Added a Sharps 1874 Sporting Rifle No.3 (.45-70)

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Old No7
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Added a Sharps 1874 Sporting Rifle No.3 (.45-70)

Post by Old No7 »

For a few years now, I've been shooting the .45-70 exclusively with black powder using an H&R Trapdoor Officer's Model. It was fun and plenty accurate, but now that my local range is being extended out to 200 yards -- where some steel gongs will be hanging -- I figured I'd upgrade to a Sharps with set triggers if I could find one.

Just found one! It's a Pedersoli No.3 Sporting Rifle, used but in great shape, and they're supposed to have very good barrels. I've read the Pedersoli vernier sights have too much slop in them, but luckily the prior owner had added a set of US-made Browning's BPCR Vernier Soule tang sight and level/globe front sight. We'll see how those work out, but I also read that Lee Shaver (publisher of The Single Shot Exchange) can tighten them up too. The Sharps and BPCR sights combined would have cost about $2k if bought brand new today and I paid only half that, so I am really pleased with the deal.

The bore is nice and bright, and she holds really well at 10.5 pounds with a 32" barrel. Now I just need to load up some BP rounds and go make some smoke!

Any other Sharps shooters here?

It does have an under-lever! :wink:

Cheers!

Old No7

Pedersoli Sharps SR No3 01 (Medium).jpg
Pedersoli Sharps SR No3 02 (Medium).jpg
Pedersoli Sharps SR No3 03 (Medium).jpg
Pedersoli Sharps SR No3 04 (Medium).jpg
Pedersoli Sharps SR No3 05 (Medium).jpg
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Re: Added a Sharps 1874 Sporting Rifle No.3 (.45-70)

Post by Blaine »

She's a real dandy....Those Sharps are about the classiest, coolest looking shooters out there. 8)
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Re: Added a Sharps 1874 Sporting Rifle No.3 (.45-70)

Post by Grizz »

Yup, very very classy. Looks like fun fun fun . . .
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Re: Added a Sharps 1874 Sporting Rifle No.3 (.45-70)

Post by yooper2 »

Very nice, should be tons of fun!

Have two, a Shiloh 45-100 and an original 1863 50-70 conversion. Both are a hoot, the Shiloh is gorgeous and spooky accurate while the 50-70 oozes history and is compact (though not light).


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Re: Added a Sharps 1874 Sporting Rifle No.3 (.45-70)

Post by gamekeeper »

I have only fired a Sharps a few times, when a retired Army officer let me have a go with the one he had just bought, he handed me a few .45/70 BP loads and every one was right on the button at 200 yds. Cool gun Darryl, lots of fun..... 8)
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Old No7
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Re: Added a Sharps 1874 Sporting Rifle No.3 (.45-70)

Post by Old No7 »

gamekeeper wrote: Fri Aug 07, 2020 1:22 pm I have only fired a Sharps a few times..
Cool gun Darryl, lots of fun..... 8)
How's it work on squirrels John?! :shock:

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Re: Added a Sharps 1874 Sporting Rifle No.3 (.45-70)

Post by gamekeeper »

I would imagine not a lot left for the pot.... :lol:
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Re: Added a Sharps 1874 Sporting Rifle No.3 (.45-70)

Post by 2ndovc »

Love single shot rifles, especially the large bores. I have one of the military Uberti Sharps and a couple of 1885s.
Lots of fun!

jb 8)
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Re: Added a Sharps 1874 Sporting Rifle No.3 (.45-70)

Post by barbarossa »

I love Sharps rifles and have four

1874 Shiloh Sharps military rifle 45/70
1875 C Sharps sporting rifle 45/70
1863 Shiloh Sharps sporting rifle 54 cal
1859 Shiloh Sharps carbine 54 cal
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Re: Added a Sharps 1874 Sporting Rifle No.3 (.45-70)

Post by Ray Newman »

My Sharps family:

M1878 Sharps-Borchardt, .45-2 7/8 (left the factory 12/31/1878, refurbished in 1998)

Shiloh Sharps #1 Sporter, .45-2.4” (AKA .45-90)

Shiloh-Sharps #1 Sporter, .45-2.4 (25 lbs. bench rifle with MVA 6x ‘scope)

M1874 Business Rifle, .45-2.1” (45-70 Gov’t.)

M1874 Business Rifle, .50- 1 ¾” (50-70 Gov’t.)

For what it is worth --you might find some of this useful:

Powder: Old Eynsford 1.5 Fg drop tubed into the case, ignited by a CCI-BR-2 primer.

Bullets: 1:30 paper patch. Ladle cast from Steve Brooks’s nose pour weight adjustable moulds. The .45 is a straight sided bullet with a flat base; .50 slight taper and a cup base. Paper patching cut from Office Depot translucent tracing paper 25 lbs weight (item #253-342).

Bullet seating: about 1/8” or so into case after compressing power via a powder compression die and then adding the wad stack (.060” thick wad + 3/16” lube disc + .060” wad). For the. 50-70, I use .030” thick wads. Lube disc is DGL lube. A slight taper crimp holds them in place.

The above loading procedure is from Martin Rywell’s “Sharps Rifle: the Gun That Shaped American Destiny.” It is basically what the Sharps Rifle Company recommended for target shooting. Hunting ammunition is similar. This book, US$11.00, is sold by Shiloh-Sharps and is a treasure trove of information. https://shilohrifle.com/accessories/boo ... n-destiny/

Cleaning: between rounds with 2 damp cotton balls, followed by 1 to dry the bore. I don’t blow tube as in my experience, cleaning between rounds gives better accuracy for my shooting.

The Borchardt and the heavy #1 Sporter .45-2.4” have 34 inch barrels. In my shooting experience I find that a very good lube combined with good fouling control are necessary with barrels longer than 30” as fouling seems to build up in the longer barrels. Other shooters have told me they experienced the same. Also have a Lone Star 32” barrel .45-2.1” rolling block and again, fouling can/will build up in the last 2” or so.
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Re: Added a Sharps 1874 Sporting Rifle No.3 (.45-70)

Post by barbarossa »

One of my goals this deer. season is to try to take a nice buck with my Shiloh 1863 sporting rifle
In 54 cal.The gun has a chamber capacity of 110 grains of powder so it definitely has the power to do it.
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Re: Added a Sharps 1874 Sporting Rifle No.3 (.45-70)

Post by Griff »

I have a Shiloh 1874 in 40-90SBN. Took my wife 12 years to save for it, it was my graduation present from the Sheriff's Academy.
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Re: Added a Sharps 1874 Sporting Rifle No.3 (.45-70)

Post by Pitchy »

Nice rifles fellers, mine is the Pedersoli Quigley model in 45-70. :)
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Re: Added a Sharps 1874 Sporting Rifle No.3 (.45-70)

Post by marlinman93 »

The Pedersoli Sharps have a reputation for being well built, and accurate barrels. It should serve you well. That Long-Range Browning sight is likely overkill for 200 yds., but will come in handy if you ever want to shoot 1,000 yds. or more with this gun!
I love single shots also, but don't own any Sharps. I did have a Pedersoli many years ago, but soon after I bought it I figured out why the previous owner was selling it so cheap. It was a .45-120, and kicked like a mule! I couldn't sell it quick enough!
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Re: Added a Sharps 1874 Sporting Rifle No.3 (.45-70)

Post by shasta_steve »

Cool gun. I just inherited a Uberti 1874. Pretty sure the barreled actions are made by Pedersoli. Mine only has a 30" barrel and I need to upgrade the tang sight but happy to have it. If things slow down this winter I will try and work up some loads for it. Probably be asking lots of questions. By the way my first post. Just wanted to say hi.

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Re: Added a Sharps 1874 Sporting Rifle No.3 (.45-70)

Post by gamekeeper »

Welcome to the fire Steve, I've always been intrigued my the history of the Sharp's rifle.... :D
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Re: Added a Sharps 1874 Sporting Rifle No.3 (.45-70)

Post by Ysabel Kid »

Darryl, as you know, I have a Pedersoli 1874 in .45-120. Looks like this one:

https://www.davide-pedersoli.com/scheda ... range.html

I've been loading for it for the last week or so, a combination of Goex BP loads as well as some smokeless 5744 loads from our very own KirkD. :D

Did I inspire you on your visit? :D
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