This 1874 Sharps rifle, by Shiloh Sharps, is offered as used with a bright well maintained bore. Stocked in straight grain walnut, the rifle has a 30" octagon barrel, and is chambered for the .45-70 Gov't, .45 2-1/10 cartridge. The rifle is fitted with globe front sight, semi-buckhorn rear sight, and a unknown brand tang sight. This 9 pound rifle is an excellent choice for shooting iron silhouettes, buffalo matches, and steel gongs at 400 and 600 yards, yet it is not so heavy that it couldn't be fired off hand. The weight is a great advantage when shooting from a rest, and it greatly reduces recoil. This rifle qualifies for FFL transfer and can be picked up by a Minnesota resident, or it must be shipped to a FFL dealer in another state. Trigger reach is 14" and the weight is 10.2 pounds.
Chambered in the popular caliber, 45-70 Government, we strongly prefer black powder hand loads, and especially the 500 grain original U. S. Army - Frankfort Arsenal bullet, now known as the Lyman 457-125 bullet. You can easily assemble your own cartridges using our inexpensive reloading tools and molds. We recommend 500 grain cast lead alloy bullets, lubed with SPG lubricant, over our thin card wad. The top barrel flat is marked SHILOH SHARPS MODEL 1874 ahead of the rear sight. It is marked CALIBRE 45 2-1/10 in two lines near the breech. The 30" barrel is fitted with a globe front sight, and a barrel mounted ladder sight. The front sight has a aperture insert installed. No additional apertures are included. The tang is drilled and taped and a tang sight is fitted. We do not recognize the brand of sight. It is screw adjustable for both windage and elevation, but does not have any scale engraved on the staff. It does have some pencil lines marked on it.
This Sharps Rifle is stocked in walnut with a shotgun style buttstock without a cheek piece. The stock is fitted with a hard rubber buttplate. The stock has a few minor handling marks as does the barrel. Architectural details include the semi-circular flat on the walnut forend, in front of the action. Our bottom view shows the color case hardened lever which has faded to a silvery gray from handling, you can also see this evident on the rear of the lock plate. Notice the tiny lug at the front of the lever, which stops the lever while the extractor is seated. Press the lever slightly forward, while open. This over-travel causes the extractor to snap rearward, ejecting the fired cartridge. The black walnut forend has a traditional Schnabel tip.
The receiver, hammer, lever, and triggerplate are all color case hardened. The left side of the receiver is marked SHILOH RIFLE MFG. CO. BIG TIMBER, MONTANA in two lines. The 1874 Sharps lock action is smooth and crisp, with a reliable half-cock safety notch positioned just above the firing pin. A fly detent in the tumbler insures perfect action and fast lock time, when using the set trigger. The double set trigger has double levers allowing you to cock the lock, or set the trigger, in any sequence. When fired from the front trigger alone, trigger release is a normal 2 to 3 pounds. When fired with the rear trigger set, the front trigger release may be adjusted to nearly zero, using the set screw between the triggers. We strongly recommend using these set triggers for dry fire practice, which is perfectly harmless, provided that the hammer is fully down, not at the half-cock safety notch. Dry firing, at a small black dot on a white piece of paper, each evening, is the best way to develop skills, practice follow-through, and to eliminate the tendency to flinch during recoil.
This rifle will require load development, and fine tuning, for serious target competition. We enjoy casting bullets, hand loading black powder cartridges, and enjoyable afternoons at our local 100, 200, 400, and 600 yard range. If you enjoy shooting, recording results, and creating loads, order this rifle, today. Order it for a ten day visual inspection. You will be delighted. Else if it does not fit you, return it in unfired condition for same-day refund. Postage is your only risk, when you order any one-of-a-kind gun from Track, whether new, used, or antique.
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SPG Black Powder Cartridge Reloading Primer,
revised 9th edition, 20 plus new pages
by Mike Venturino & Steve Garbe
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Track's best Black Powder BORE CLEAN Solvent, with flip-top spout
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Bore mop, 100% Cotton, for .45 caliber, 10-32 thread, washable
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Bore brush, bronze, for .45 caliber, 10-32 thread
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Cartridge Case,
.45-70 Government,
unprimed brass,
correct head stamp,
2.1", by Starline,
each piece, no minimum order
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CASE-45-70
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Price:
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$0.58
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Special Restrictions Apply
Not available for export outside the U.S.A.
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Cartridge Case,
.45-70 Government,
unprimed brass,
correct head stamp,
2.1", by Starline,
50 pieces
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Special Restrictions Apply
Not available for export outside the U.S.A.
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Cartridge Case,
.45-70 Government,
unprimed brass,
correct head stamp,
2.1", by Starline,
100 pieces
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Special Restrictions Apply
Not available for export outside the U.S.A.
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Neck Expander Plug,
.458" diameter,
to fit our
Lee 7/8-14 die
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Neck Expander Plug,
.459" diameter,
to fit our
Lee 7/8-14 die
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Jag, jagged cleaning tip, brass, .45 caliber, 3/8 rod, 8-32 thread
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LEE Loading Dies,
caliber .45-70 Gov't,
including shell holder
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LEE Neck Expander Die,
7/8-14 thread,
for our neck expander plugs
or powder compression plugs,
each sold separately
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Shell holder, #8, by LEE, for 38-56, 40-65,& 45-70 to .45-120
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SPG Bullet Lubricant,
one 1-1/4 ounce stick, for Black or Smokeless Powder
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Bullet Mold,
.457" diameter, 500 grain bullet mold,
single cavity steel mold blocks,
by Lyman
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Bullet Mold,
.457" diameter, 535 grain bullet mold,
single cavity steel mold blocks,
by Lyman
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Case Lube,
2 oz. bottle, by Lyman
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Case Lube Pad,
by Lyman
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Lyman Three Die Set,
for .45-70 Government
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Handles for large mold blocks,
by Lyman,
fits all current single and double cavity molds
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.458" Sizing & Lube die,
by Lyman
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.459" Sizing & Lube die,
by Lyman
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Shell holder #17,
by Lyman,
fits .40-65 & .45-70 to .45-120
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