wanting a new sharps question for the experts ?

[Preacher Curt]

hey guys any of you ever shoot , own , or know anything about ARMI SPORT SHARPS rifles ? been looking at them and they look good wondering about quality and performance .thanks in advance

preacher curt

[Major 2]

his may help you...

http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,15917.0.html

Armi Sport does a right nice Spencer and I've owned and used a few of their 61 Springfield Muskets
In fact one was a 3rd Generation Black Powder Signature Series Colt marked example....

[Dusty Ed]

Howdy Curt
They make a pretty decent rifle,Except there barrel are suspect.
I had one I won at the Friends of the NRA dinner ,it shot right along with my Pedersoli , In fact I sold to my Buddy who still shoots
in matches.
Now another friend bought one we couldn't make it shoot under 6"at 100yds.
Another feller that shoots with us bought one that he still shoots .it will shoot 3" t0 4" at one hundred yds.
That is my experance with Armi Sport.
Dusty Ed

[Yellowhouse Sam]

IMHO, I'd look at the Pedersoli/Dixie Gunworks/Taylor, etc. real strongly before I put my gold in on the Armi Sport..  Unless they've changed they are more like copies of the 1859, 1863, or 1865 actions and have big ole ugly hammers. "Slant Breech Models"

[Delmonico]

Howdy Curt
They make a pretty decent rifle,Except there barrel are suspect.
I had one I won at the Friends of the NRA dinner ,it shot right along with my Pedersoli , In fact I sold to my Buddy who still shoots
in matches.
Now another friend bought one we couldn't make it shoot under 6"at 100yds.
Another feller that shoots with us bought one that he still shoots .it will shoot 3" t0 4" at one hundred yds.
That is my experance with Armi Sport.
Dusty Ed

Check the bedding on the forearm on the one that don't shoot well.  Rifles with 2 piece stocks can suffer bedding problems as well as bolt guns, the main stream gun mags never bother with how to tune up a single shot.  My Pedersoli was good, but was better after the forearm was fit proper.

[Dusty Ed]

Howdy Dell
We tried that to no avail.I have 2 Pedersoli Sharps Rifles.
1 is a 4570 with better than 8000 rounds trough it,the 3rd of FEB. I went to a shooting match at the Tamaqua Pa.
Rifle & pistol club.
The last match was 5 bulls eyes off the bench at 100 yds. 5 shots each. the first bull was for sighting the other four for score.
I started shooting ,Blam 3 within 1"1/2 around the X ring, Next target Blam 2- 1"1/2 either side of the X ring the 3rd shot went
9 o'clock 4th shot 9 o'clock at the edge of the bulls eye,5th shot in the white at 10 o'clock.
Next Target 3 I moved the sight 1 moa to the right and started really huffing through the blow tube 10 good puffs 1rst shot
just cutting the black at 10 o'clock, 2nd shot 10 more good puffs 10 o'clock just inside the bull so I lowered the sight and moved right 1 moa., now I'm shooting again three shots within 1"1/2 around X ring .
4th target 5 at 2.0 some in". 5th target 5 at 1.90in".no x rings but all around it.
I don't think that is to bad for old metal clanger. I have never shot in a paper match with that rifle before.
;)Dusty Ed

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Howdy!

IMHO, I'd look at the Pedersoli/Dixie Gunworks/Taylor, etc. real strongly before I put my gold in on the Armi Sport..  Unless they've changed they are more like copies of the 1859, 1863, or 1865 actions and have big ole ugly hammers. "Slant Breech Models"

Taylors IS an Armi Sport.  Not sure about the Dixie.   I have had a Taylor's/Armi Sport for 6-7 years.  I like it a lot!  It's a good replica of the 1874 model with NO "big ole ugly hammer." 

There IS a "budget model" (more so than the Armis) made by IAB (I think) but I've heard good things and bad about them.  For the money they seem to be decent.  The one I handled, a Carbine version, was #A - solid, #B - the barrel looked like it was Parkerized Black, #C - wood = OK, and #D - decently priced, but IMHO the dull finish - ONLY on the barrel, by the way (looked like Matte Black or fresh new black colored Parkerizing) really detracted from the gun.

Yer mileage may vary.

[Yellowhouse Sam]

Howdy!

Taylors IS an Armi Sport.  Not sure about the Dixie.   I have had a Taylor's/Armi Sport for 6-7 years.  I like it a lot!  It's a good replica of the 1874 model with NO "big ole ugly hammer." 

There IS a "budget model" (more so than the Armis) made by IAB (I think) but I've heard good things and bad about them.  For the money they seem to be decent.  The one I handled, a Carbine version, was #A - solid, #B - the barrel looked like it was Parkerized Black, #C - wood = OK, and #D - decently priced, but IMHO the dull finish - ONLY on the barrel, by the way (looked like Matte Black or fresh new black colored Parkerizing) really detracted from the gun.

Yer mileage may vary.

Sorry bout that, I was thinking, I think, of the older Sile imports.

[Steel Horse Bailey]

No problem, pard.  I'm lucky to remember  WHO I am! 

I'll add this to my "review" of my Sharps.  When I bought it, I bought all the factory ammo the dealer had in stock - 60 rounds of Remington.  1 box (of 20) had a 350 gr. JHP bullet the other 2 boxes were a 405 gr JSP bullet.  As you know, these jacketed rounds AREN'T legal in SASS or NCOWS competition, but I wasn't worried ... I wanted #1 some rounds to go downrange and #2 the empty cases to load with PROPER lead bullets powered by Black Powder.  The 60 rounds of smokeyless powdered ammo shot right to my capabilities.  I spent the next couple frustrating years TRYING to get some 405 gr. Meister hard-cast, SPG lubed bullets to actually hit the target!  (A steel target, buffalo - about the size of a calf - at ranges over 200 yds.)  I'm NOT the best target or  bullseye shooter, but given my CAR 15, Garand, K98, M44 or Rem 742 I can hit what I aim at consistently at 300-350 yds. probably 95% of the time.  I was VERY distressed.  THEN, I tried some soft 20-1 lead bullets.  WHAT A DIFFERENCE!  Compared to my pards GW and French Jack, I'm still not very good, but I'm up to about 50% hits - on a good day.    The moral of this story:  Hard lead and BP should not be mixed (in most cases), and LOTS of good quality lube is a very  important part of the equation!  I've since loaded some of the last of those Meister Hard-casts using IMR 4198 and they do fine - actually better that the 405 bullets and BP.  I'm just starting to try some 535 gr soft lead Postells, but since there is nearly NO place I can shoot over 100 yds. well ... "practice makes perfect" and I get nearly ZERO practice!  I'm also going to go with Del's suggestion regarding the front forestock, when possible.

I STILL really enjoy shooting my Armi Sport! 

[Delmonico]

SHB, the Dixie and Navy Arms marked ones are Pedersoli's.  Mine says Dixie on it, came with a instrution book that said Pedersoli.

[Cherokee Bodie]

New shooter in long range. Have a 74 Armi Sharps sport in 45/70. Like most everything about the gun so far although I wish I had gone for a little more as far as dressing up  the piece. Happy with the finish and fit and seems to shoot where I point it. Love the sound and feel of the big bore thumper. The quaility seems as good as any although most of my other guns are Uberti's SAA and open tops, Henrys, yada,yada,yada so I am not an expert by any means and don't have a lot of experence with other manufactures.
Ok see ya when the smoke clears
Cherokee

[Steel Horse Bailey]

SHB, the Dixie and Navy Arms marked ones are Pedersoli's.  Mine says Dixie on it, came with a instrution book that said Pedersoli.

OK!

Glen, that's what I wasn't sure about - the onliest one I know fer sure  is that the Taylor's is Armi Sport.  Like I said in my narrative, I'm searching for an accurate load still ... but I suspect that the gun has less to do with it than I do. 

At the time that I bought mine, there was about a $400 difference between the A.S. and the Pedersolis, - it made quite a bit of difference in the overall worth of the gun.  I was able to outfit mine with a good quality Lee Shaver Soule mid-range sight AND buy some more cases, bullets, primers and BP with that "extra" $400.  I don't think that's possible now, however.

WHATEVER you buy, you'll have fun!

[Dusty Ed]

Howdy Bailey
If you want shoot like an expert,go to
www.Buffalo Arms.com, hit Books , A-B, page 2,Right at the top in center is Blackpowder Cartridge Reloading Primer.
This book is written by Steve Garbe and Mike Venturino who are both Champion Silhoette Shooters.
If you follow the directions and your barrel is any good you will be shooting in the 2 MOA. the next time out to range.
Dusty Ed

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Howdy Bailey
If you want shoot like an expert,go to
www.Buffalo Arms.com, hit Books , A-B, page 2,Right at the top in center is Blackpowder Cartridge Reloading Primer.
This book is written by Steve Garbe and Mike Venturino who are both Champion Silhoette Shooters.
If you follow the directions and your barrel is any good you will be shooting in the 2 MOA. the next time out to range.
Dusty Ed

Thanks for the tip, Dusty Ed.

[mrbig6045]

i looked at armi sport and pedersoli,settled onthe pedersoli,a quigley model and im not sorry i didmaybe its just personal preference but i prefer the pedersoli,

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Hey - Mr. Big, if money weren't an object, I'd choose the Pedersoli over the Armi Sport I bought.  A good friend has both a Pedersoli and a Shiloh Sharps, and to MY eyes, the Pedersoli looked BETTER!  It had better metal finish and metal-to-wood fit.  I was QUITE surprised~!  I've pretty much heard that the sun rises and sets on the Shiloh guns!      (Followed closely or the same about C Sharps guns)  Haven't shot them, 'tho, for a complete comparison.

[Fox Creek Kid]

A good friend has both a Pedersoli and a Shiloh Sharps, and to MY eyes, the Pedersoli looked BETTER!  It had better metal finish and metal-to-wood fit.

Then you need to see an opthalmologist ASAP. 

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Then you need to see an opthalmologist ASAP. 

Kid, I know you meant that in fun, and I hope you take THIS in good spirit but you simply don't know what you're talking about - in reference to THIS gun.  I have seen numerous Pedersolis.  All looked about the same - an excellent value.  I have seen exactly ONE Shiloh Sharps up close.  I looked it over VERY closely and at length - with a Pedersoli Quigley model on the same table, and it simply was NOT any better looking than the Pedersoli sitting right next to it.  Not a bit.  I assure you, sir, my eyes were not at fault.  I'm not slamming Shiloh - I simply stated that the ONLY Shiloh Sharps I ever got to actually see, touch, operate and smell (no, I didn't try to TASTE it  ) was no better than ANY of the perhaps 10-12 Pedersolis I had the same opportunity to study!  I DIDN'T get to shoot either gun, so I can't report on the most important characteristic!  I just talked "looks" here, pard.

Perhaps what I saw was a dreaded "Friday afternoon" gun.  There are WAY too many folks who know these big rifles much better than I do (including probably yourself, FCK) who swear by the Shiloh guns as being pretty much the top of the heap, so I'm not going to try to make ANYONE believe that what I saw was typical of all their guns.  I've seen the website pictures - and THIS gun wouldn't have been featured there!

Keep yer powder dry!

[Fox Creek Kid]

S.H.B., I too have seen some nice Pedersoli rifles. However, there are glaring defects in their design as compared to original Sharps. They use the percussion bridle and not the correct later bridle as used by Shiloh. You can easily tell this by noticing the screw in front of the hammer on the Shiloh. And as Mike Venturino said, the forearm on the Pedersoli is also "goofy". Their case colors are sometimes awful.

I own a closet full of Italian guns and love them, but when it comes to the Sharps rifle the Shiloh is clearly a better made weapon. American walnut & not European. It's also made by Americans and that's a plus. I've never known a person who regretted buying a Shiloh and almost all who get into serious BPCR usually get one and sell their Pedersoli. Every Pedersoli owner I've known said they eventually felt like a Honda owner at a Harely show after some time in BPCR competition shooting as at any major BPCR shoot easily 95% or more of the Sharps are Shilohs which says something.

I think the Pedersoli is a great starter rifle for some to learn the ins & outs. However, if you can save $1,000 then you can wait a little longer & save $2,000 to get a Shiloh. Made by Americans for Americans.   

S.H.B., perhaps what you saw was a lemon. Every Shiloh I've seen was great. I own two and plan to buy more. 

[Johnny McCrae]

Bought an Armi-Sport .45-70 Sharps from Taylors last October. Cost was a bit of an issue with me. I'm certainly not an expert on firearms by any means but I've been pretty happy with this rifle so far. Any problems with accuracy will be a result of my old eyes. I'm still learning how to shoot it and will eventually reload black powder cartridges for this rifle.

The only problem I had with this rifle was the reddish maroon tint on the finish. I stripped off the stock finish and put a hand oiled finish on. IMHO it was a big improvement in the overall appearance.

Can't wait for our Wisconsin weather to break so I can shoot it again.