Original 1874 Sharps Pics?

[Ace Lungger]

 :)Great Post Fellows,
Anyone that has read this post knows the Billy Dixon Story, and we know it to be True! I have allways wonder, and maybe because I didn't ever watch the Intro, I don't my self know if the Quiely Down Under was a True Story or not? But it was a Great movie, and I have watched it many times! Since I am not Super educated on Sharps like you all are, I don't know what year that rifle was! I would have to have several of them up close for me to tell the diff., It could of been a 1849, 1851,1859, I thought they made a 1863  ??, or 1874, and I guess I have never seen a 1875 ? But buy watching the movie, we know it was a wild cat center fire, so the butt stock had to came of a pre 1874 I think?? And as I mentioned before, was this a true story?
This will sound crazy (everyone that knows me, knows I am crazy) But wouldn't it be AWESOME to go back and see the shot Billy Dixon made!!!
Someday I would like to buy a better Brand Name Sharps Rifle, but I want them all!!!! But you see that crazy people do a lot of dreaming. I go over and spend some time at the Home Gun Smithing Forums, some of those guys can build and do build what ever they want!!
I just wanted to jump in here, and talk, and tell everyone THanks for the Pic's of those AWESOME Rifles.

Later ACE

[Ransom Gaer]

Ace,

The rifle used in Quigley is an 1874 pattern rifle.  It was made by Shiloh for the movie.  I think part of the reason it looks a little "different" is that it has features of a number of various models.  It looks to me like a Sporting Rifle with a military buttstock and  a patchbox.

The .45-110 was available as a Sharps cartridge from the factory in about 1876.  So strictly speaking it wasn't a wildcat cartridge.  It also wasn't that commonly used I suspect.  I found this information in Frank Sellers book on the Sharps Firearms.

I got the 2009 Shiloh Sharps catalog in the mail last week.  This noon I priced out what it would cost to get one equipped the way I want one(dream gun).  I'm gonna have to save my pennies.  I'm looking at close to $3600.00 when all is said and done.  And I want a pretty plain sporting rifle with MVA sights and a bull barrel.

Shrapnel,  I like your original 1874 Sharps rifle.  It is also nice you can still use it after all this time.

Ransom Gaer

[James Hunt]

Someone was speaking of conversion carbines - they are the last great value for original Sharps rifles, most can be had for less than a big timber rifle. I ponied up $1100 for the one above and it has given me a fair amount of fun. It has no blueing or case colors and the forestock is a little rough but the bore is mint. The inspectors stamp can still be seen on the stock. It shoots about pie plate groups at 100 yards but that might be the sights, at their lowest setting it does shoot 9 inches high and don't know how to figure that out. No wonder the troops couldn't hit any hostiles. If you see one at a show with a reasonably tight action and a decent bore - don't pass her up. They are fun to shoot and a decent woods deer gun.

By the way, about the .45 2 7/8 cartridge not being much used, Sellers comments that was true on the eastern target range, but for a few years in the mid-to late seventies it was THE cartridge on the buffalo range. I have a 32 inch heavy barrel Shiloh in that cartridge and it is great to shoot but not so fun to carry. By the way the .45 2 7/8 is a tough cartridge to load for, you have to get all things right. My 28 inch heavy barrel .50-70 Shiloh is much better to carry and a joy to load and shoot. The .50-70 is much like the .45-70 in that no particular care need be made when loading. I pretty much dump the powder after a moment on the scales, don't even bother with a wad, compress about .3 of an inch and shove the bullet in. No excessive fouling, can keep on target with no blow tube use for a full  twenty rds. Can't do that with a .45 2 7/8.

[James Hunt]

Joss: It is great to hear from you, with several inches of snow on the ground and the temp in the 20's here today I think of you in southern CA and become bitter (why did I ever move back to Michigan!!!!) 

There are no unit marks, or other military marks on the carbine other than a faint inspectors stamp on the stock. The bore is bright and shiny believe it or not.

The belt plate is original, however the belt is repro, the cap box (which has been converted to pistol rds.) is marked and is original, the Hagner cartridge box is original and made for .50 gvt. The holster is repro from David Carrico.

The sword is an original 1872 officer's saber with original scabbard, what is cool about it is that it has the officers initials and the year 1876 inscribed on the scabbard.

The cartridge on the bottom is original to the period.

Best Regards, and I hope it is raining where your at!!!!! 

[shrapnel]

James,

I have had 2 original Sharps conversion carbines and both of them had great bores. It should be a 3 groove barrel, or you might have a 52 caliber barrel, which would explain such big groups. Both of mine shot real well, around 2 inches at 100 yards.

If it is an original carbine, the front sight will have a pin holding in the front blade. You can replace that front sight quite easily with a couple of nickels soldered together and then filed thinner until they fit the slot tightly. The pin in the sight is usually near the very top of the slot, so care is needed when removing it so you don't ruin the ability to pin the replacement sight once you have made it.

If you file the sight to fit the entire slot from front to rear, and leave plenty of sight sticking upward from the barrel about 1/4 of an inch out of the slot, you should have enough front sight to bring the gun back down on target at about 100 yards. You just have to remember to start with enough height on the front sight so you can file it down to the desired level to make the gun shoot-able.

These guns very often had good bores, as they were sleeved during the conversion from percussion to centerfire, then many of them never saw much service afterwards.

[James Hunt]

Shrapnel: The carbine is an 1868 with 3 groove. Appreciated your comments, did not really want to fool with its original status. But it suggests to me that the .50 gvt shot to a different poa than my reloads. All interesting. Regards, Jim

[Fox Creek Kid]

THE best all 'round 50-70 load per my experiences is to slowly drop tube a WEIGHED 70 gr. GOEX FFg into the case & then seat a Lyman 450 gr. Gov't bullet ALL THE WAY in so as to crimp just above the last groove. It compresses the powder but boy howdy does it shoot! No wad. It's the load I use in my Shiloh 50-70 Military Rifle with 1 in 36" twist (Farmingdale). Yours probably has the 1 in 48" twist but try this load. 

[drcook]

Gentlemen,

a friend (no not me) has the below rifle for sale. it is a c.sharps in 50-90. go over to gunbroker and do a
search on 50-90

dc

[shrapnel]

As I am always looking for another gun to put in my safe, I came across this beauty that was in Mike Venturino's safe.
I convinced him he needed another machine gun and I bought this to get him some money for his next purchase. It
is an original Sharps carbine and in good shape to boot. I had to make a new front sight for it so I could shoot it
without it hitting so high at closer ranges.













It is a real nice gun and I took it rabbit hunting last weekend and shot rabbits with it. Is a 50-70 for rabbits "Too much gun?"
It is accurate too, nothing but head shots.

[Ten Wolves Fiveshooter]

  I'd say they never knew what hit them, Nice rifle for sure it looks like it's been well kept, thanks for sharing.


                                    tEN wOLVES 

[Fox Creek Kid]

Kirk, is your carbine lined?

[Henry4440]

SN 156857. Cal. Appears to be 40-70 or 40-90 Sharps straight. This extraordinary rifle has a 34-1/4" extremely heavy oct bbl, 1-3/4" across the flats at the muzzle & weighs 25 lbs.

[Fox Creek Kid]

There were at least two made at that weight, one octagonal, as shown, & the other round per the Sellers book. Interestingly, Shiloh has made a few like that recently. Wouldn't want to lug that around in the timber!!

[shrapnel]

Kirk, is your carbine lined?

Yes it is and I shoot a .512 sized bullet in it with great accuracy.