45/120 sharps

[catkiller45]

excellent reading.I have a 45-120 but have not really shot it a lot...I don't think the recoil is that severe..But the 45-70 is a lot nicer to shoot....John

[kevan]

I likely wouldn't have a 45-120 if it wasn't for my Dear Wife's wanting to go to an estate sale 7 or 8 years ago. During the course of looking at the stuff, the hostess said her late husband had a new old-looking rifle and that perked my interest.
It turned out to be a '74 Shiloh 45-3 1/4 LRE unfired. The lady mentioned that her late husband loaded some ammo and never got around to firing it.
She wouldn't take more than $ 750.00 for it because it had been a gift from an older brother-in -law also deceased and nobody wanted it because it was so ugly.
Needless to say , I took it and along with the rifle came loading dies, a big bag of brass and 20 loaded rounds....loaded with Hornady 500 gr. RN.
They were the last thing I'd ever dream of using in the big gun and I'm glad I didn't because after pulling all the bullets I found loaded with ahout 60 gr. of a 4350-type powder and the other 10 with about 70 gr. of some Black Powder.
I have no idea of when it was made...the receiver is stamped Big Timber and the barrel is marked C.Sharps. and it has a 4-digit serial #

As for shooting it I have a couple Brooks moulds made for me and a bunch of different 45-70 moulds ....seems to shoot several different bullets very well.
Recoil ?....no problem , the gun weighs over 13 lbs.

[catkiller45]

sounds like you did well on the deal. I am using 2 f goex powder right now. after the holidays i am going to try some 1 f goex...i like the lyman 457125 round nose bullet...i am also going to try my hand at paper patching....have a good holiday...john

[BPCR Bill]

I've had a 45-2 7/8 Shiloh for 13 years now and I love it. The 45-120-3.25 is the basic case you will encounter, and most likely purchase to trim to 2.875" if you have the 110. That being said, and I'll re-hash Charlies take on this, is the 45-120 is of questionable origins lost in the mists of history. At least as far as I've been able to ascertain in Frank Sellers great book on the Sharps. The 110 was the longest case offered by the Christian Sharps company back in the day. My Shiloh with the #1 heavy barrel at 34" weighs in at 14.5 pounds, and I shoot it at long range matches exclusivley now. Not the best offhand rifle as stated before. Like Bruce, my first Shiloh was the 50-90-2.5", in the light Buisness rifle at 9.5 pounds, and I was younger and more macho. I sold it and never looked back to that caliber again. A few years back, a shooting acquantance in Montana showed up with a new Shiloh with the BIG barrel, a 16 pounder, in 50-90. He had ordered a Brooks 650 gr mould, and man did that rifle shoot SWEET! The weight really soaked up the recoil, and if I ever get the money together that's the deal for me. My shooting partner in Montana has an original '69 Sharps conversion in 45-2 7/8, and it has the original 16 pound barrel on it as well. He's taken moose with it, and I think an elk or 2. No telling the history of that rifle and how many Buffalo it took down in it's day! Some of you that frequent the Quigley have probably seen it on the line. The brass for the 45-110 probably won't be much cheaper than the basic 3.25" brass, but I have some better news for you. When I got my 110, the RCBS dies set me back $190 at the time. They're alot less expensive now! No matter how big a cartridge you want to go, just remember the weight factor and just how brutal these rifles can be. Shiloh does offer the 16 pound barrels for the big 50 and the big 45's, but they come at a price.

Regards,
Bill

[BPCR Bill]

I likely wouldn't have a 45-120 if it wasn't for my Dear Wife's wanting to go to an estate sale 7 or 8 years ago. During the course of looking at the stuff, the hostess said her late husband had a new old-looking rifle and that perked my interest.
It turned out to be a '74 Shiloh 45-3 1/4 LRE unfired. The lady mentioned that her late husband loaded some ammo and never got around to firing it.
She wouldn't take more than $ 750.00 for it because it had been a gift from an older brother-in -law also deceased and nobody wanted it because it was so ugly.
Needless to say , I took it and along with the rifle came loading dies, a big bag of brass and 20 loaded rounds....loaded with Hornady 500 gr. RN.
They were the last thing I'd ever dream of using in the big gun and I'm glad I didn't because after pulling all the bullets I found loaded with ahout 60 gr. of a 4350-type powder and the other 10 with about 70 gr. of some Black Powder.
I have no idea of when it was made...the receiver is stamped Big Timber and the barrel is marked C.Sharps. and it has a 4-digit serial #

As for shooting it I have a couple Brooks moulds made for me and a bunch of different 45-70 moulds ....seems to shoot several different bullets very well.
Recoil ?....no problem , the gun weighs over 13 lbs.

C-Sharps is just down the road from Shiloh, but they make a fine rifle as well. That rifle probably has a Badger barrel on it, nothing to sniffle at. You got one SWEET deal!

Bill

[Kenny Wasserburger]

My 25 Lb Sharps in 45-110 aka the 2-7/8ths will be done some time late Jan or early Feb.

Wait to you see 3 of these monsters on the line at the Q! or perhaps come to the Mile match in MAY.

The Lunger

[kevan]

After buying the big rifle ( big for me ) I have to admit I was a bit skeptical because of having heard so much negative from " It'll kick you silly, to cost you a fortune to shoot, to the thing isn't historically correct "
The darn thing is a whole bunch of fun to play with .....I also have a Browning BPCR 45-70 with an MVA scope which I started shooting long range competitively and gave up when my shooting partner and mentor died suddenly.
We have a cabin on a lake 4 hours from home and that is where I play mostly with the BP rifles. At least a couple days a year in the fall I take the Shiloh out for a walk in the hills just in case I'll run across a nice Mulie or maybe a Moose.
So far the Shiloh has accounted for a 4 point buck and an unwary coyote...neither required a second shot.
After hiking for a day with a 13 lb rifle especially when one has a cabinet full of 7 lb "mountain rifles" I have to wonder if my 63 yr. old brain has taken a Time Out !!
As much as its fun to go quadding, theres nothing like lugging the the Big Boy for a day or two.....

[cajun shooter]

Bruse B, If you need to dispose of that old black powder that you have laying around, I can and will accept it. I will put it to good use and if you need some of it back, I will return any unused powder. Sounds like a good idea don't you think?

[BPCR Bill]

My 25 Lb Sharps in 45-110 aka the 2-7/8ths will be done some time late Jan or early Feb.

Wait to you see 3 of these monsters on the line at the Q! or perhaps come to the Mile match in MAY.

The Lunger

I am toying with the idea of having mine rebarreled at Shiloh, but the $750 price tag is what I paid for my first complete Shiloh rifle 20 years ago. Yer gonna need a draft horse to haul those rifles around the line.

[Kenny Wasserburger]

Norma,

Also makes the 45 case in 2.90 inches this works best for the 2-7/8ths case and its cheaper then the 3.25 case.

Midway and Buffalo Arms sell this brass.

The Lunger

[Don McDowell]

BPCR Bill if you get a chance to make it to Kenny's shoot you won't be disappointed. His range is a good one, and the match is an excellent challenge.

You long cased shooters watch the bargain cave at Cabela's also, they sell the Norma stuff regular and once in awhile get it on sale in the bargain cave.