OT (?) 1875 Sharps, first day at the range.
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- Advanced Levergunner
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OT (?) 1875 Sharps, first day at the range.
Took my new-to-me 1875 Sharps 45-70 to the range this morning for its first outing. Day was sunny, but windy at 12-15 knots from about 3 o'clock and plenty cool at only about 55 degrees or so. My loads were 35 grains of H4895 and some 385 grain cast bullets made by one of my buddies here.
Set up a target at 50 yards, got on the paper with the second shot, in the 10 ring the 4th shot and moved out to 100 meters. First 3 shots were all over the paper, about a 15" group. I then noticed that the rifle had slid back on the rest so the barrel was resting on the pad instead of the forend. I adjusted this, got the forend back on the rest and shot the group you see here. It's about 2 1/4 inches c-c, which is about as good as I can see the iron sights. I really like the tiny bead on the front sight. The range this morning was set up for Lever Action Silhouette, so I shot some offhand, managed 10 in a row on the pigs so decided to quit while I was ahead! I had a little trouble with my loads, they were a tad too long, I had 5 rounds that refused to chamber but was able to seat the bullets in a little and they worked just fine. I also had one round a fizzler, just smoked a little and pushed the bullet maybe an inch into the barrel. I used Winchester Large Rifle primers and I have been having trouble with this lot, they wont fire at all in my Marlin 336a 32 Special. There was also quite a bit of unburned powder left in the barrel after each shot. I am going to switch to Magnum primers and see if that cures it.
I cleaned the rifle after each 10 or 12 rounds and got no lead whatsoever out of it.
I didn't get to fire all my ammo, there were about 10 or 12 of my buddies there and they all got to shoot a round or two, made me feel good to share the joy a little and they were all duly impressed. Here a few pics:
Set up a target at 50 yards, got on the paper with the second shot, in the 10 ring the 4th shot and moved out to 100 meters. First 3 shots were all over the paper, about a 15" group. I then noticed that the rifle had slid back on the rest so the barrel was resting on the pad instead of the forend. I adjusted this, got the forend back on the rest and shot the group you see here. It's about 2 1/4 inches c-c, which is about as good as I can see the iron sights. I really like the tiny bead on the front sight. The range this morning was set up for Lever Action Silhouette, so I shot some offhand, managed 10 in a row on the pigs so decided to quit while I was ahead! I had a little trouble with my loads, they were a tad too long, I had 5 rounds that refused to chamber but was able to seat the bullets in a little and they worked just fine. I also had one round a fizzler, just smoked a little and pushed the bullet maybe an inch into the barrel. I used Winchester Large Rifle primers and I have been having trouble with this lot, they wont fire at all in my Marlin 336a 32 Special. There was also quite a bit of unburned powder left in the barrel after each shot. I am going to switch to Magnum primers and see if that cures it.
I cleaned the rifle after each 10 or 12 rounds and got no lead whatsoever out of it.
I didn't get to fire all my ammo, there were about 10 or 12 of my buddies there and they all got to shoot a round or two, made me feel good to share the joy a little and they were all duly impressed. Here a few pics:
Re: OT (?) 1875 Sharps, first day at the range.
Congratulations. Great shooting, great rifle and great post.
Always Drink Upstream From The Herd
Re: OT (?) 1875 Sharps, first day at the range.
SJPrice wrote:Congratulations. Great shooting, great rifle and great post.
+1 Glad that you have it out already and enjoying it!
- kimwcook
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Re: OT (?) 1875 Sharps, first day at the range.
Excellent to see you got out and put some rounds downrange. Reference the rifle sliding back and the bbl. on the bag, most, and Don can chime in here, BPCR shooters find the sweet spot on their bbl. and when shooting off sticks they actually rest the bbl. on the sticks at the sweetspot. There's a number of different ways of finding the sweet spot/node on a bbl. One is to hold the rifle by the buttstock and tap the bbl. from the muzzle towards the forend and then listen and feel for teh spot where it sounds and vibrates the least. There's your sweet spot. Put that on the bag next time and see what happens to your group. Just a suggestion.
Old Law Dawg
Re: OT (?) 1875 Sharps, first day at the range.
And, sporting a very grand smile while doing it.
The Rotten Fruit Always Hits The Ground First
Proud Life Member Of:
NRA
Second Amendment Foundation
Citizens Committee For The Right To Keep And Bear Arms
DAV
Proud Life Member Of:
NRA
Second Amendment Foundation
Citizens Committee For The Right To Keep And Bear Arms
DAV
Re: OT (?) 1875 Sharps, first day at the range.
When you decide to get serious with that rifle, you'll find some 500 gr bullets sized at .459 and if you must use smokeless instead of the powder it was built for, then go with 25 grs of 5744. It will print groups at 300 yds as good or better than the ones you have there.
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Re: OT (?) 1875 Sharps, first day at the range.
Well, Don, I dont know how serious I am going to get with this thing, I think I would rather just have fun shooting it. With my 70-year-old eyes, I doubt if I can see well enough to shoot a group like that or better at 300 with iron sights, regardless of the loads, maybe others can. I know several guys back in Wyoming and several here that are into the BPCR game, the guys here have already helped me quite a bit, they are good fellows. I love shooting silhouettes of any kind, I might try it out, I might shoot blackpowder to try it out, then again I might not. This is not a rifle made in 1875, it is a modern rifle made by modern tools and with modern steels, it is entirely suitable for modern powders. I have met a couple of the sniveling little elitists who somehow seem to think that black powder is some sort of holy grail and do their best to sneer down their noses at anyone who feels differently. I am not going to buy into that snobbery and I am not going to suffer any of the primadonna blissninnies who engage in it. Life is too short and shooting is supposed to be FUN. I appreciate your load you posted and your advice. Best Regards. Jerry
Re: OT (?) 1875 Sharps, first day at the range.
Thanks for the photos. Also, thanks for the new word, "blissninnies", that's a good one.
Kevin
Kevin
Re: OT (?) 1875 Sharps, first day at the range.
JnY I shoot a CSA 75 in bpcr competition and have for a couple of years. Those are very accurate rifles. Yes even tho the rifle is made with a Badger barrel and all that good stuff, blackpowder will still make the thing sit up and run like it should. 5744 will do almost as well as black , but not quite. Once you try blackpowder and actually see how many of the myths that have been put out about it, are just that myths, and that clean up after shooting black with the exception of cleaning the cases , you may wonder why you never tried it earlier.
As for the age thing that sorta tickles me, I shoot with several folks that would look at you as some sort of young pup Get a chance take a look at the Quigley shoot white buffalo results, and some of the other bpcr events the total number of seniors and the scores. It usually the young folk that are shooting scopes...
If you're around Pheonix you may want to go up to the Ben Avery Range and find Steve Rhodes. Nice fella, match director for most of the fun stuff there, and I'm sure would be happy to help you with the little things with making that rifle run. They shoot sillouette bpcr and levergun there monthly. There's also the American Cup Creedmoor match coming the 16th of March. You might find that very interesting.
As for the age thing that sorta tickles me, I shoot with several folks that would look at you as some sort of young pup Get a chance take a look at the Quigley shoot white buffalo results, and some of the other bpcr events the total number of seniors and the scores. It usually the young folk that are shooting scopes...
If you're around Pheonix you may want to go up to the Ben Avery Range and find Steve Rhodes. Nice fella, match director for most of the fun stuff there, and I'm sure would be happy to help you with the little things with making that rifle run. They shoot sillouette bpcr and levergun there monthly. There's also the American Cup Creedmoor match coming the 16th of March. You might find that very interesting.
Re: OT (?) 1875 Sharps, first day at the range.
what a hoot - that would get me out in the cold, too.
- Ysabel Kid
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Re: OT (?) 1875 Sharps, first day at the range.
Sounds downright balmy to what we've had the past few days. Snow is finally starting to melt. Kids were off school all week, and there is a three hour delay tomorrow morning.
Glad to see you got out and enjoyed that wonderful rifle. Hope to see a lot more range reports, and see you enjoying the heck out of it. Congrats again!!!
Glad to see you got out and enjoyed that wonderful rifle. Hope to see a lot more range reports, and see you enjoying the heck out of it. Congrats again!!!
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Re: OT (?) 1875 Sharps, first day at the range.
Yeah, I posted that comment about the weather with tongue planted firmly in cheek, knowing full well some of you are not having any fun right now. My other home town, Lander WY, down in the subzero figures with lots of the icky white stuff right now.
Re: OT (?) 1875 Sharps, first day at the range.
Congrats again, U look like U R tickled Pink. What R those little holes "Wifes Shooting" jk
Do U get a pretty good jolt from those 385 grn bullets ?
Do U get a pretty good jolt from those 385 grn bullets ?
Perry in Bangor----++++===Calif
- KirkD
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Re: OT (?) 1875 Sharps, first day at the range.
2 &1/4" at 100 yards shows you got yourself a very nice rifle. If I can shoot that well at 70 I will be very grateful.
Kirk: An old geezer who loves the smell of freshly turned earth, old cedar rail fences, wood smoke, a crackling fireplace on a snowy evening, pristine wilderness lakes, the scent of
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
cedars and a magnificent Whitetail buck framed in the semi-buckhorn sights of a 120-year old Winchester.
Blog: https://www.kirkdurston.com/
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- Advanced Levergunner
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Re: OT (?) 1875 Sharps, first day at the range.
My club has a .22 rimfire prone match every so often, when we are done shooting I gather up all the targets to be reused when shooting bigger calibers. Not too difficult to distinguish between .22 and 45-70 holes.pwl44m wrote:Congrats again, U look like U R tickled Pink. What R those little holes "Wifes Shooting" jk
Do U get a pretty good jolt from those 385 grn bullets ?
I didn't notice there being all that much recoil, certainly not uncomfortable, the rifle weighs about 9 1/2 pounds which absorbs most of it.
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Re: OT (?) 1875 Sharps, first day at the range.
I see one happy looking camper... Nice shooting.. Congrats again & more range reports too please...
"IT IS MY OPINION, AND I AM CORRECT SO DON'T ARGUE, THE 99 SAVAGE IS THE FINEST RIFLE EVER MADE IN AMERICA."
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WIL TERRY
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Re: OT (?) 1875 Sharps, first day at the range.
YEEHAW!!! Don't let snivelin' nitwits shoo you off from tryin' BP. Any group has those sanctimonious twits.
Griff,
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93
There is a fine line between hobby & obsession!
AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
SASS/CMSA #93
NRA Patron
GUSA #93
There is a fine line between hobby & obsession!
AND... I'm over it!!
No I ain't ready, but let's do it anyway!
Re: OT (?) 1875 Sharps, first day at the range.
do you have any idea how jealous I am!
Congrats again and good luck finding that just right load...
nice shooting too!
Congrats again and good luck finding that just right load...
nice shooting too!
LETS GO SHOOT'N BOYS
- Cimarron Red
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Re: OT (?) 1875 Sharps, first day at the range.
jny,
Great shooting! And a sweet little rifle. Does your gun have a plain trigger or a single-set?
If that's the bullet I think it is, Lyman 457124, it's a dandy. I shoot it in my 200 meter chicken loads, and it's scary accurate -- when I hold and break well.
Say 'hello' to Glenda for me, and ask her to hurry back to Raton. When I see her, I know it's spring.
Great shooting! And a sweet little rifle. Does your gun have a plain trigger or a single-set?
If that's the bullet I think it is, Lyman 457124, it's a dandy. I shoot it in my 200 meter chicken loads, and it's scary accurate -- when I hold and break well.
Say 'hello' to Glenda for me, and ask her to hurry back to Raton. When I see her, I know it's spring.
- Old Savage
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Re: OT (?) 1875 Sharps, first day at the range.
Makes me all warm and fuzzy inside just to be associated with this forum...absolutely fantastic, thanks for the range report.
By the way, nice suggestion Don.
By the way, nice suggestion Don.
Re: OT (?) 1875 Sharps, first day at the range.
Thank you OTH
Re: OT (?) 1875 Sharps, first day at the range.
MY CSA 75 Is quite close to yours, I have had it for over 10 years now and I LOVE it
3031 will shoot fine in that gun ( does in mine ) 5744 Shoots much better .
Bullet configuration that shoots best in mine is the Lee mold listed at 450 grain FN . ( MINE with slightly softer alloy than No2 come out at 442 grains )
I have good success with the lyman 385 grainers also
I have tried several others in cluding 535 Snovers and others at heavy weights but the 450s shoot best in mine
Black works great in mine also I go back and forth now between Black and 5744
3031 will shoot fine in that gun ( does in mine ) 5744 Shoots much better .
Bullet configuration that shoots best in mine is the Lee mold listed at 450 grain FN . ( MINE with slightly softer alloy than No2 come out at 442 grains )
I have good success with the lyman 385 grainers also
I have tried several others in cluding 535 Snovers and others at heavy weights but the 450s shoot best in mine
Black works great in mine also I go back and forth now between Black and 5744
The right way is always the hardest. It's like the law of nature , water always takes the path of least resistence...... That's why we get crooked rivers and crooked men . TR Theodore the Great
Re: OT (?) 1875 Sharps, first day at the range.
Nice photo's JN
You fill that case with what you like (but black smells better and sounds better )
Nath
You fill that case with what you like (but black smells better and sounds better )
Nath
Psalm ch8.
Because I wish I could!
Because I wish I could!
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- Advanced Levergunner
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Re: OT (?) 1875 Sharps, first day at the range.
Nath wrote:
(but black smells better )
Nath
Not according to my Lovely Bride, who for over 30 years has sworn she can smell me coming when I drive into the driveway after a day of shooting the muzzlestuffers (REAL muzzlestuffers, not the modern inline abominations ). Sometimes I have to take off my clothes in the garage and throw them into the washing machine and start it before I can even come into the house!
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Re: OT (?) 1875 Sharps, first day at the range.
Great to see photos of a Sharps in action! I've been lusting after one for years, but I'm leaning towards a 1885 Highwall in 45/70 at the moment. They sure are beautiful though.
"I prefer the company of peasants because they have not been educated sufficiently to reason incorrectly" -Michel de Montaigne