First Rifle..45/70 or 40/90?

wwben47 · Post by **wwben47** » Mon Jun 21, 2004 10:31 am

Hi Folks..A newbie here. After a wait of MANY years, I am ready to order my Shiloh. While common sense tells me the 45/70 is all I need, I must admit the coolness factor of the 40/90 SS really has my attention. Taos is the only person I have seen on here who actually HAS a 40/90 so I would really appreciate his thoughts. My two main concerns are recoil..(I broke my neck in 98)..and difficulty of reloading the 90 with BP. To see a thousand yards here in West Virginia, you would have to be in an airplane..so this rifle will be mainly used for deer, bear, and 300 yard targets...ANY suggestions or comments would be greatly appreciated.

abenson · Post by **abenson** » Mon Jun 21, 2004 12:45 pm

wwben,

Welcome aboard.

I'm not an experienced hand at this stuff, in fact I just placed my order this month and so am hoping to have my rifle this time next year. In other words I'm a total noob but...

I went through the same decision you're trying to make now, namely what caliber. I wanted a .45-110 or .50-90 because of the "coolness factor", but in the end when I called I ordered a .45-70. I asked alot of questions here and got plenty of answers, plus I surfed through all the old posts that had anything to do with caliber selection. Overwhelmingly, folks who know recommend the .45-70 for your first Sharps and the overwhelming reason seems to be the relative ease of loading for it.

I'm fairly new to reloading in general and reloading BP has sort of an aura of alchemy or black magic around it. I know that mostly it's just experimentation and finding a recipe the gun likes, but still...I figure if I never get the hang of it, at least I can shoot smokeless.

The .45-70 is of course more than adequate for the uses you plan to put it to.

Lee Stone · Post by **Lee Stone** » Mon Jun 21, 2004 1:55 pm

wwben47

Welcome to (in my opinion) the greates Forum on the Internet.

I have several rifles in .45/70 that I have had for a number of years. Just this past February I took delivery of my .45.90 Shiloh. And just today my .50/90 is scheduled to go into production.

I do suggest that .45/70 is very good to learn loading and load development in blackpowder. The components are less expensive and more readily available (particularly brass). .45/70 is much easier to develop loads for. And you will discover that every blackpowder rifle has its own preferences for loads and it is through load develpment that you find a tweak the best load for your particular rifle(s). Each rifle is an individual.

In so far as hunting is concerned, .45/70 is more that adequate for any game on the North or South American continents. Although if I were going after a big brownie up in Alaska or on Kodiak, I probably would wait and take my .50/90 since those bears have a reputation of becoming irritated rather easily and being fast on their feet. But if .45/70 was what I happened to have, I would not feel undergunned.

For a first Shiloh (and Shilohs are Much more addictive that Lays potato chips) I suggest .45/70 unless the shooter already has good experience loading for blackpowder cartridge rifles.

Now then, the above is simply my opinion, and as the old saying goes, opinions are like noses, we all have one.

Lee Stone · Post by **Lee Stone** » Mon Jun 21, 2004 2:00 pm

Oh yes, one other quick little note. For help questions or discussions etc, you will get more resonse posting on the Shooter To Shooter division or the Blackpowder division. For technical questions directed to the great folk at Shiloh then you want to post on the Support division. This division is primarily meant for folks to relate their hunting experiences when using real gunpowder (blackpowder). Not that anyone will get their nose out of joint for posting questions here. Not in the least. But you will just get more response on the other divisons of this Forum because people are looking for questions there.

wwben47 · Post by **wwben47** » Mon Jun 21, 2004 2:48 pm

Mr Stone and Mr Abenson..This has been a red letter day!..Met you folks on here..AND..My stepdaughter has arrived safely back at Ft Bragg...I realized as soon as i sent my first post that I sent it to the wrong forum, so I appreciate your patience...I spoke with the good folks at Shiloh this morning..14 months..sigh..at 57 Im not sure I want to wait that long. I guess i will transfer further technical questions to the other forum...As an off topic aside we have a gentleman here named Stone..who portrays Gen Lee in documentaries and reenactments. Thanks again guys.

Lee Stone · Post by **Lee Stone** » Mon Jun 21, 2004 6:25 pm

wwben47,

If you'll click on the URL which is the last line of my signature line, I am pretty sure you will be able to get an idea of how my sympathies are.

Oh yes, and if you'll click the www button at the bottom of my post, you can get a look at my Shiloh .45/90.

abenson · Post by **abenson** » Mon Jun 21, 2004 8:30 pm

[quote]As an off topic aside we have a gentleman here named Stone..who portrays Gen Lee in documentaries and reenactments. Thanks again guys.[/quote]

Would that be Al Stone? I was heavy into Civil War reenacting until the last 2 years or so...just haven't had the time. I've seen him at some larger events, but never had a chance to meet him. (As a Union private you just can't go up and introduce yourself to the Confederate commander...

)

He does an impressive job.

wwben47 · Post by **wwben47** » Mon Jun 21, 2004 8:49 pm

What an amazingly small world!..Yup Al Stone hisself! This past weekend was "WV Day" weekend..They have reenactors each year..Course it rained nonstop all weekend. Mr Stone..my family was "Thurmonds Rangers"..and then 5th VA Infantry. I like your choice of uniforms sir!

Lee Stone · Post by **Lee Stone** » Tue Jun 22, 2004 7:49 am

Well, as you can see, there is no wreath around the stars on my collar. I'm only a colonel. And unfortunately I have never had the honour of meeting Mr. Al Stone. To my knowledge, there is little chance of there being any relationship between us other than sharing a name.

Lee Stone · Post by **Lee Stone** » Tue Jun 22, 2004 8:00 am

One more note I meant to include above.

Don't be put off by the 14 month back log. For one thing that is a prime indicator of the demand for these absolutely perfect (IMHO) rifles. And 14 months is nothing compared to the 5 years it used to be. But, I guarrantee that when the wait is over and you receive your Shiloh, you will bless the day you placed the order. These rifles are well worth the 5 year wait. I am just glad it is not that long any more.

KHR · Post by **KHR** » Tue Jun 22, 2004 8:08 am

wwben47,
Lee has some good advice. If I was going to get a traditional caliber other than 45/70 then I'd look at 40/70ss with a heavy barrel. I have an original 45/110 that I'm having rebarreled in 40/70ss. I also have an original carbine in 40/70ss and it has a stout recoil. the recoil of a 40/90ss would be stout in a lighter gun.
Secondly you might not have to wait 14 months call kirk and see what they have on the rack, this way I am getting a 45/110 heavy on wednesday. Also check out Bill Goodman for a shorter wait time http://www.shiloh-ballard.com/shiloh_sh ... r_sale.htm he is a very reputable dealer, some on this board have bought from him, give him a call.

keith

wwben47 · Post by **wwben47** » Tue Jun 22, 2004 12:49 pm

Keith, Lee, Abenson..Everyone...Thanks so much for your input. I have decided on 45/70..Thought briefly (VERY briefly) of buying a Pedersoli to have sometihng to shoot till the Shiloh comes in...But Both Mr Goodman, and Ben Ammonette have rifles with nice wood..So I am seriously considering that option. A great rifle to shoot now..and my "dream" rifle in 14 months. I asked this question on the "Shooter To Shooter" section..How suitable (or unsuitable) are any kind of tang sights for hunting whitetails in the eastern mountains?

BuckeyeShooter · Post by **BuckeyeShooter** » Tue Jun 22, 2004 3:35 pm

wwben47, where are you in West Virginia? I'm just across the river a few minutes from Wheeling. As far as the sights go, the few whitetails that I have looked at through my tang sight and globe front while walking through the woods, I would'nt recommend that option for hunting, there is not enough definitive sight picture when there's shadow. At the ranges that we usually encounter in our neck of the woods a semi buckhorn rear and a good brightly polished front blade is the best way to go I think. Got to look at a front blade made from a penny on one of fjjensons Sharps the other day and I'm thinking that will be the sight I'll be using for hunting whitetails down in West Virginia next season on my 45-70.

wwben47 · Post by **wwben47** » Tue Jun 22, 2004 8:55 pm

Hi Buckeye..Thanks for the advice!..I just got off the phone with Ben Amonette..He is just across the line in Radford, Virginia..He has a really nice # 3 Sporter so hopefully in the next week or so I will be ready to make smoke!..What part of West Virginia do you deer hunt in?..I am in the Southeast part and do a lot of hunting in Greenbrier County...I have a friend lives in New Martinsville so maybe when i come up to see her we can get together and compare notes. (I need all the help I can get!)

Bombay club · Post by **Bombay club** » Tue Jun 22, 2004 10:10 pm

wwben47
I was facing the same question as you a few months ago,at 47yrs I never really had done much shooting or had much interest in owning a firearm,then for whatever reason one day I started to think of getting into it,tried a modern bolt action,did'nt click,tried a lever action,felt like a toy.
Then one day I was talking to a local gent(gunsmith).told me he would have something to show me the next day,he had something to show all right! an early production shiloh,military butt 50-140`.at about 17yrs of age that gun was so impressive,a work of art.
to make a long story short,I also got a #1 45-70 from Ben,few months later a 45-90 from shiloh,placed a third on order with Goodman(45-110) & am thinking of the 50 -90,ha,ha,ha,what a blast!

have fun with your first shiloh my friend,but more's on the way

Shiloh Rifle Forums

First Rifle..45/70 or 40/90?

First Rifle..45/70 or 40/90?

Al Stone

45-70 or 45-90