Armi Sport Sharps

[Fiddler Green]

Anyone have an Armi Sport Sharps?

If so, what are they like?

Any good?

Bruce

[Ranch 13]

The exterior finish on mine is pretty good. The internals of the lock and trigger are a mess, they aren't finished or fit very well, and a bottle of blue loctite is a handy thing to keep around just to keep the screws where they should be.
The firing pin will always leave a drag mark on the case from lowering/raising the breach block, even with some careful filing and fitting it still leaves adull mark. I also think the breechblock might be to soft.
The interior finish of the barrel is pretty good, and it will shoot with the best of them. Problem is it's chambered long and will almost chamber a 45-90 case. So it's either necessary to deal with alot of leading, or trim 45-90 cases down to 2.25 to get the leading situation under control.
I pretty much gave up on the rifle as a heavy shooter when the sear broke, it took two weeks and nearly 70$ and alot of phone calls to get Taylors to send me a new one. When the new one did arrive it took about 2 hours to get the new one fit to the point the lock would work.
Other than that she's cherry

[Marshal Deadwood]

Pay the wee bit more for a Pedersoli.  You will have to pay it out anyways in repairs and fixes if you do go Armi route.

MD

[Fiddler Green]

Pay the wee bit more for a Pedersoli.  You will have to pay it out anyways in repairs and fixes if you do go Armi route.

MD

Wee bit more?!?

For a comperable 50/90, they are almost twice the price. That's why I asked.

Bruce

[Marshal Deadwood]

Furthers my point in case.

One gets what one pays for. You can get a Pedersoli 'Business Rifle' for 1000 dollars.

For a gun that is top quality, that is NOT unreasonable. How much decoration one wishes to pay  for from  that point is up to the individual. But decoration on a sub-par rifle is building a house on sand.

The reviews outta be running up dozens of red flags.

MD

[ndnchf]

Any brand can have a lemon, even the top end US made Sharps.  I had a Pedersoli that was pretty bad.  Poor fitting wood, rough lock internals and a mainspring so soft it would not fire reliably. 

You definately get what you pay for.  I think the likelihood of problems with a Pedersoli is less than with an Armi.  But a Shiloh or C. Sharps is likely to be far better than either of them.  I can't speak for C. Sharps, but Shiloh service is top notch.  I've never had a problem with my Shiloh, but they have always given prompt answers to my questions and shipped spares I ordered out right away.

I'd recommend saving your money and buy the best you can afford.

[Fiddler Green]

Kind'a why I asked. I really haven't seen any reviews of the Armi Sport. I'm not looking for another 45/70....got that one covered.

I wanted a heavy 50/90. The latest Buffalo Arms catalog lists the Pedersoli 1874 Big 50 at $2,193, the Armi, Billy Dixon, at $1,083 and the Armi Quigley at $1,205.  Now, niether of the Armi rifles come a long range Soule rear sight (the Pedersoli does), but, I've got one I can put on it. The Perdersoli has a half round barrel where both the Armi's have the full octogon I prefer. All have double set triggers.

The Cimmeron 50/90 High Walls are  in the $1,400 range and only come in a 30" barrel. Besides, I really want to get a "Sharps".

Bruce

[Fiddler Green]

Any brand can have a lemon, even the top end US made Sharps.  I had a Pedersoli that was pretty bad.  Poor fitting wood, rough lock internals and a mainspring so soft it would not fire reliably. 

You definately get what you pay for.  I think the likelihood of problems with a Pedersoli is less than with an Armi.  But a Shiloh or C. Sharps is likely to be far better than either of them.  I can't speak for C. Sharps, but Shiloh service is top notch.  I've never had a problem with my Shiloh, but they have always given prompt answers to my questions and shipped spares I ordered out right away.

I'd recommend saving your money and buy the best you can afford.

Funny, but a local BP shooter with a huge collection of BP rifles was unimpressed with the two C. Sharps he's owned.  He siad they were simply not worth the extra cost.

Bruce

[Marshal Deadwood]

Fiddler,,ya shot the 50-90Sharps any ? I have never fired one,,,,but I bet that is a testosterone rifle for sure !

I have pondered a military '74 in 50-70....

...then again,,a 50-90 would be a bad boy,,,and for causal a fella could load it down a bit,,then stoker'er for hunting...but hey,,,I love the thump,,so I'm intrigued by a 50-90.

The 45-70s seem a wee mild at times, even when stoked.

MD

[Fiddler Green]

Fiddler,,ya shot the 50-90Sharps any ? I have never fired one,,,,but I bet that is a testosterone rifle for sure !

I have pondered a military '74 in 50-70....

...then again,,a 50-90 would be a bad boy,,,and for causal a fella could load it down a bit,,then stoker'er for hunting...but hey,,,I love the thump,,so I'm intrigued by a 50-90.

The 45-70s seem a wee mild at times, even when stoked.

MD

I agree about the 45-70.

I fired one shot out of a 50-90.....and won a Billy Dixon shoot.
I've fired one other shot out of a Sharps. That was a 45-110.....and won a Billy Dixon shoot with that shoot too.

I've got a good string going with the Sharps!

Bruce

[sabre85rdj]

I'm new to the forum but I thought I'd stir this pot a little more just for the entertainment value.  I bought an ARMI 1874 Sharps .45-70 last April just in time for the Quigley shoot.  I didn't have time to set up the rifle before going to the shoot in June.  I installed Lee Shaver's front and tang sights and that was about all I had time for before leaving for the shoot.  In fact, I tried to get my rifle sighted in at the local shooting range in Forsyth and couldn't keep the bullets on the 200 yd paper target at 100 yds. I was shooting 535 gr cast bullets with 24.0 grains of 5744 powder.  I was having a terrible time with keyholing and bullets flying everywhere.  I was disappointed to say the least. So I called the gunsmith, Lee Shaver, to get some advice.  He said my problem was because I was shooting smokeless, cast bullets and the long chamber previously mentioned and that if I used some filler between the powder and the bullet it would prevent the hot gases from torching the cast bullet.  BTW, the rifle shot great with jacketed bullets that I had purchased as my control load.  Anyway, I followed his advice and used a wadding disk on top of the powder and corn meal as filler.  The rifle shot sub one inch groups at 100 yards.  At the Quigley, I hit 7 of 8 on the 350yd off-hand targets.  The 783 yd buffalo target was hit 7 of 8 times in a 6 mph crosswind after the Quigley was over. I only hit the buffalo once during the match because I was moving my windage adjustment the wrong way and didn't figure it out in time.  Two weeks ago I took it to the local range and shot off-hand at steel chickens at 200 yds with pretty good success.  This rifle can shoot as long as I use the filler.  I'd really like to find a way to avoid having to use the filler but it's a shooter with it. 

The finish on my rifle is good and I've not had any problems with the lock works as others have mentioned.  I got the triggers set to they release conistently which  I hope will improve my off-hand a little.   I've probably only put 300 rounds through it but so far so good.   I'm a firm believer that you get what you pay for but a Shilo would buy me 3 cars the way I buy them...but I've been told I'm just cheap.

[Ranch 13]

Sabre I hope your Armi/Taylor treats you well, and that they have cleaned up some of the QC problems. My rifle will and has shot with and beat in matches some of the Big Timber made guns. It went the distance for the Quigley again this year, but I would caution you to keep close track on the screws in the lock, and watch the hammer screw very close. And don't be shocked should you put the rifle to your shoulder cock the hammer and the gun goes off because the screws in the trigger assembly have worked loose.
And be prepared for a long wait, and a couple of good hours filing, stoning and fitting the new sear when the old one breaks and won't let the gun fire anyway but with the front trigger only.

[sabre85rdj]

Thanks for the advice Ranch, I'll do that.  I enjoy taking fiddling with the rifle so I'll keep close watch on those screws.   Wouldn't a drop of lock tight blue keep things in place?  Can I ask when your rifle was produced?  I guess I'm really hoping they got their QC right but I guess time will tell.  Anyway, I appreciate the advice.

[Ranch 13]

The rifle was bought new 5 maybe 6 years ago.
Yes blue loctite is your friend. I'ld almost think you'ld do well to take the lock out now and check the screws if they're the least bit loose loctite them all. Loctite the trigger screws now, cuz that's one nasty surprise when that little screw behind the back trigger backs out about 1 turn
Once you figure out how to best deal with that long chamber, and get to using some good black powder that rifle should shoot well.
I do know of one fella that has to have the local machinist mill him firing pins as none of the replacements from Taylor will fit, niether will Shiloh, CSA, or Pedersoli pins. It's always advisable no matter what make of Sharps rifle to carry a spare firing pin as they do tend to break now and again, and the easiest way to figure its broke, is accuracy will go to pot unexplained.

[sabre85rdj]

Ranch, I took the time this evening to check the screws you mentioned.  Every one was loose just as you said.  I could see how if they got much looser that it could tear things up.   I tightened all of them but when they were tight, it bound up the shear.  It looks like the parts will need a little tuning to be able to tighten the screws and get the lock to work properly.  I'll have to use some loctite to keep things tightened up. Once I snugged them down, it changed the trigger break characteristics.  I'm not exactly sure why that happened but I'll have to fiddle around with it.    I appreciate you sharing your experience with me, it probably have saved me a lot of trouble down the road. 

I also took time to drop the falling block out so I could clean out the firing area and check the pin.  I noticed the firing pin is a separate piece from the firing pin transfer bar.  I could probably make a replacement pin easily enough on my lathe out of some drill rod but the transfer bar looks to be a little more difficult.  I may give it a go some weekend when it's too rainy to work outside.  Was it the transfer bar or firing pin that you mentioned broke?

Best Regards

[Ranch 13]

 The firing pin is what will break on a 74 sharps, the transfer bars are a bit tougher. Might just want to call Taylors and get a couple of firing pins with springs, and a lever spring on their way to you. That way you'll have the most likely to quit parts in your shooting box, and can be back up and running in 5 minutes or less. You'll want to fit those firing pins when they come in that way you know they'll be ok if it quits in the middle of a match.
The trigger pull characteristics changed because the bridle over the sear was loose and now with the screws tight the sear will drag the bridle. You can either stone off the inside of the bridle, or tighten the screws clear up then back them out to where you want them, then remove them loctite and set the screws to where you want.
While we've got the thing apart its also a good time to use some inletting black and get the lock and trigger properly inletted into the stock, to help smooth and speed lock and trigger time a bit.
Yes you can save some money buying one of these over a Big Timber made rifle, but if you're going to run the rifle hard,and do a lot of competetion, it pays to figure the amount of time you'll spend polishing things up to where they should be, and the cost of a rifle where that's all been done, and the only thing left to do is load workup.

[Delmonico]

I'm going to add this in case anyone wants to try it, has worked well for me for 20 some years.  I use teflon plumbers tape now instead of Blue Lock-tite.  It stays just as well, but is easier to clean up before putting the gun back together.  Also won't leak in a shooting box.

[drcook]

I also use Teflon tape. I wrap the barrel threads on Stevens rifles so that they are just a tad tighter and
have no metal to metal contact. One drawback of the interchangeable barrel design of the Stevens
44 1/2's is that if you take them apart too many times, you can cause undue thread wear. I tend to
leave mine together, but Teflon helps. There is a setscrew that locks the barrel in place, and I use
Teflon on it also, keeps it from working loose as Delmonico said.

dc

[Ranch 13]

Well that might proove to be a good use for teflon tape,  Cuz I sure don't like it for plumbing

[Delmonico]

Well that might proove to be a good use for teflon tape,  Cuz I sure don't like it for plumbing

Give it a try, you might like it.