Sighting in the latest Sharps, this thing will shoot

[shrapnel]

I bought a Shiloh Sharps at the MOGA banquet a year ago January. I was just bidding it up to see that it fetched good money for MOGA and ended up owning the gun. I didn't have the money, but soon sold enough stuff to pay for it. I'm glad I did, it went to a good organization that helps all sorts of people to get out and enjoy hunting.

I am slow to get excited about black powder, as it is so dirty and everything about it is time consuming . Mike Venturino does this kind of shooting all the time and loaned me his loads that he uses in competition. I tried them out and without blowing down the barrel or cleaning the gun, I just sat down at the bench and started shooting.

This gun/load combination have some real potential. I shot the target pictured with nothing more than a mid-range MVA sight and a post front sight. This was at 100 yards and the single holes are just getting the sights to where I can do fine tuning. The 3-2 shot groups were getting the gun to where I could shoot it to point of aim, which was the last single shot in the red. Next is to duplicate this load and then attend some of those dirty, slow events with Mike...

[Jamestown John]

Beautiful Sharps!

Jamestown John

[Blackpowder Burn]

I see the virus has taken hold - you're a gonner! 

After the first time I shot real black powder, I couldn't stand the thought of smokeless any more.  I love my 38-55 and 45-70 lever guns and 40-65 Highwall with BP - they've never known anything else.  And I have plans for a Shiloh when I can accumulate the funds.

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[Madnumdood]

Beautiful rifle and some "Sharp" groups. (I couldn't help it)

[Yellowhouse Sam]

Could it be?  You are the original Shrapnel that MLV reports on so often?  If so, its a pleasure to be on the same forum as a celebrity!

[shrapnel]

Not only could it be, but it is true, I be that shrapnel. There is more to all the stories than what MLV has written. I asked him about it once and why he didn't write about the good things I have done. His reply..."You can have justice or fame, but you can't have both".

There are more stories yet unwritten, but most people can't believe one person could do it all. We do spend a lot of time buying/selling/trading guns. Then we go to his range and shoot them. We will be doing just that, soon enough, if the rain ever stops. Mike has gotten into the WWII armament and we are going to have a rifle match with those guns.

I have been able to have enough different guns over the years that I have helped with some of his books. He did write a little about that in his Lever Action book, but he is still slow to say much nice about me...

[Yellowhouse Sam]

Well, if he treats you like I do my friends that means he thinks a lot of you.