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Thread: Scoping my .45-70 Sharps

  1. #1
    Boolit Buddy
    WildmanJack's Avatar
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    Scoping my .45-70 Sharps

    Went to the range yesterday and realized that at 100 yards using iron sights I couldn't see a 2 1/2 " florescent red bullseye. It was pretty frustrating trying to hit the target while trying to sight on a tiny red smear, so I'm thinking maybe I need to invest in a period correct scope for my sharps. Now I have to find out if there's a mount for a round barrel Sharps.
    Any suggestions???
    Jack
    When the government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny.
    “The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.

    Thomas Jefferson was one Smart guy. Now we need to find another one!!!
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  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    Montana Vintage Arms makes an excellent scope for the Sharps rifle. I've got one and I like it a lot.

    Chris.

  3. #3
    Boolit Buddy Mike Brooks's Avatar
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    Google MVA

  4. #4
    Boolit Grand Master Don McDowell's Avatar
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    The MVA scopes are pretty nice.
    But before you start laying out that kind of money, you might want to try shooting at a decent target.
    Something like the standard NRA 100 yd or 200 yd bullseye available at most reputable dealers,or one of the Schuetzen targets available from SPG.
    Those flourescent bullseye's can really mess things up over irons.
    Long range rules, the rest drool.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
    Texantothecore's Avatar
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    Two issues:

    1. 2.5" is to small at 100 yards. Try an Nra target or a target whose bullseye is at least 3" minimum diameter.
    2. You may be shade blind or color blind and may experience your best shooting with black on white targets. I don't see red or green well and the black target makes a huge difference.

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy
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    Thanks Don and Teantothecore, I'll give i t a try. I was really surprised how bad the targets looked when I put those red stickers on them.
    Guys I have already checked MVA and Leatherwood. Now it's just a question of do I really need one, and if I do, how much I can afford... Gonna try different targets first...
    Jack
    When the government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny.
    “The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.

    Thomas Jefferson was one Smart guy. Now we need to find another one!!!
    NRA Life member since 1971, SASS
    Ret. IAFF Local 2928

  7. #7
    Boolit Grand Master Don McDowell's Avatar
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    Don't do the leatherwood unless you do the short scope and get the DZ unertl mounts.. By that time you've got the same money as an MVA Winchester A5 scope.
    Long range rules, the rest drool.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by Don McDowell View Post
    But before you start laying out that kind of money, you might want to try shooting at a decent target.
    That is good advice. To be honest I don't know that I can shoot much better with the scope than I can with a good target and apertures sized to suit it.

    At least that holds when shooting in good light. If it's drizzling rain, like it often is here, the scope is a definite advantage.

    Chris.

  9. #9
    Boolit Master
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    Scopaholic here!

    I have a Sharps with a Leatherwood scope and an 1885 Winchester with the Leatherwood short scope





    A few points. With cartridges like the 45-70 and their rainbow trajectory, if you want to shoot much over 300 yards you need the real long tubes. These scopes are long so when the rear is raised up a few inches as you will need to do for much over 300 yds, you are not looking at your barrel. They need to pivot "way out" on the muzzle.

    ALL the Leatherwood scope mounts are horrible. They MIGHT work if you are going to set them at one distance and then lock them down. But don't even think you can change distance and that they will be repeatable.
    You can read on my web site how I had to machine a whole new rear sight for the 1885 ( www.rvbprecision.com )

    These scopes are 3/4" in diameter. They have VERY low light gathering. I took the Sharps deer hunting this past fall and couldn't use the scope at 3:30 in the afternoon if the game were in the shadows.

    The optics on all these scopes are reasonable, but they are nothing like modern scopes. Be advised.

    I removed the short scope on the 1885 and installed a good quality tang sight and a Lyman globe front sight. On paper targets with a big black bullseye, I can shoot much better groups than I could with the scope. And with 60 year old eyes, no one was more amazed than me!
    Roy B
    Massachusetts

    www.rvbprecision.com

  10. #10
    Boolit Grand Master Don McDowell's Avatar
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    Actually using the short leatherwood and the DZ unertyl rings on 7.2 inch centers , 1000 yds is quite doable. http://hepman.com/dzarms/UNERTL%20SCOPE%20MOUNTS.htm (can say that cuz I done it)
    You can also purchase the whole setup scope , mounts and bases from Buffalo Arms, but I believe going with the MVA setup would be the better route.
    Long range rules, the rest drool.

  11. #11
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    I've heard about the poor repeatability on the Leatherwood scope mounts. That was or is a worry, But My biggest worry is having to mount any scope to my barrel. The gun is a 1874 Creedmore Sharpes by Pedersoli. It is a round barrel and although it does have 3/8" dovetail cuts at the muzzle and the rear, it has no other flats to mount the scope. So I don't know if I can even mount one. Leatherwood says they have an "offset" scope mount for a round barrel, but again, their reviews don't give me a lot of confidence. Especially since the guy at Leatherwood said the "offfset" mount was to keep the scope away from the hammer (???)!!!Didn't make much sense to me..
    Now to be honest, the only range I have that is over 200 yds. is well over an hour from me, so I know I won't be driving up there very often.
    I guess I just need to wait till the IRS send me back my amended returns and see what I can afford...
    Jack
    When the government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny.
    “The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.

    Thomas Jefferson was one Smart guy. Now we need to find another one!!!
    NRA Life member since 1971, SASS
    Ret. IAFF Local 2928

  12. #12
    Boolit Grand Master Don McDowell's Avatar
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    With proper bases you only need to drill and tap 2 6x48 holes for each block.
    I mounted my DZ/Leatherwood set up on my round barreled C Sharps.
    But in all honesty I'ld bet with a good tang sight and front globe with decent aperatures you could shoot very well to 200 yds on a regulation NRA bullseye target.
    Long range rules, the rest drool.

  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy
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    OK Don, I know you are a very knowledgeable shooter, especially with the Sharps. I guess Maybe I should invest in a good Baldwin or Kelly tang sight with an adjustable iris and a good globe front sight and go for it. To be honest I would rather shoot thru iron sights, just didn't now if my old eyes would focus properly. I'll get a few of those NRA targets next week and see what I can do with the tang sight on the gun. It's an "upgraded" Pedersoli Tang.. Yeah I know it's a *** but it's all I have right now..
    Jack
    When the government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny.
    “The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.

    Thomas Jefferson was one Smart guy. Now we need to find another one!!!
    NRA Life member since 1971, SASS
    Ret. IAFF Local 2928

  14. #14
    Boolit Grand Master Don McDowell's Avatar
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    Jack that sight you have isn't the best, but for the short range you're working at it should be workable, especially if you have the "hadley" eyecup so you can get enough light thru it for your eye to work easily. It's at the longer ranges that a sloppy rear sight will jump up and bite you real hard.
    Getting a good front aperature that you and your eye both like, and a good sharp bullseye will probably work wonders.
    Long range rules, the rest drool.

  15. #15
    Boolit Man
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    I'm not an expert or verteran of Sharps shooting but ........ I did find that getting a good Globe sight made all the difference.. I too had trouble seeing the sight on the bull till I changed, then I put on a tang sight and like magic I'm hitting. I am using the better Pedersoli tang sight with a hadley cup. No complaints yet, but I haven't started BPCR shoots yet.

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    Bob Jones makes a lens that fits into a Merit aprature and there are models for various tang sights. This little lens costs around twenty-five bucks and the Merit screw in aprature is around sixty or seventy. I got one and with it you can clearly see the front sight to shoot at distance. Bob will tell you which power you need for your eyesight. They do work and work well. It allows "old eyes" to see to shoot open sights again. Look into it. Total setup around a hundred bucks and you'll be able to see to shoot.

  17. #17
    Boolit Man
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    Bob Jones?? Where do we find him...web site? @ 52 I don't have the eye sight either I once had.

  18. #18
    Boolit Master
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    The Merits mentioned are also totally illeagle for NRA BP Target rifle and Silhouette, however Period Correct scopes are, something to keep in mind if one was to try their hand at NRA competition.

    A long tube the other fella mentioned is not needed, to shoot Long range. Don is correct on that, The shorter scopes actually have more elevation, thats pretty simple mathmatics.

    I shoot a lot, and I mean alot of long range with bpcr scoped rifles, all of mine are 23 inch tube MVA's I own 4 of them the only Long Scope is a 36 inch MVA thats on my Muzzle loading Slug Gun, which is shot to 300 yards. I had special set of real tall blocks that will allow shooting to 1 mile with the Sharps.

    Most of my long range shooting is 800-900-1000 yards.

    KW
    The Lunger

  19. #19
    Boolit Grand Master Don McDowell's Avatar
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    Jack one other thing to mull over, with MVA's new Winchester A5 scope and the unertyl type mounts they offer, I believe the price tag comes out to around 650. If you do the math, by the time you get a quality vernier sight with a matching quality globe there's precious little price difference.... Something to keep in mind if you really think you want a scope.
    But when you go down to the local slobber shop , see if they have any 3/4 in. tube 22 scopes and look thru those. You'll get an idea of what the sight picture you'll have.
    Long range rules, the rest drool.

  20. #20
    Boolit Buddy
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    Hmmm, I put a short Leatherwood scope on my 1873 Winchester as I was having a hard time seeing the target with that as well. But I did fond out that the Leatherwwood "mounts"and I say "Mounts" with distain. are almost completely useless. I got the scope dead on at 100 yds. then I bumped the scope, not real hard just a little bump.... OOPS Took care of that !!!!Couldn't hit a bull in the butt with it now. Back to the range to TRY to sight it back in. So if and when I decide to mount a scope on my Sharps it will have to be a really good mount system or nothing at all.
    A really good tang sight and globe front is going to cost darn near what a good MVA scope will cost. So I'm kind of torn right now.. Don't really know what to do..
    Jack
    When the government fears the people, there is liberty. When the people fear the government, there is tyranny.
    “The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.

    Thomas Jefferson was one Smart guy. Now we need to find another one!!!
    NRA Life member since 1971, SASS
    Ret. IAFF Local 2928

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