Cyrus Cassidy #45437 Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 Lyman used to make an "Ideal" rifle that was pretty much a spoof of the venerable Sharps. After my recent range day with the Sharps, I have a bug to go shooting all kinds of black powder cartridges, but Sharps rifles are **REALLY** expensive (mine is a Shiloh). I think plinking with a .38-55 or .40-60 would be rather entertaining on my club's steel gong range which goes out to 600 yards, but I don't want to pay for another Sharps! I can't seem to find these Ideal rifles anywhere. Did they quit making them? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Harley, #14153 Posted January 19, 2023 Share Posted January 19, 2023 I don’t think Lyman makes the Ideal any more. You might want to look at the Chiappa “Little Sharps” in 38-55. https://www.chiappafirearms.com/family.php?id=30 Or do what I did and buy the Shiloh. Yes, it is a sweet shooter. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyrus Cassidy #45437 Posted January 20, 2023 Author Share Posted January 20, 2023 6 hours ago, Charlie Harley, #14153 said: Or do what I did and buy the Shiloh. Yes, it is a sweet shooter. I already have one, pard! Sure I'd love another one, too, but lately I've been on a kick buying Civil War firearms and earlier. Those each cost about as much as a Sharps! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Three Foot Johnson Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 The scaled down Lyman Ideal was made for them by Chiappa, who also made the Half Pint for Taylors and the Little Sharps for Charles Daly. I think Pedersoli also built one they called the Little Betsy. I bought a Chiappa .22 locally in 2021. It came with a 3x Malcolm scope, but I put an MVA tang sight on instead. When they do turn up, they're not exactly cheap. Less than my Shiloh by a fair measure, but really not far removed from a full size Pedersoli (pictured). A Chiappa .22 went for $1280, shipped, about six weeks ago on Gunbroker, and a .44-40 for $1635, shipped. A Big Sandy/Dakota Arms Little Sharps, which were also made in .22 or .38-55, plus nine other cartridges, was just on Gunbroker for $3650. A shirttail relative of mine, Aaron Pursley, was one of the two founder/owners of BSLS, and yet I've only actually held one single rifle in my hands, a .38-55 owned by a Cowboy shooter here. They were completely hand made, finished, and engraved "in house", and I think total production was only around a hundred rifles, plus another handful after Dakota Arms bought the company. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jabez Cowboy,SASS # 50129 Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 The Lyman Minnie Sharps in .38-55 has to slow a twist rate to handle bullets much heavier than 265 Gr. And it is pretty light... Jabez Cowboy Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
watab kid Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 didnt know of these , thanks for the edumencation Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Youngson Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 17 hours ago, Cyrus Cassidy #45437 said: Lyman used to make an "Ideal" rifle that was pretty much a spoof of the venerable Sharps. After my recent range day with the Sharps, I have a bug to go shooting all kinds of black powder cartridges, but Sharps rifles are **REALLY** expensive (mine is a Shiloh). I think plinking with a .38-55 or .40-60 would be rather entertaining on my club's steel gong range which goes out to 600 yards, but I don't want to pay for another Sharps! I can't seem to find these Ideal rifles anywhere. Did they quit making them? I don’t know about new but I am watching one in 38/55 on gunbroker right now so they are out there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cyrus Cassidy #45437 Posted January 20, 2023 Author Share Posted January 20, 2023 Just now, Youngson said: I don’t know about new but I am watching one in 38/55 on gunbroker right now so they are out there. I'm watching that one too Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Harley, #14153 Posted January 20, 2023 Share Posted January 20, 2023 11 hours ago, Cyrus Cassidy #45437 said: I already have one, pard! Sure I'd love another one, too, but lately I've been on a kick buying Civil War firearms and earlier. Those each cost about as much as a Sharps! Don’t you hate it when hobbies compete for your disposable income? I already had a Shiloh too before the 38-55. A Hartford in 45-110. Still have it. Prior to that I had a Pedersoli in 45-70. Sold it even though it was the most accurate of the three. Hi. My name is Dan. I’m a Sharps-aholic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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