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Whats a good first Sharps?


Key Hay

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My birthday is here and I'm thinking it's time to add a 45-70 Sharps to the Cowboy collection. Something I can use in the Long distance side matches. The ones made in Timber MT are out of my price range and since I'm left handed I don't want a patch box. Pedersoli over Armi Sport I'm thinking.

 

What should I be looking for ???

 

Was thinking one of these to start with.

 

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Shooting/Firearms/Centerfire-Rifles/Single-Shot-Centerfire-Rifles|/pc/104792580/c/553829580/sc/105522480/i/105525180/Pedersoli-1874-Sharps-Hunter-Rifle-150-45-70/1780823.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Fsingle-shot-centerfire-rifles%2F_%2FN-1114862%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_105525180%3FWTz_l%3DSBC%253BMMcat104792580%253Bcat105522480&WTz_l=SBC%3BMMcat104792580%3Bcat105522480%3Bcat105525180

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Uberti branded Sharps rifles are made by Pedersoli, and are often a bit less money.

 

You might find a decent used Shiloh or C. Sharps for about the same price as a new Italian. I just checked gunbroker and found an 1875 C. Sharps .50-90 with a starting price of $1400, no reserve, and no bids yet with one day to go.

 

I have a Shiloh .45-70, a Uberti .45-70, and a Uberti .45-120, all 1874's. The Uberti .45-70 will slightly, but consistently, outshoot my Shiloh, go figure.

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I have one that I bought from Dixie only they call it a light weight hunter if 10 + lbs can be called light. Matched it to my buddy's C Sharps business rifle. With one exception there was very little difference. The fit and finish are great, the difference being the sights are pure junk cheap thin impossible to adjust tin. A light tap and the front blade sight which was poorly fit fell out. You will need new sights by the time you add the cost of decent sights you are in the range of a nice used C Sharps which is the way I would go if I as doing it again

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I agree and buy American whenever possible, however, being on a fixed (retired) budget when I can get functionally the same thing for half to one third price I gotta think real hard about buying American. The Pedersoli seem to be well thought of as are the Uberti. I'm guessing you cannot go wrong with either.

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Key Hay, I have a Pedersoli Sharps, it is a fantastic gun. I am also left handed, got mine from Dixie Guns Works. Others will talk about C Sharps, and Shilo Sharps..these guns are works of art, but as often as I shoot a Sharps my Pedersoli is perfect. Get a common caliber, 45/70 stuff is easier to get. I love the looks of the Sharps, but being left handed, when shooting SASS long distance matches, it is speed, and accuracy, so lefties using a Sharps, are some what hindered. If I didn't like the looks of the Sharps, I would get a Browning or Uberti high wall, favoring the Browning in 45/70. Get a tang sight and globe front sight.

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That's about $1000 more than I can Justify for a side match gun. As it is $1,250 is a lot to spend on something that's not a main match gun.

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I have a Pedersoli Heavy Match Target in 45/70. Weighs 13 lbs - not fun to shoot off hand but it will shoot a tight group off the bench. I put the better Pedersoli sight set on it. I bought it from Cabelas several years ago and love it. I would love to have a Shiloh and someday that is on the bucket list but for now the Pedersoli is great. You won't go wrong or be disappointed with it.

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I am a lefty as well my armisport works fine ( wanted american but couldnt justify 2200) my armi was half ( used to have a shiloh in the 80s) kick my self for letting it go if price is an option as stated go with what you want i have heard the IABs are the ones to stay away from

Okiepan

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That is the exact rifle I own and shoot. You will love it for sure. No need to buy a Caddy when the Chevy model is well enough. Married with kids, eh.

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That is the exact rifle I own and shoot. You will love it for sure. No need to buy a Caddy when the Chevy model is well enough. Married with kids, eh.

Kids have moved out. I do prefer the "Ford" version.

 

I'm about to be unemployed and we are getting ready to move. If I try for more that $1250 my Chief financial officer will say the money could be better spent elsewhere.

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Good sights will ding you about 500. You'll need really good sights, or the gun will disappoint you, and be hard to load tune. I have the perfect gun for you, but it has a patchbox. Never thought about left handers and a patchbox. Lol! Makes sense I guess.

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Good sights will ding you about 500. You'll need really good sights, or the gun will disappoint you, and be hard to load tune. I have the perfect gun for you, but it has a patchbox. Never thought about left handers and a patchbox. Lol! Makes sense I guess.

Lunger, Hit me on FB.

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I know nothing about this brand, its quality, or whether anyone has or likes them, but I did find this

 

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/2-CHP920-345

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Be very careful when buying tang sights. Also, there really isn't much need for the Soule versions. Passing on them will save you $200+. Be careful to make sure and get vernier sights, and don't trust the label. A big name mfg sold their's as verniers and they were not.

 

Take a look at MVA sights http://montanavintagearms.com/product/sights/130-vernier-tang-sight/ $285 for a true vernier tang sight with 28 minutes of windage adjustment. They are precision. Learning to work a vernier is easy for most and repeating your settings is actually more accurate than my M1A competition sight.

 

You can also buy bases for additional rifles that use the ladder from the $285 one. My C.Sharps was blessed with the $285 one (both ladder and base for a Sharps), while the new C.Sharps 1885 High Wall is getting the $95 base. The ladder will move to whichever rifle is being shot.

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I know nothing about this brand, its quality, or whether anyone has or likes them, but I did find this

 

http://www.cheaperthandirt.com/product/2-CHP920-345

 

That is cheaper than dirt, but is it really an 8 pound 45-70? The buffalo rifles were over 10 lbs for good reason.

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I'm a lefty and my Shilohs are Number 3's...I don't have a problem with them. Watch the auction sites cause sometimes a Shiloh or C Sharps 74 or 75 slips in there pretty reasonable. Heck there was a 50-70 on the SASS Classified here a couble weeks ago that lasted all of 5 seconds I think. My leather slappin sure wasn't fast enough.

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I could be wrong, but here's my take on definitions of vernier, Soule, and true vertical.

"Vernier" simply means there is a graduated scale on one part of a measuring device and another set of marks on mating block next to it that allow fine fractional readings or adjustments to be made. On a tang sight, the vernier scale would be on the side of the mast and there will be a mating scale, normally with six marks numbered 0 - 5, on the eyepiece that allow very fine adjustments in fractions of a minute. Windage adjustment is also commonly a vernier adjustment, either by loosening the eyepiece and manually sliding the eyepiece to the desired position, or with a fine worm screw for more precise measurements.

A Soule sight has a micrometer style adjustment screw at the base that moves the entire mast left or right along a scale.

A "true vertical" sight has adjustment screws at the bottom that allow the mast to be tilted left or right - I assume this is to correct for a sight that wasn't, or couldn't be, mounted perfectly square to the receiver or bore axis.

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Well it looks like I found one! I'll post some pix next week after I get it!

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A .45-70. There's a wealth of information on loading this cartridge for all types of shooting hangin' around on the internet... whether it be BP or smokeless, light plinkin' loads or full-bore elephant knock-downs... this cartridge can and has done it all... and it's been documented. Whether you get a custom American made or an off-the-shelf import, for a first one, I'd recommend one in the most versatile of cartridges.

 

2nd choice would be a .38-55... nearly as versatile, and just as "period correct."

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That is cheaper than dirt, but is it really an 8 pound 45-70? The buffalo rifles were over 10 lbs for good reason.

That does seem odd, I looked up that model on Chiappa's webpage and they list it at 10 lbs 6 oz. I have noticed a few discrepancies with CTD's descriptions before perhaps they just got it wrong. I bought my Cimarron Dbl through CTD for way less than anywhere else, cheap shipping, and a good experience.

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