Cartridge Opinions, Shiloh Sharps

[TacticalCowboy]

45-70. Not to mention the pressures one of those rifles can handle.

[250AI]

I got the sharps bug when i saw a small picture of a soon to be released 1874 sharps rifle in the back of Guns & Ammo way back when (1970's) and I had to have one. Took a little while but I managed to get one. These were the "Farmingdale" rifles. The company moved to Big Timber MT. some yeas later. The partnership fell apart and so one company became C. Sharps Arms and retained the rights for the original sharps logo and the other company became Shiloh Arms. Seems kind of strange but they are right across the street from one another. As far as caliber goes I would ask why the 45-100. it falls between the 45-70, 45-90 and 45-110. Ten grains of black powder isn't going to make much difference in velocity. I would have to look it up but I think you could use smokeless in the 45/90. I have a 50/90 and use smokeless in it as well as my 45/70(5744). You can also use Black Horn 209. When I bought my first Sharps the only calibers available were 45/70 and 50/70. I went with the 45/70 because of availability of brass (pre internet). Things have changed but the 45/100 is still kind of an odd ball case . You may be able to find ready made cases but you might also have to go to a 45 caliber basic case and cut it down- you may already have looked into this. There is also the historical aspect to look at in that which cartridges were used in the Buffalo hunts. As far as which cartridge to go with. the 45/70 will do anything you want it to do. But that isn't why us black powder shooters get into this. We want something different (that is how I ended up with a 50/90). Unless there is just something that floats your boat about the 45/100 I would look at the 45/90. If you haven't read Mike Venturino's Book Shooting Buffalo Rifles of the Old West it has a wealth of information. Shiloh makes beautiful rifles. Good luck and hope this helps.

[CWendling]

I was going to say the same as 250AI. Unless youre really going to shoot past 600 alot, go with 45-70 and shoot BP

[UltraMax]

I got the sharps bug when i saw a small picture of a soon to be released 1874 sharps rifle in the back of Guns & Ammo way back when (1970's) and I had to have one. Took a little while but I managed to get one. These were the "Farmingdale" rifles. The company moved to Big Timber MT. some yeas later. The partnership fell apart and so one company became C. Sharps Arms and retained the rights for the original sharps logo and the other company became Shiloh Arms. Seems kind of strange but they are right across the street from one another. As far as caliber goes I would ask why the 45-100. it falls between the 45-70, 45-90 and 45-110. Ten grains of black powder isn't going to make much difference in velocity. I would have to look it up but I think you could use smokeless in the 45/90. I have a 50/90 and use smokeless in it as well as my 45/70(5744). You can also use Black Horn 209. When I bought my first Sharps the only calibers available were 45/70 and 50/70. I went with the 45/70 because of availability of brass (pre internet). Things have changed but the 45/100 is still kind of an odd ball case . You may be able to find ready made cases but you might also have to go to a 45 caliber basic case and cut it down- you may already have looked into this. There is also the historical aspect to look at in that which cartridges were used in the Buffalo hunts. As far as which cartridge to go with. the 45/70 will do anything you want it to do. But that isn't why us black powder shooters get into this. We want something different (that is how I ended up with a 50/90). Unless there is just something that floats your boat about the 45/100 I would look at the 45/90. If you haven't read Mike Venturino's Book Shooting Buffalo Rifles of the Old West it has a wealth of information. Shiloh makes beautiful rifles. Good luck and hope this helps.

Thanks for the post, I have looked into the 45-90, but my thinking was to go with a little bigger powder charge for hunting purposes. My thoughts were to go with the 100 because, from what I’ve read on Shiloh forums, the 110 may be a little stout for a 40 shot BPCR silhouette match and 100 would be the “most” you would want in those matches with a 12lb rifle. Plus, if I ever wanted to shoot a Creedmoor match, I would have more than plenty of gun.

I will probably end up with the 45-70.

My worries are, which may be dumb, that a 45-70 with a BP load, won’t achieve adequate velocity for a decent 200 yard hunting rifle and that I may end up loving the BP aspect of having this gun, and worry I’ll wish I had ordered a bigger cartridge.

Is black horn 209 a good powder?

[Radar]

I have had two Shiloh Sharps rifles, 45-70 and 45-90. I kept the 45-70. I have only shot black powder out of mine. 45-70 has a lot of reloading data out there.

Steve Brooks makes decent moulds and I have a 525gr Creedmoor style bullet.

http://brooksmoulds.com/basepour.html

I use 18:1 lead/tin mix, with Swiss powder, cardboard wad and CCI BR2 primers. As long as you use a blow tube you can shoot around 10-15 rounds before cleaning, just depends on your load,lube and the weather.

[250AI]

There are a couple of things I forgot that may help on which way you go. I assume you're going to start with lead cast bullets. do you think you'll at some point want to try PP? The old 45/70 cases were balloon head and would accept 70 grains of BP. I doubt you will be able to come close to that with a modern case. 65 grains is the most I get in mine using a 405 and up bullet weight. that limits your thickness with grease cookie and which ever type of wad you decide on. With PP you have a little more room but not much. this is where the longer case has a real advantage over the 45/70. You have room for a heavier powder charge and heavier bullet and still room for grease cookie and wad. I really don't worry about velocity much. The restrictions on BP is such that you can only push a bullet so fast. A fair amount of powder goes out the end of your barrel unused. The 45/70 will get you to 200 and beyond but it takes a really good shot to reach that far with a peep sight. And i can tell you from personnel experience the 50/90 isn't a gun you take out to shoot prairie dogs! you can get 90 grs. of BP in it and you start sending 550gr. and 600gr. bullets down range and it stops being fun real quick. Black horn 209 gives some impressive velocity in BP cartridge rifles. They used to have a reloading guide on their website. Which ever round you go with your are getting a great rifle from a great company and it will be fun. Good luck I hope we get to see pictures of it soon.

[Buff]

Buff, can you please tell me a little about your rifle. Did you have the barrel polished? What kind of accuracy are you getting? What grade of wood? What grain of Barnes bullet? Please and thank you.

I did not have the barrel polished.
I get about a 1" group with the Barnes 300 grain Socom bullets
I used the Ruger #1 load data
mine is standard grade wood but mighty pretty

I did not buy it from Shilo I bought it from a broker that has a standing order so my wait was not very long

[Buff]

http://www.shiloh-ballard.com/shiloh_sharps_rifles_for_sale.htm

[UltraMax]

There are a couple of things I forgot that may help on which way you go. I assume you're going to start with lead cast bullets. do you think you'll at some point want to try PP? The old 45/70 cases were balloon head and would accept 70 grains of BP. I doubt you will be able to come close to that with a modern case. 65 grains is the most I get in mine using a 405 and up bullet weight. that limits your thickness with grease cookie and which ever type of wad you decide on. With PP you have a little more room but not much. this is where the longer case has a real advantage over the 45/70. You have room for a heavier powder charge and heavier bullet and still room for grease cookie and wad. I really don't worry about velocity much. The restrictions on BP is such that you can only push a bullet so fast. A fair amount of powder goes out the end of your barrel unused. The 45/70 will get you to 200 and beyond but it takes a really good shot to reach that far with a peep sight. And i can tell you from personnel experience the 50/90 isn't a gun you take out to shoot prairie dogs! you can get 90 grs. of BP in it and you start sending 550gr. and 600gr. bullets down range and it stops being fun real quick. Black horn 209 gives some impressive velocity in BP cartridge rifles. They used to have a reloading guide on their website. Which ever round you go with your are getting a great rifle from a great company and it will be fun. Good luck I hope we get to see pictures of it soon.

Their wait time is 18 months right now. Thanks for the info. How much powder are you getting in the 45/70 case and are you using a compression die.

[Buff]

Their wait time is 18 months right now. Thanks for the info. How much powder are you getting in the 45/70 case and are you using a compression die.

Check out Ballard

He may have what you want in stock or coming.
He only marks them up $200.00.
Well worth not having to wait 18 months

[Buff]

I used a drop tube and a compression die for this load

[UltraMax]

I like the black powder aspect. Think I’ll enjoy that very much.

Do you put a piece of news paper under the primer?

[Radar]

I like the black powder aspect. Think I’ll enjoy that very much.

Do you put a piece of news paper under the primer?

No paper over flash hole, I have found that pistol primers work very well too. SPG lube is about the easiest to use. I use a drop tube for powder. Here is a link for Buffalo Arms, you can learn a lot here. I shot BPCR Silhouette for 6 years with my Shiloh.

https://www.buffaloarms.com/

[critter69]

I went through this same thing years ago. It's a " classic" rifle born in the day of black powder. I went with the 45-110 and don't regret it one bit. It is harder to load, harder to clean, but its not a rifle I use everyday. In fact it's kind of a special day rifle. When you touch off that load and the smoke billows out. It kinda takes you back in time, like I think it should. And he'll anybody can have a 45-70, I wouldn't spend that kind of money to have an ordinary chambering in an exquisite rifle. Just my opinion and believe it's worth what ya paid for it. If you get the 45-70, I believe there will be another rifle in your future in a true black powder classic chambering, because you will doubt your decision.. I could not afford more then one, so I got it the first time after a lot of debate. You may feel totaly differant then I, but by you posting this question I don't think so. They are truly a work of art. If you were getting a pedersali or something like that, my opinion would be differant, in favor of the 45-70. But this is a whole differant ball game.

[UltraMax]

I went through this same thing years ago. It's a " classic" rifle born in the day of black powder. I went with the 45-110 and don't regret it one bit. It is harder to load, harder to clean, but its not a rifle I use everyday. In fact it's kind of a special day rifle. When you touch off that load and the smoke billows out. It kinda takes you back in time, like I think it should. And he'll anybody can have a 45-70, I wouldn't spend that kind of money to have an ordinary chambering in an exquisite rifle. Just my opinion and believe it's worth what ya paid for it. If you get the 45-70, I believe there will be another rifle in your future in a true black powder classic chambering, because you will doubt your decision.. I could not afford more then one, so I got it the first time after a lot of debate. You may feel totaly differant then I, but by you posting this question I don't think so. They are truly a work of art. If you were getting a pedersali or something like that, my opinion would be differant, in favor of the 45-70. But this is a whole differant ball game.

What can the recoil of the 45-110 be compared too? 308? 30’06? I’ve been told it is stout. Do you shoot BPCR with it?

I’m not scared of recoil, but getting the hell kicked out of me during a 40 shot match might not be fun.