My Traditional Hunting (When Rifle not bow)

[Shiloh]

Well - here's the reason for my user name - Shiloh. I surely love my bows, and I expect to keep hunting with them as long as I can continue to draw them all back.

But, I still have a passion for guns - especially those that shoot straight black powder.

This rifle in the picture below is a Shiloh Sharps Business Rifle in .45/70 Government. They are made in Big Timber Montana by a heck of a nice family.

I cast my own lead bullets in 30/1 lead to tin ratio with a bullet that I designed myself. I had a custom mould maker (Steve Brooks) cut me a bullet mould that drops a 525 grain flatnose bullet with at .310" meplat. I reload the cartridges with 70 grains of Swiss 1.5FG black Powder.

The sound that these bullets make when they hit a deer or pig is like somebody slapping the backside of a leather lazyboy recliner chair with a boat oar. It's a SMACK.

Shooting these things is absolutely awesome. The deep, low pitched boom of a large caliber black powder rifle and the resulting white smoke and smell truly is a traditional way of hunting to enjoy. Like bowhunting with Traditional equipment, it's a hand-on hobby which grows on you and never leaves.

I have another Shiloh Sharps Rifle - exactly like the one Tom Selleck used in the movie Quigley Down Under, except mine is chambered in .45/70 and the one in the movie was a .45/120.

Also have a Remington Rolling Block Replica in .50/70 Government which was built by Dave Higginbotham of Lonestar Rife out of Conroe, Texas. Sadly, Dave passed away in 2012 due to an horrible accident. I miss him dearly as do many in the black powder community. He was one true craftsman who really knew how to make Remington RollingBlock rifle sing.

Anyway, I just wanted to show you guys another side of my hunting. When I don't grab a bow - I only grab an open sighted black powder cartridge rifle, or a muzzle loader, as I have not hunted with a scoped rifle since 2007. That's not to say that I don't love those either since I have some nice toys in that arena as well.

[Shiloh]

I must correct my prior statement regarding Dave Higginbotham - he passed away in December of 2011 not 2012. I sincerely apologize for that mistake.

[Pedernal]

Sweet looking rifle. Congrats on taking some tasty groceries...

[Dry Bones]

Awesome rifle. I too enjoy the smell of Black powder in the air. Only now it is a little tuff to come by. Congrats on the Buck

[trad"Doc"53]

Thanks for posting, I too love those old rifles like that.

[little john]

Always wanted one thanks for sharing your story brother

[Selfbowman]

I have a muzzle loader and some big bore rifles with scopes also. If it gets down to putting meat on the table due to lack of hunting or what ever the reason is My belly is not ashamed to bring out the big gun. Lol That being said there is nothing like getting close enough to put something down being shot at 8 yards with a selfbow. That makes the hunt about as challenging as possible. Unless you use a spear. I am not that primitive just yet. Arvin

[strigif0rm3s]

That's great. So much more enjoyable and satisfying when things are made by yourself and done "the hard way"

[killerbee]

Congrats!

[SwampRabbit]

That is pretty darn cool. How far do you shoot at live animals through those sights? I took a trip to the range with a buddy of mine with his 50 cal muzzleloader and shot 100 yards through iron sights. I wasn't nearly as bad I thought I might be. I was 3" group, but that would have been enough to get the job done.

I have thought about getting rid of a couple of guns and maybe going to a lever action or something else that I could learn to shoot off hand inside 75 yards.

[Shiloh]

I Can reliably hit out to 150 yards with them. Actually make good hits on targets out to 230 yards but would not shoot at an animal that far unless it was a hog or something big like an elk or buffalo. They are extremely accurate rifles in capable hands.

[TXMark]

That's a sweet rifle.

[chackworth3]

that's a sweet rifle.

x 2

[JEFFRO]

nice sharps rifle, growing up in penn. dad had found one in the forest and used it to prop the shop door open. was rusted, most of wood was gone, and i have no idea what happened to it. got me think'n now...

[masonred]

Nice rifle! Those are fun to shoot and give a different attitude from a bolt gun or AR a different creature.