Shiloh Rifle Forums

Have fun smackin the bison Bobw! Be sure to post some photos.

MVA sells the Marbles sight with a base for the 1874 Sharps.

Yeah I am looking forward to the buff hunt. I have one of those tang sites I am still going to use the barrel semi -buckhorn. bobw

The 22lr conversion insert came yesterday. Excited to see how accurate it is. Hope to extend the hunting season with this.

I can see that in the east with it's heavy forest and generally shorter ranges a bp rifle wouldn't be much of a handicap and including bp cartridge rifles along with bolt rifles when picking "THE ONE" is not that difficult. But in the west with it's open country and animals that can see you from a long way away I think they can't be realistically lumped together. By that I mean I have to decide whether I want to go with the most efficient rifle or one that serves my appreciation for history and adds challenge to the hunt. If I'm not interested in history or an increased challenge then I'm not picking a Sharps or any other bp cartridge rifle as "THE ONE" because there's no doubt that when I've hunted with bp either ml or cartridge that I would have had easier, realistic chances at killing an animal period or at the least more and bigger animals with a modern scoped rifle.

Thirty years ago the economy collapsed in western Colorado and I was forced to sell my guns. I only kept one and fed my family with it for a couple of years. The one I kept was...an original Sharps Buffalo rifle in 45-110.

All the bolt guns with scopes were sold!

Marathonman;
That's great that you chose your Sharps. With the exception of 1995 when I hunted mountain goat with a .280 I have used bp rifles exclusively since 1989 for big game. I would have used a bp cartridge rifle on the goat trip but I was still shooting a ml and it was heavier than I wanted to carry for that solo backpack hunt. My point is that for open country anything that can be done with bp cartridge and somethings that can't be done ethically or reasonably can be done fairly routinely with a modern scoped rifle.
So I guess in a nut shell my position is that there's THE ONE for bp cartridge rifles if you're up for the task and then there's THE ONE if you just want the rifle that gives you the most efficient, easiest way to kill something.

that is a good post Pete , I totally agree.

I think "The One" obviously means different things and even different numbers to different people. For me it will be my one gun for everything regardless of where I am. I will hunt with my Saddle Rifle in the east and if I am lucky enough to hunt out west for Elk or sheep or whatever I will still use it. When I finally make that Africa trip it will be rdnck style! The. 45-70 will go.

powdwerburner;
Thanks Dean I appreciate it.

pacecars;
You're right it does mean different things to different people, I'm just saying comparing bp rifles to modern rifles is apples and oranges. Your choice to use a Sharps for everything is describing a method hunter and that's great. There are bow hunters that won't use anything but a bow, same with some muzzleloader hunters.....they're method hunters and accept the limitations their decided method imposes.

Good post!

I choose my weapon of choice depending on my work schedule and how that falls with the hunting seasons. Sometimes that means bow, sometimes ML, sometimes rifle. I like to hunt and put meat on the table. This year bow season in Washington fit my schedule best for deer so that's what I did and I came home with a yearling buck. ML season fell perfectly for my time off for elk so that's what I did and came home with a nice cow elk. Bear season isn't firearm driven so I used my 45-110 and was rewarded with a bear. I could have used a high powered rifle for that but convinced myself the reward and handicap (if there was one) was worth the extra effort and by all means it was.

Next year is a different year and if I draw a special deer rifle tag I will bring both the Sharps and a scoped gun and make a decision at the right time and place to do that.

Bottom line is I love to hunt and eat game and I'll do it any way I have to.

I used to be a flyfisherman exclusively in the 80's but have grown to enjoy getting out and fishing for everything and everything using all techniques available. Just getting out it what is important now.

Mike

Well, based on Pete's description, which I'm not arguing with, I am a multi method hunter. I'm ok with that. During bow season, I hunt with a longbow. During BP season, it's a .54 Flintlock. During general season, it's a sharps saddle rifle. And now for small game it will be the sharps with a 22 liner.

I guess I'm similar to you guys. I use a Sharps or Rollingblock with bp for big game and a .243 for coyote hunting. You guys got me beat though 'cause I don't use a bow and I'm the only one that breaks down and consistantly uses newer technology for the coyotes.

Denali;
Next year I should draw a deer license that took 4 years to get and I'll use the Shiloh but in couple of years I should be able to get an elk tag in a good unit that will have taken 20 years and I'll have to decide what to do. Yea it currently takes 20 years to get one and I have 18 in. On the other hand the same area takes 17 years for archery so if they are dedicated enough to wait that long to go that route I should be able to go the bp cartridge route. We'll see

Pete,

Had no idea Colorado regs sucked so bad for residents. Washington residents can buy over the counter tags for rifle, ML, and archery every year. They can hunt every year for each species any way they choose. Even you can hunt Washington the same way as a non-resident.

I put in for special hunts every year and rarely draw. I'll have 15 points for a special deer tag next year and if I don't draw I'll have to hunt regular season with everyone else, which I will do. I guess I won't try and hunt Colorado. Stuff like "point creep" and all the non-resident trophy hype and regulations scare me away.

Denali;
I should have been clearer. The elk tag I mentioned is for a trophy unit and there are a few of these units scattered around. You can hunt elk every year in quite a few units otherwise. I just applied for a preference point every year and could have gone out with a general license or second choice license if I chose.
Rifle deer is a limited license deal here. It didn't used to be but the deer numbers have been down and people numbers up. The deer I applied for used to be had with no points and now it's 4. But there are still other units or doe tags that require 0. Almost gotta be a damn lawyer to apply anymore.