Winchester 73 or Pedersoli Sharps

Which would you choose; 73, Sharps or something else

  • Winchester 73 in .357

    Votes: 18 42.9%
  • Pedersoli Sharps in 45-70

    Votes: 19 45.2%
  • Other

    Votes: 5 11.9%

  • Total voters
    42
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I own both a '73 (Sporting Rifle, Miroku, .45 Colt) and a Shiloh Sharps (Hartford, 45-70); I struggle with the choice presented as to me, these are very different animals (except for the Old West heritage). One is a light, fast-handling, pistol cartridge, lever/ repeater and the other is a single shot, large rifle cartridge, heavy/ slow handling monster; I view these as two very different uses and interests - my tastes/ mind does not put them even close to a one or the other category - I view these rifles as very different forms of shooting fun. I guess I am not much help other than buy the rifle/ style that grabs you the strongest. Good shooting.

Yah, I realize they’re pretty different. I’ve used both, or similar rifles in both, and I would enjoy and be happy with either, but can only get one.

I’ve never done any long range shooting, but I have plenty of space at the in-laws in Nebraska. Seems a waste not to use it. On the other hand, most of the shooting I currently do there is off-hand, unknown distance plinking at steel plates or other stuff. Basically, I wander around and have fun shooting. The 73 is a much better fit for that.

Which do you use/enjoy more?
 
Between the two I have always wanted a single shot rifle in .45-70. The Pedersoli Sharps would be a great choice.
 
I'm into longer range precision shooting so I'd vote the Pedersoli Sharps. I've looked at these at my local Cabela's and they look nicely made and finished. Get a full tang Lyman sight for it and your good to go. I also like the idea of BPCR...I've been a hand loader for nearly 40 years and enjoy developing loads almost as much as shooting. Since I shoot cap & ball revolvers, I have a fondness for the dark side.

Cheers,

Harry
 
DAP90, I use both about the same for range fun and deer hunting; both are well made and accurate rifles but both bring a different interest at the time of use - almost a mood thing - what will be fun today. They can both get boring also bringing a desire to shoot something else next time - once a load is developed and the rifle is sighted in for the desired distance (usually 100 yards for my old eyes), that's that - it will do the exact same thing next time I shoot it. So again I am not much help as I am speaking of apples and oranges; I would guess that the '73 will provide more action and the Sharps more concentration. Follow your gut.
 
The Murdoch's store in Parker, CO, has a Miroku Winnie '73 .357 in the rack right now. New, not used. It's nice, I've fondled it.

Just sayin'......
 
I vote Other.

I have seen several new production Winchester 1873s at gun shows in the past 4 months and honestly, I was underwhelmed with the quality of wood that Miroku is using to build them. In contrast, last year I bought a Cimarron Firearms (Uberti) 1873 Sporting Rifle in .44-40. I have been extremely pleased with it as a shooter and everyone I show it to in person practically drools over it.

Uberti-1873-right.jpg


Uberti-1873-action-right.jpg


I found that handloading black powder .44-40 cartridges for it is easy if you do the following:

1. Use Starline brass. It's a thicker than Winchester brass and more durable. I haven't crunched any cases using Starline brass.
2. Use a Lee 2.2cc dipper, which comes out to 35 grains of BP and is a slightly compressed load, which helps the powder combust fully. Use Swiss powder for best results (much cleaner burning and more powerful than Goex).
3. Use a bullet that can carry a lot of lube. I use the Accurate Molds 43-215C with 1:20 alloy.
4. Use a proper black powder lube. I use a homebrew of beeswax and mutton tallow. I pan lube, then size them to .429.

Using the above formula the 24" barrel doesn't foul out even after 50 shots. Cleanup is easy; both sides of 3 patches wet with Hoppe's MPro-7 and they started coming out clean. Also, no powder fouling leaks past the case back into the action. The original Winchester calibers for the '73 -- .44 WCF, .38 WCF, and .32 WCF -- all have relatively thin brass that expands well to seal the chamber. Other calibers chambered in the '73s nowadays don't seal the chamber as well, e.g., .357, .44 Mag, and .45 Colt, due to thicker brass.
 
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I agree with Dave. My Uberti Henry is beautiful and well made and 44-40 black powder cartridges are perfect for the '73.
My Pedersoli Sharps is equally beautiful and Pedersoli has the Sharps down pat after many years of building them.
 
I main reason I suggest something other than .357 is because `73's are heavy to begin with. A good 2lbs heavier than a comparable 1892 or Marlin 1894. They are nearly intolerable in .32-20 or .357Mag.

I agree that the Uberti `73's give up little to nothing to the Miroku guns.

IMG_7316b.jpg
 
I main reason I suggest something other than .357 is because `73's are heavy to begin with. A good 2lbs heavier than a comparable 1892 or Marlin 1894. They are nearly intolerable in .32-20 or .357Mag.

I agree that the Uberti `73's give up little to nothing to the Miroku guns.

Dang that's a nice looking rifle. Octagon barrel + tang sight + case hardened = perfect.

I was mainly considering .357 because I already stock it. I've no experience with 44-40 or 45 Colt. FWIW, I'm leaning towards the 73 at the moment.
 
I chose "other", not that either are bad options, but if I were limited to just one 19th century lever it would be the Winchester 1895, specifically in either .35Whelen (which my example is destined to become) or .405WCF. It, quite simply, is just the most interesting lever that I know of...it also serves as "big medicine for lions" when chambered for the right cartridge.

That said, I would choose the '74 over the '73 if only those were on the table. I have, and adore, a 1885 High Wall, but there's something magical about the old Sharps. One will likely find it's way in the safe at some point.
 
Remember back in the early 2000's when Ford came out with the Thunderbird that was supposed to look like those made in the '50's...but they didn't?

Well, that's what I see in the Winchester. It's a Winchester only in name. The '73's made by Uberti are practically exact copies of the originals (I should know as I own two originals as well as two Uberti's).

So my vote is for a '73 in .357, but not for the Winchester.

35W
 
i would go with a winchester clone made in japan by miroku for winchester, as i have several miroku made winchester and browning rifles and six shotguns made for browning by miroku. one of the shotguns has well over 20,000 rounds thru it(factory and reloads)with out any problems and one of the rifles is a low wall browning .260 and that is a 50-60 thousand PSI cartige and the low wall handles that with out a wimper. i had a uberti rolling block in 30-30 and it had a soft breech block and devolped head space at around 300 rounds of cast bullets at 1600 fps(less than 30,000 cup). it took months to get the problem resolved and it may have just been a lemon that slipped by QC. but i would not buy a uberti for a cartige over 30,000 (cup). and most of the uberti clone lever-single shots are not rated for much more. my pedersoli 74 sharps 45-70 has never seen a jacketed bullet, only lead at less 20,000 cup and my charles daly little sharps uberti 44-44 the same lead cast at less than 20,000 cup. and have no problems. eastbank.
 

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I considered a 44-40 as that is the classic caliber, but I already stock .357/38 and have reloading dies, etc. I don’t reload yet but I’ve collected all the necessary items. Factory 44-40 is supposed to be expensive (I haven’t looked) and I hear it’s not the easiest to reload.

Howdy

44-40 is not difficult to reload, but it is a bit 'fussy'. Your dies have to be set just right and you have to go slow or you may crush a neck. There are a few tricks to loading 44-40, once those are mastered it is not difficult. I do not suggest 44-40 as the first cartridge to learn reloading with. Learn to reload your 357/38s first, then take what you have learned and apply it to the slightly fussier 44-40.

Regarding a 73 vs Sharps, they are so different I cannot imagine choosing between them. It is correct that a .357/38 '73 will be significantly heavier than a 44-40 version, everything else such as barrel length being equal, because the bore of a .357/38 is smaller.

You really have to decide what you want to do. The Sharps excels at lobbing heavy bullets way out there. The '73 excels at shooting close up targets fast. Two completely different animals. Don't forget, if you go for a Sharps, you will want to spend more money on the sights. Don't scrimp on sights, buy the best you can afford.

Some advice: If you decide on a Sharps, avoid a crescent shaped butt plate. Go with a 'shotgun' style butt plate. Crescent style butt plates require being placed farther out on the shoulder. If you place it on the meaty part of the shoulder as most modern shooters are used to doing, the 'points' of the crescent will dig into your shoulder with recoil and it will really hurt. Trust me on this. Also, avoid the fancy calibers, such as 45-90, 45-110, and 45-120. Stick with 45-70. Components are much more easily available for 45-70 than any of the other calibers. If you are shooting Smokeless, you can stuff all the powder you need into a 45-70 case. The other calibers are pretty much just for Black Powder, where you can stuff them to the gills with powder. When I was shopping for a Sharps a bunch of years ago I looked at all the ones with the fancy fore end caps, checkering, and patch boxes. I was disappointed in the execution of all these details on all the rifles I saw. So I decided to buy a 'plain jane' version, no checkering, no fore end cap. I bought the 45-70 Pedersoli Silhouette model from Dixie Gunworks. It had everything I wanted, pistol grip, shotgun butt, and double set trigger, without any of the fancy stuff I did not want. Check Diixe often because they often run deep discounts on select models.

https://www.dixiegunworks.com/produ...cts_id=2576&osCsid=5ptfd3nshdpc4tpdlk0ln4ufk4

You can spend big money on sights for a Sharps, these are what I put on mine. They are a bare minimum.

https://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?products_id=7564&osCsid=5ptfd3nshdpc4tpdlk0ln4ufk4

https://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?products_id=7536&osCsid=5ptfd3nshdpc4tpdlk0ln4ufk4





Regarding a '73, the only real drawback to the Miroku/Winchester products is spare parts are practically impossible to find. Otherwise they make fine rifles. Spare parts are no problem with Uberti products.
 
I certainly agree with Driftwood 1) the 45-70 components are very easy to find and are relatively inexpensive and 2) the crescent butt plate is a thing of beauty on my Shiloh Hartford but can be a painful bear at the bench. I also see the wisdom of a "Plain Jane" Sharps but I must say that all of the extras that I ordered on my Shiloh were extremely attractive (especially the wood upgrade) and well executed; Shiloh Sharps has a long lead time for delivery and they are not cheap but the workmanship is bar none (Miroku quality on the deluxe side) - fit, finish and quality is perfect but you pay for it. Good shooting.
 
I must say that all of the extras that I ordered on my Shiloh were extremely attractive (especially the wood upgrade) and well executed;

In truth, I was not looking at Shilohs. I was looking at Italian imports, Pedersoli and a few others. I saw checkering that did not line up properly from one side to the other. And the fore end caps that I saw were pinned in place, and the grinding down of the cap to the pin had been done poorly on several of them, the pin stood out like a sore thumb. I will bet the fore end cap on your Shiloh, if it has one, was done properly, cast in place on the fore end, then ground to shape with the stock so the fit was seamless. I will bet it is not pinned in place.
 
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