hartlein** » Wed Dec 03, 2003 11:44 am

Kirk, I'm thinking about ordering a 50-70 in your new carbine, does the accuracy suffer any from the 22" barrel verses like a 26"?? Thanks, and thanks again for the georgeous wood on my #1, it's a real beauty.

shooter 37 · Post by **shooter 37** » Wed Dec 03, 2003 4:10 pm

I have been shooting a Shiloh 50/70 Military Carbine for about 6 months.
Probably the MOST accurate short barrel smoker around.
It shoots almost anything I load (450, 515, 545 gr. bullets) and using the factory sights I can hold 9 ring at 100 yds. At fifty yards it will cut center on a pistol target.
Put a marbles style tang sight on and can use the carbine well out to 200 yds.

I also shoot a Lone Star roller 50/70 with a 30 in. bbl. The roller doesn't buck as much as the carbine but it is more accurate.

The shorter barrel doesn't seem to foul as badly as the roller, but you see a lot more fire out the front end. Either way the 50/70 is pure fun to shoot.

Good Luck

Ken Hartlein · Post by **Ken Hartlein** » Wed Dec 03, 2003 9:43 pm

Shooter 37, I think I understood your post correct, the roller doesn't have as much recoil and it is more accurate?? I guess if that's true it would be because of the short barrel?? Is that what you were saying? Thanks, I'm considering the 22 or 24 or 26 inch barrel (if they make it in those other lengths) so I'm real interested in your opinions.

shooter 37 · Post by **shooter 37** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 10:32 am

Ken
Recoil is no factor with the carbine or the roller: muzzle blast is the issue; when shooting off the bench.
I use some home brew bench sticks and that little Shiloh cooked the leather pads after just a few rounds.
The roller is more accurate and would be the preferred hunting rifle, but the Carbine is just more fun to shoot, sort of hard to hold steady when your laughing.

By the way, I did take the carbine along as a back-up rifle on a buff hunt last month. I'd have no problem using it out to 200 yds.

JonMartin · Post by **JonMartin** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 11:05 am

Greetings, shooter 37 -

Thanks for sharing your insights on the Sharps Carbine. I have been thinking of a .50-70 in that model as well. Did you go with the saddle ring and patch box options? How about the butt plate - military or otherwise?

I'm curious as to how close the leather pads on your shooting sticks were to the muzzle that they wound up 'cooked'?

Muzzle blast can be an amazing thing. Should I plan on taping aluminum foil heat shields over my eyebrows as well?

Rich Siegel · Post by **Rich Siegel** » Thu Dec 04, 2003 11:09 am

I've got a Shiloh Saddle rifle with a 26" barrel in 50/70. I shoot 2" five shot groups at 100 yards each time out, from bench of course. I find the rifle is not as accurate as my #1 in 40/60, which keeps it's shots within 1 1/2" at 100 yds with the 30" barrel but why squabble over 1/2".

Both the saddle rifle and the #1 will shoot equal groups using straight black powder, duplex loads or smokeless powder. In the 50/70, I shoot a 490 grain Hoch bullet but the rifle also likes the old Lyman 450 gr.

I also shoot a 1863 Shiloh military carbine with the 22" barrel in 54 cal. I shoot a 490 grain Christmas tree bullet and 50 grains of FFG Goex in a paper cartridge and there is very little muzzle flash, the powder being consumed in the barrel. I can't get the accuracy out of this gun though, compared to the Saddle rifle or #1 but that could be because I just use the open, military Lawrence sight and a single trigger with pull of 3 1/2 pounds.

Rich