Sharps rifle- long range?

[shotgunmessenger96]

Greetings all!

I'm having a little trouble finding a good long range rifle that I can use for deer, elk, and long range plinking. for a long time I was looking at a 1874 sharps clone in 45-70 with a 32 inch barrel. The double set triggers and target barrel would be perfect for long range shooting, but the trajectory of the 300 gr. bullet would be to high to make an accurate shot passed 200 yards.
my second choice would be the 280Rem. this round is fast and has a nice low trajectory, however I can't find any gun chabered for this cartridge that has a good heavy long barrel. One with just an adjustable trigger runs about $1,200.
Does anyone out there have expirience with long range hunting with a 45-70 sharps, or know of any inexpensive, long range capable 280's?

-Too bad nobody makes a sharps rifle reproduction chabered for more long range cabable ammo.

 

[Deanimator]

Does anyone out there have expirience with long range hunting with a 45-70 sharps, or know of any inexpensive, long range capable 280's?

Not hunting, but I know that there are people who shoot NRA 1,000 at Camp Perry with Sharps and other breechloading black powder firearms. The trajectory IS very steep, so steep that in the past, shooters made quite a few holes in the tin roof of the target shed just in front of the pits.

Is there some reason why you've chosen .280? There are plenty of other cartridges good to at least 1,000 yards including

6.5x55mm Swedish
6.5-.284
.260 Remington
7-08mm
.284
.308
.30-06

I have two long range guns, both heavy barreled Savages, a 10FP in .308 and a 112BVSS in .30-06. I don't think the 112BVSS in .30-06 is a stock item any more. You might be able to special order one. It's a tack driver at 600 yards with the 200gr. Sierra Matchking and IMR4350.

-Too bad nobody makes a sharps rifle reproduction chabered for more long range cabable ammo.

They sell them in .45-90 and .45-110, or at least they did for a while a few years ago. I wouldn't consider a typical Sharps to be an optimum long range gun except for nostalgia purposes. The external hammer gives it a VERY long lock time, amplifying any movement during your shot.

If you're interested in a long range gun, consider a Savage 1x or 11x series gun, especially the 10FP and 110FP snipers.

 

[Larry E]

If you want a falling block single shot rifle for long range shooting it's likely going to cost more than $1200. Limiting yourself to the .280 is likely limiting your choice of rifles as well. There are a lot of calibers capable of long range accuracy, have relatively flat trajectories, and available in rifles with heavy barrels that will work well for deer. If you haven't done a lot of long range shooting you may well find it difficult to connect on a deer a long range, say 500 yards plus, though.

I'd suggest looking at .270 Win, .260 Rem, .30-'06 or the various short magnums from .270 to .30 cal any of which should be able to do the job quite well.

 

[shotgunmessenger96]

Thank's for the quick replies.

If you want a falling block single shot rifle for long range shooting it's likely going to cost more than $1200.

actually I found a great deal on a new sharps that would only take $700 out of my pocket,still alot of money but not too bad.

I'd suggest looking at .270 Win, .260 Rem, .30-'06 or the various short magnums from .270 to .30 cal any of which should be able to do the job quite well.

I'll probably give that a try.

 

[ArmedBear]

the trajectory of the 300 gr. bullet would be to high to make an accurate shot passed 200 yards.

No it's not. Long-range target shooters use the .45-70 BP cartridge in a Sharps for 1000 yard competition.

You just have to become a competent shooter with the cartridge.

If you want a modern necked centerfire chambering in a falling block, get a Ruger No. 1 instead.

 

[owlhoot]

Several of my pals and I enjoy shooting the old buffalo guns. We use original as well as reproduction Sharps, Rem. Rolling Blocks, Win. High Walls and others. Shooting with sticks most of us can consistently keep our shots on a steel ram at 500 yards. We have a steel buffalo set up at 1000 yards, and we as a group probably hit it 70 per-cent of the time. However one fellow hit it fourteen times in a row a couple of months ago with an original Sharps in .45-70. We all use Vernier sights (peep). Some of the better sights cost as much as the rifles.

For a person who just wants good accuracy/performance in a single shot available in a multitude of calibers, look at the Thompson single shots. One of those with a good scope would let you relatively inexpensively have several calibers.

 

[Onmilo]

Shiloh Sharps out of Big Timber Montana will build you a Sharps in .44/77 blackpowder/smokeless.
An excellent long range hard hitting caliber for this type of rifle.
Price, depending on options, will be $2000-$3500

 

[Sunray]

"...can't find any gun chambered for this cartridge that has a good heavy long barrel..." That's because it's primarily a hunting cartridge, not a target cartridge. If you want a heavy barrel, you'll have to have a custom barrel made.
"...would only take $700 out of my pocket..." Snap it up. That's cheap. I'd want to know why it's so cheap though. The least expensive Sharps rifle lists at $1800.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

For around $250-$275, NEF makes a heavy-barreled Handi Rifle in an extra long (26") barrel in .280 Rem, or used to.

 

[alemonkey]

The Sharps in .45-70 is absolutely an accurate caliber even at very long ranges. With known distances and properly adjusted sights mine is a sub-moa gun with the right loads. And that's a peep sight, not optics.

The problem comes with hunting. It's not a flat shooting round, so you have to compensate for bullet drop. If you don't know the range you're shooting at you'll hit high or low. Out to 200 yards or so it will be fine, just zero it a couple three inches high at 100. Many people never shoot further than that anyway. If you're good at estimating ranges you can stretch that distance way out.

 

[Dr. Tad Hussein Winslow]

No it's not. Long-range target shooters use the .45-70 BP cartridge in a Sharps for 1000 yard competition.

You just have to become a competent shooter with the cartridge.

Exactly. Where's Gew98?

Now the same thing can be said for any other cartridge as well. It's IS a bit easier to make hits at medium-long ranges (300-500 yards) with a bottlenecked round like a .280 rem, which is a most excellent cartridge by the way. But either way, you've got to know your holdover and windage hold.

 

[992]

NEF or H&R make a Buffalo Hunter in 45-70,with a 32 inch barrel.
Price is about 350,I think it also came in 40-65,too.

tc

 

[jerkface11]

If you want a .280 go buy a Savage 110 in .30-06 then order the barrel in the profile you want from Shilen. With a new stock the barrel and a scope you'll be in for under $1000.