IAB Sharps 45-70

[Boomer Nash]

Looking for thoughts on the IAB reproductions. I have a Repo Sharps 1874 45-70 on the line and questioning whether the good price equals bad quality and broke gun. 

Anyone?

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

JUNK, save you money for either a Shiloh(best) or C. Sharps. 

[Uriah, SASS # 53822]

Or Pedersoli  for Italian guns.

[PaulH]

I had heard that IAB stands for 'It's Always Broke".

[La Sombra]

While I cannot disagree with OLG assessment regarding "Buy a Shiloh Sharps or C Sharps", Uriah's suggestion is spot on regarding a Pedersoli. I would run from any other Sharps than those three. I own at least one of each.

Now the big question is what are you planning on using it for? SASS long range match? Any of those three will do. NRA Silhouette? Shiloh or C Sharps. Long Range (600 yds plus) Custom rifle by Shiloh or C Sharps. Plinking or bang a gong at 100yds, buy the IAB and recognize that you will never see a return on the investment.

Big Bore shooting is an affliction and a long dark rabbit hole. Trust me. 😁

 

La Sombra

Who just finished loading 20 rds of 40-70 Sharps Straight to try out a new load!

[Cholla]

5 minutes ago, PaulH said:

I had heard that IAB stands for 'It's Always Broke".

This. I had one that they didn't even assemble correctly at the factory. The early quality was okay, but at the end, they were shoving garbage out the door. I think Taylor's or Cimarron was a distributor for a while.

[Tex Jones, SASS 2263]

I still have an IAB that I bought over 20 years ago.  Best shooter of all the 45 70s that I had.  

[Boomer Nash]

Thanky for the quick responses!! Y'all have a high efficiency rating. I wish I had the coins for the Shiloh and C Sharps but thats not gonna happen right now. If it checks out, I guess for $1k a potential pig-in-the-poke aint gonna break me and hopefully I end up with my best shooter for the next 20 years! lol 

 

Cheers!

Boomer

[El Sobrante Kid]

Don't be in a hurry. If you really want to get something now, at least get a Pedersoli. Your risk of getting a loser will be much, much lower, and your ability to resell at a reasonable price will be much, much higher.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Peter's are hard to find parts.

IAB are impossible, no longer made.

OP, check out Bill Goodman in Montana. Call him!

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

OP, check this out!

 

[Cowtown Scout, SASS #53540 L]

3 hours ago, Boomer Nash said:

Looking for thoughts on the IAB reproductions. I have a Repo Sharps 1874 45-70 on the line and questioning whether the good price equals bad quality and broke gun. 

Anyone?

 

[La Sombra]

Gentlemen,

 

My response to this thread on the IAB was not to prime interest in my sale. They were two separate actions. Coincidence, believe me. My focus in long range has shifted to 40 caliber chamberings. Hence the rifle for sale is extraneous to my needs.

 

La Sombra

 

[Frontier Lone Rider]

When I 1st started shooting long-range some 20+ years ago, I started with an IAB and it worked fine.  I never had any issues with the rifle.  Plus, it was all I could afford at the time.  I later bought four other 1874s ending with a Quigley Pedersoli, one was in 45-90 and the others were all 45-70.  I really liked the Quigley and won some state level competitions with it.  Then I discovered the 1885 and bought two in 45-70.  Then I came across an 1885 in 38-55 and that was my go-to rifle.  I had no further need for the IAB and sold it for more than my original purchase price.

My issue with the 1874s was that 32-inch bull barrel that I can no longer hold up, at 78, for the required shots.  Thus, my move to the 1885s.  Lastly, I have found the H&W/H&R Target Classics in 38-55.  They are lite enough for me to hold up for the continuous required shots and I have been somewhat successful with them winning multiple competitions.  Of course, they are no longer manufactured along with their cousin the Buffalo Classic, which is a 45-70.  I had two of those, we called them thumpers, which I have since let go.

I have shot against the C-Sharps and the Shilo Sharps and have never been beaten by either.  They are fine rifles, but very costly for one in my income bracket.

[Diamond Jake]

I'm extremely happy with my Dixie Gun Works/Pedersoli Sharps 1874 in 40-65.  In 2025 I won the Buffalo Rifle Long Range at both Alabama State and Tennessee State.  I hit all the targets at South East Regional in both Precision and Buffalo Cross Stick categories, but lost both in tie breakers (elapsed time).  I guess next year I'll let the brass fall on the ground between shots, instead of putting them each back in the box before reloading.

[Cheyenne Culpepper 32827]

My IAB has served well.  It loves 300 gr pills.  Hates 400 gr pills

[El Sobrante Kid]

19 minutes ago, Cheyenne Culpepper 32827 said:

My IAB has served well.  It loves 300 gr pills.  Hates 400 gr pills

 

How old is your IAB? The general consensus seems to be that the much older early guns are mostly good to go, but the later more recent product is rather poor quality. So if someone can find an older gun they have a better chance of getting something decent. The other issue seems to be that there are no replacement parts if something breaks.

 

Personally, if I was making the choice today, I would rather spend a few hundred $ more for a proven quality firearm that I can repair if it breaks; as opposed to risking any $ on a gun that may or may not be a piece of junk, and that I cannot repair.

[Mayhem Mae]

I have an IAB. Shoots great. Have about 1000 rds thru it. Paid $850 with a nice sight.

[El Sobrante Kid]

54 minutes ago, Mayhem Mae said:

I have an IAB. Shoots great. Have about 1000 rds thru it. Paid $850 with a nice sight.

 

Again, how old is the gun? Is it an early production model, or late production. Comments seem to support that the early guns were good quality and the later production guns were either all poor quality, or at best, a crapshoot. The OP is considering buying one of these guns, so to simply say, "I have one that shoots great" is a disservice to his question. "I have an older/newer IAB that is a great/terrible shooter" would be much more helpful. The fact that there appears to be few, if any, spare parts available is still a concern.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

12 hours ago, Cheyenne Culpepper 32827 said:

My IAB has served well.  It loves 300 gr pills.  Hates 400 gr pills

What's the barrel ROT? 

You want at least 1/18 for heavier bullets. 

[Griff]

20 hours ago, Boomer Nash said:

Looking for thoughts on the IAB reproductions. I have a Repo Sharps 1874 45-70 on the line and questioning whether the good price equals bad quality and broke gun. 

Anyone?

As always... buy once, cry once.  I waited ~18 months to receive my Shiloh.   While, my far, far, far better half was able to save the dollars to make the first & final payment when the order was placed, (they offered free shipping, as it accompanied a total of 3 rifles, so the order may have been expedited a little);  you always have the option of ordering a rifle with a "down payment" and skipping a few "meals out", cutting down to half a pack a day, riding your bike to work 3 days a week, and saving during the build time, you'll have both a rifle you can be proud to own, worth the money you spend... and be healthier enough to enjoy it longer!  Delayed gratification is good for your character... If you have a grand to waste on an IAB, you're a third of the way to having a paid for Shiloh.  

[Sedalia Dave]

20 hours ago, Boomer Nash said:

Thanky for the quick responses!! Y'all have a high efficiency rating. I wish I had the coins for the Shiloh and C Sharps but thats not gonna happen right now. If it checks out, I guess for $1k a potential pig-in-the-poke aint gonna break me and hopefully I end up with my best shooter for the next 20 years! lol 

 

Cheers!

Boomer

 

The Business rifle listed in the classifieds Is 10 times the rifle that IAB is.  (Disclaimer:  La Sambra is a friend of mine.)

 

Can you afford to drop $1k on a rifle that may or may not be a good shooter? Or do you pay more for a rifle that will be a good shooter. 

[Slow Poke]

I bought a iab sharps for my son before I knew better the gun shoots fine now but at first we couldn't get it to shoot well.

 

I tried starting to work up a load for it, lengthening out the bullets to hit the rifling. I finally got a decent group but the bullet was out of the case so far only the last band of the bullet was in the case.

 

I took the gun to lee shaver who recut the chamber from 45-70 (very loose) up to a 45-90. It now shoots very well. Lee shaver said that was a common thing on iab rifles. 

 

Good luck 

                  Slow poke