Ballard rifles were initially produced in 1861. Case length was 2.5" and COL was 3.2" It used .509" diameter bullets. C. Sharps Arms Co., Inc. has been in the Sharps rifle business for over 45 years and more importantly has been in the business of producing some of the finest quality firearms available worldwide in that same … These are available in most of the popular old Sharps calibers, including .40-90, .44-77, … The development of reliable, controlled expansion jacketed bullets was still in the future. ... 11368 SHILOH SHARPS RIFLE. Both were 44-caliber rifles, built with automatic priming systems. Our Price: $3,950.00 Compare. The big bore buffalo cartridges were loaded with black powder, as smokeless powder had not yet been invented. Trial” Sharps cartridges. 1874 Sharps Sporting Rifle .45-70 32” Octagonal, Pewter, Hartford-Style Forend Tip. This was the big game load. In 1872 Sharps introduced their 2 1/2 inch case for .50 caliber bullets. This article will briefly examine a few of the best known of those cartridges. An American legend, the 1874 Sharps rifle has been made with the impeccable style and quality only offered by Dakota Arms. This also explains why the big bore double rifle, used so successfully on large African game, was not popular in the American West; it simply was not accurate enough. Pedersoli™ 1859 Sharps Infantry Rifle -.54 Caliber - S.761.054 The Pedersoli® 1859 Sharps Infantry Rifle is the last of the percussion rifles ever invented and is considered to be the rifle that paved the way for … It is even possible to arrange a bison hunt in North America, as the great bovines have expanded their numbers to the point that some must be culled and there are now several huntable populations. These men, after all, were not sport hunters, but market hunters after hides. 5 rifle in 1876 and offered in various Ballard rifles until it was discontinued about 1880, apparently having been superceded in the line by the .45-100 cartridge. The same thing basically applies to the .40-90 Sharps (Straight), .50-115 Bullard, .50-140 Sharps and several other impressive "buffalo" cartridges. Its base diameter was .517", shoulder diameter .504", and neck diameter .468". Rear Island and Front Banded Hooded Sights, Quarter Rib with Front Banded Hooded Sights, Approximate weight: 8 1⁄4 lbs with full octagonal barrel, Only available for rimmed cartridges from 17HMR to 444 Marlin. This case had a base diameter of .516", shoulder diameter of .502" and neck diameter of .467". Hence the .45-120 and .45-125 designations. Taylor’s & Co. is proud to offer sporting versions of the black powder target shooter, in both the 1859 Infantry Sharps model, with a single trigger, and the 1859 Berdan Military Sharps … This was in the form of the .50-90 Sharps, soon known as the "Big .50". by 120 grains of black powder. Fortunately, while they can indeed be dangerous to humans, the bison does not have the malevolent disposition of his distant African cousin. Wrap the piece of paper around a dowel the same size as the bullet and glue the … The slaughter of the bison reached its peak in 1875 and 1876, declining after 1880. The .50-90 Sharps is similar to the .50-100 Sharps and .50-110 Sharps cartridges. The secret to the .45-70's success on very large game is the superior SD of its .458" bullets. Don't Miss Out on News from Dixie Gun Works! The first is that the rifle is scaled to 80 percent of the original size, providing a sleek sporting rifle that is easily carried in the field. The only ones missed were what we term today the .40-50 Sharps Straight and the .44-60 Sharps Bottleneck. Introduced in 1873, the .40-90 used a rimmed, bottleneck case 2 5/8" long. Most notably, Remington chambered their 1870 and 1871 Rolling Block rifles for the .50-70 cartridge, and Sharps offered it in the 1867-69 Conversion Carbine and later chambered the single shot rifle that became the Model 1874 in .50-70. A similar thing happened in Africa, particularly during the early years of the 20th Century. GI#: 101589922. 3 Rolling Block rifle. Case length was 2.44" and COL was 3.08". This huge rimmed, straight taper case was 3.25" long with a head diameter of .506" and a neck diameter of .490". Get In Touch PO Box 81566 They were renowned for long-range accuracy. The 6.5 Grendel. It offered superior energy and penetration compared to earlier military cartridges. Browning, Dakota, Remington, and Ruger have produced modern single shot rifles in .45-70, and there are several imported reproductions of the 1873 Trapdoor Springfield, Remington Rolling Block, and 1874 Sharps single shot rifles on the market. The same cartridge was also called the .50-100 and .50-110 when loaded with lighter bullets and more powder. In those days terminal ballistics was generally pretty simple; the bigger and heavier the bullet the greater the killing power. He found that the 420 grain bullet shot flatter over ranges out to 300 yards, and killed faster than the lighter bullets he had tried. The .45-82, .45-85, .45-90, .45-125, .50-100, .50-105, and .50-110 Winchester cartridges, the first of which was introduced in 1886, had no impact on the extermination of the bison. 4 1/2 rifle was introduced in 1878 along with the .45-100 cartridge. The .45-70 actually continued in military service with reserve and militia units well into the early 1900's. Thank you for being so prompt in sending her my way, and for an apsolutely beautiful rifle. The reported 19 pound weight of Sharps rifles so chambered may have had something to do with this. For a .45 caliber Sharps, this about 1 11/16 inches by 3 inches. A 550 grain bullet could be given a MV of 1500 fps and ME of 2749 ft. lbs. This is a much better than average conversion Sharps carbine in 50-70 caliber. The .44-100 was designed to compete with the powerful Sharps and Winchester big bore cartridges. One account I read stated that the recoil of the big cartridge was surprisingly mild. Factory loads for the .45-110-550 launched a 550 grain bullet at a MV of 1360 fps with ME of 2240 ft. lbs. All three of these numbers are based on the original .44-90 case; the .44-100 and .44-105 simply represented heavier powder loads in the same cartridge. Compare. Model 1866, Model 1869, Model 1874, Model 1875, Model 1877, and Model 1878 of the Sharps Cartridge Rifles & Carbines. In addition a number of civilian rifle manufacturers built rifles in .50-70. used a rimmed bottleneck case that was shorter and fatter than the .45-70 Government. Out of Stock. Sale Price: $4,500.00. Shiloh Sharps Rifle began production in 1983. The .44-90 Sharps was introduced in 1873 and discontinued in 1878. Still popular today, the .45-70 was introduced in 1873 and was the U.S. Army's standard service cartridge from that time until it was officially replaced by the .30-40 Krag in 1892. And plenty of killing power was needed, for the American bison is a very big bovine, considerably larger than the average African Cape buffalo. The case is 2.105" long, and the military cartridge loaded by the Frankford Arsenal had an overall length of 2.73". Externally the two were identical, and the same rifle could fire either cartridge. $1,678.34. All rifles made for the .50-90 Sharps should be able to use the .50-110 and .50-100 cartridges … Classic Test: Sharps .52-Caliber New Model April 23, 2015 By Guns & Ammo TV Garry James and Craig Boddington examine the Sharps carbine rifle that dates back to before the Civil War. Shilo Sharps Rifles produces a high quality line of U.S. made semi-custom rifles based on the 1874 Sharps action. The .44-77 was introduced in 1869 by Sharps for their Model 1869 rifle, and was based on the Sharps 2 1/4" rimmed, bottleneck case. Sharps put both their .40 and .50 caliber cartridges on a "special order only" basis when they went to the .45-90 cartridge series for their regular production rifles. Period tests revealed that the 405 grain bullet penetrated 7.3" of white pine boards at a range of 700 yards, but the cartridge's rainbow trajectory limited its point blank range to about 150 yards for man sized targets. The action of the Winchester 1876 rifle was not particularly strong, so the .45-75 was factory loaded with a 350 grain bullet at a MV of 1383 fps and ME of 1485 ft. lbs. A small chart at the end of this column will list the 15 different Sharps cartridges. 3 of 3 Photo by … Shilo Sharps Rifles produces a high quality line of U.S. made semi-custom rifles based on the 1874 Sharps action. All except the Ward-Burton design were converted percussion arms. Because black powder is an inefficient propellant by volume, big cases with large powder charges were necessary and muzzle velocities were typically limited to around 1250-1500 fps. lbs., or a 473 grain bullet a MV of 1350 fps and ME of 1920 ft. lbs. The base diameter of this case was .506", the shoulder diameter was .500", and the neck diameter was .435" Bullet diameter was .403". It was the first centerfire cartridge adopted by the Army, and was a big advance over the previous .58 Rimfire cartridge. The .50-90 became one of the mainstay cartridges of the buffalo runners. The reduced recoil carbine load used a 430 grain bullet in front of 55 grains of powder (.50-55-430). Commercial ammunition was available from most manufacturers. Our Price: $2,350.00 Compare. The heaviest bullets were the best choice for hunting buffalo. All of the cartridges in this series could be used with bullets weighing 320 grains to 550 grains. Introduced late in 1878 or early in 1879, the .45-120 Sharps was a very powerful bison cartridge that arrived too late to make much difference in the fate of the great herds. Cases were made with two different wall thicknesses, which therefore had different maximum powder capacities. According to the published research of Edward A. Matunas, an average size female bison is supposed to weigh around 930 pounds, and an average male around 1600 pounds. Bullet diameter was .446" and cartridge overall length was 3.05". This pair is actually the same cartridge. Commercial hunting of the Western "buffalo" (actually American bison) was widespread from the early 1870's to the early 1880's. Very similar, but not quite identical, to the .44-90 Sharps (Necked) is the .44-90 Remington Special. The .44-100 cartridge was introduced in the Ballard Model Pacific No. The U.S. Frankford Arsenal load for rifle muskets used a 450 grain bullet in front of 70 grains of black powder (.50-70-450). The correct bullet diameter was .442" rather than the .446" of the Sharps .44-90 cartridge. 55 grains of musket powder gave a muzzle velocity (MV) of 1100 fps and 70 grain loads propelled a 405 grain bullet at a MV of 1350 fps and ME around 1600 ft. lbs. A 550 grain bullet could be driven to a MV of about 1275 fps and ME of 1985 ft. lbs. Co. were very similar to the ones used by the vast majority of reenacting Sharpshooters; cartridges had a protruding and … Chambered in classic .45-70, Uberti’s replicas of all 6 configurations of the 1874 Sharps Rifle are true to the originals. Very large male bison can weigh 2000 pounds, and extreme monsters weighting 3000 pounds have been recorded. Today, the demand to own a Sharps rifle … Period .40-90 factory loads drove a 370 grain lead bullet at a MV of 1475 fps and ME of 1800 ft. lbs. On the frontier, bullets of all calibers were generally made of cast lead. All three use the same 2.5-inch (64 mm) case, the latter two being loaded with more grains of black powder. At one time I owned forty Sharps side hammer rifles in calibers of.40,.44, and.45, using various length shells of both straight and bottle-neck persuasion, but in the whole lot there were just … The .45-90 was virtually identical to the .45-70 with a longer case, and .45-70 ammunition can safely be fired in .45-90 rifles. The .45-100 was based on the earlier .44-100 case simply neck expanded to accept .45 caliber bullets. By far the best known of the buffalo cartridges used on the western frontier was the illustrious .45-70 Government. It was designed as a match cartridge for the Remington Rolling Block Creedmoor rifle and was also introduced in 1873. Calibers ranged from .40 to .50. Anyone hunting game that averages ten times his own weight and solves problems by running over them had better carry a powerful rifle! Commercial .45-70 ammunition was loaded with bullets up to 500 grains in front of 70 grains of black powder (.45-70-500). Announcing 3 new calibers being … The bore is very good with some light oxidation in front of the … Using a 365 grain bullet, one typical factory load had an advertised MV of 1460 fps and ME of 1730 ft. lbs. The Sharps Collector Association was formed in 1993 to preserve and publicize the history of the firearms of Christian Sharps and the Sharps Companies. The Frankford Arsenal began mass production of .45-70 cartridges in January of 1874. Recent Stories What Does it Mean to be an American and Patriot? During the days of the great buffalo hunts on the American plains powerful, accurate, single shot rifles shooting big bore cartridges were the preferred medicine of the serious hunter. It was first adapted to the U.S. 1866 Rifle Musket, then the improved 1868 Rifle Musket, the further improved 1870 Rifle Musket, and the bolt action single shot Ward-Burton 1871 Rifle Musket. Factory load ballistics for the .44-100 called for a 535 grain lead bullet at a MV of 1400 fps and ME of 2328 ft. lbs. It measured .559" in diameter at its base, .547" at the shoulder, and .478" at its neck. Teddy Roosevelt is said to have favored the .45-75 Winchester as a grizzly bear cartridge. When it comes to a rifle caliber guide, no list would be complete without the big baller that … - By Lucinda Bryan. The second is that it is designed specifically to maximize accuracy from smaller, high performance calibers. An extensive choice of options, from wood grade to metal finish to engraving and even a period scope, allows you to custom-tailor a Dakota Sharps that is uniquely yours. For government issue, it was originally chambered for the.50–70 Goverment … Frankford Arsenal cartridges were loaded with reduced charges of 55 grains of black powder (.45-55-405) for use in cavalry carbines, and full charges of 70 grains of black powder (.45-70-405) for full length (and therefore heavier) infantry rifles. This was an enlarged version of the famous Model 1873 action designed for use with cartridges up to 2.25" in length. .44-90, .44-100, .44-105 Sharps (Necked) and .44-90 Remington. Based on the … The buffalo runners of the West simply stayed out of reach of the big beasts, usually shooting from a rest at ranges around 200 yards and sometimes more. Bullet diameter was .446" and COL was 3.30". All of these cartridges used standard .458" diameter bullets. The last great buffalo herd was annihilated in 1884, marking the end of an era. They often used telescopic sights. 11/11/2020. The .45-75 Win. These are available in most of the popular old Sharps calibers, including .40-90, .44-77, .45-70, .45-90, .45-100, .45-110, .45-120, .50-70, .50-90, and several others. The .40-90 and .40-100 (Necked) were the same cartridge with different powder charges and bullets. Brass, reloading dies, and bullets are available everywhere shooting supplies are sold. Some of the most common rounds were .40-70, .44-90, .45-75, .45-100, .45-120, and the military calibers of .45-70 and .50-70. The .45-100 (2.6" case) was added at the end of 1876 and the .45-90 (2.4" case) appeared during 1877. Its case had a base diameter of .520", a shoulder diameter of .504", and a neck diameter of .466". Mayer's .45-90 Sharps rifle had a 32" barrel and weighed 12 pounds. .45-70 factory loaded ammunition is available from the Big 3 ammo makers as well as several smaller concerns. (The figures for average African buffalo are 700 pounds and 1000 pounds.) The .50-70 was quite popular and had a good reputation as a buffalo cartridge. The base diameter of these big rimmed, straight taper cases was .500" and the neck diameter was .489". You can load these cases with black powder and seat a bullet cast from mold item # … Remington Arms, I believe, specifically recommended the .45-70 as the top buffalo cartridge for use in their famous Rolling Block rifles. The .40-100 was an "Express" load, which in those days meant "high velocity." As was the custom of the time, the big bore black powder cartridges were named by their nominal bullet diameter and typical maximum powder charge; often the bullet weight (in grains) was included. … This series of Sharps rifle cartridges are all based on the same basic case trimmed to lengths of 2.875", 2.60", and 2.40". $517.49 Select options; Cosmetically Blemished 25-45 Sharps 70 Grain BlitzKing Cartridge (20 Cartridges) UNAVAILABLE FROM SIERRA UNTIL 2022 There is neither time nor space in an article such as this to even attempt to describe every moderately successful cartridge ever used to kill an American bison. Sharps Models The 1859-1863 black powder rifles were widely used in the Civil War. The excellent Winchester Model 1885 single shot rifle and Model 1886 lever action repeating rifle, and the entire line of big bore cartridges developed for these rifles, was introduced after the herds were gone and commercial buffalo hunting had ceased. These cartridges were actually dimensionally identical to the .45-70 Govt., and factory loads used a 400 grain bullet at a MV of 1330 fps and ME of 1580 ft. lbs. Most popular cartridges of the time, even though quite inadequate to the task, were pressed into service on the plains. The .44-90 used a rimmed, bottleneck case 2 5/8" long. The .45-70 uses .458" diameter bullets. In such an event, we will contact you about appropriate alternatives. Paper for the .54 caliber should be cut to 1 15/16 by 3 inches. However, the Sharps Big .50 remains one of the most famous of all the American buffalo cartridges. The COL was 2.25" and it used .515" diameter bullets. My Sharps rifle arrived today, and I could not be more pleased! In 1882 Frankford Arsenal also began manufacturing a 500 grain bullet. Some of the Sharps Big .50 rifles remain in use today, and Shilo Sharps Rifles of Big Timber, Montana is once again offering new Sharps rifles in .50-90 caliber. A Glance … Factory loads drove a 500 grain lead bullet at a MV of 1520 fps with ME of 2561 ft. lbs. Production of the 52-caliber Model 1851 and Model 1852 rifles was moved to the Robbins & Lawrence plant in Windsor, Vt. Many different black powder rifle cartridges were used to kill buffalo on the American frontier. The first is that the rifle is scaled to 80 percent of the original size, providing a sleek sporting rifle … This cartridge was more popular as a long range match cartridge than as a hunting cartridge, although it was used for both. .50 BMG. Sharps rifles are a series of large-bore single-shot rifles, beginning with a design by Christian Sharps in 1848, and ceasing production in 1881. .45-90, .45-100, and .45-110 Sharps (Straight). A 425 grain bullet was driven at a MV of 1275 fps with ME of 1535 ft. lbs. The .45-70 Government is by far the most popular of the old cartridges. Like all U.S. service cartridges, the .45-70 became a popular sporting cartridge with American civilian hunters of the time. Sharps Collector Association. At some later date a real Bridgeport Connecticut 1874 Sharps … Best Long Range Rifle Calibers The .300 Win Mag (far left) and .308 Win (left) are both .30-caliber rounds, but the longer case of the former gives it more power and range. It used a lighter 190 grain hollow point bullet in front of extra powder to achieve a higher MV at the expense of penetration on large game. This was quite useful on the frontier, where .45-70 Government ammunition was widely distributed, and made the Sharps .45-90 a popular buffalo rifle. There were also carbine versions of some of these. I can't wait to take her to the range and see what she … Thus the ".45-70" was a black powder cartridge that used a .45 caliber bullet (.458" diameter) in front of 70 grains of powder. Factory loads gave a 335 grain lead bullet a MV of 1475 fps and ME of 1630 ft. Frank Mayer, a well known buffalo hunter, tried various rifles but preferred his Sharps .45-90-420, which was equipped with a 20x telescopic sight made in Germany. These are brass cases for the 1859 and 1863 54 caliber paper cartridge Pedersoli percussion Sharps firearms only. Make this Dakota Rifle your own. By 1874 the rifle was available in a variety of calibers, and it was one of the few designs to successfully transition to metallic cartridge use. The .45-70 is based on a fat, rimmed, straight taper case measuring .500" at its base and .475" at its neck. Literally, I have fired tons of lead alloy and hundreds of pounds of black powder downrange from Sharps rifle Factory loads gave a 450 grain bullet a MV of 1260 fps and ME of 1488 ft. lbs. After three previous ownership changes, John M. Marlin took over the company in 1875 and produced Ballard rifles until he founded the Marlin Firearms Company in 1881. Previously, the Sharps rifle reproductions were manufactured by Shiloh Products Inc. founded by Len Mulé (pronounce Mull-A) of Garfield, New … Their match successes eventually resulted in the word "sharpshooter" (contracted from "Sharps shooter") generically meaning a good shot. Huntington Die Specialty is also a source for dies and cases. The .44-77 was used for both hunting and target shooting. In its day the .40-90 Sharps (Necked) was a popular cartridge both for hunting and target shooting. It is important to remember than the intensive slaughter of the great bison herds, the days of commercial buffalo hunting, lasted only a little over ten years. Its rimmed, straight taper case measured .498" at the base and .485" at its neck. In 1875 a civilian version of the .45-70 Government was produced by the Sharps Company as the .45-75 Sharps (Straight), and sometimes called the .45-70 Sharps. Factory loads gave a 520 grain lead bullet a MV of 1270 fps and ME of 1860 ft. lbs. Calibers Shiloh Sharps reserves the right to refuse to produce certain barrel/caliber combinations. CR1305 Pedersoli 1874 Sharps Rifle. The most common .45-70 loads used 330, 350, 400, 405, and 500 grain bullets. These commercial loads proved to have superior penetration and killing power on large game. Subsistence and sport hunters as well as the plains Indians had hunted bison previously, of course, but the planned extermination of the herds was not contemplated until about 1870 and was completed in 1884. The .50-70 used a rimmed, internally primed, straight taper case that measured .565" at its base, .535" at the neck, and was 1.75" long. Quickview. This was ballistically inferior to the .45-70-405 and .45-70-500 as a buffalo cartridge, but its lever action rifle allowed much faster repeat shots. An American legend, the 1874 Sharps rifle has been made with the impeccable style and quality only offered by Dakota Arms. It was also available under the Remington name in their No. The Sharps Extra Deluxe features intricate engraving and AAA-grade satin walnut. Brass for most of these Sharps cartridges is available from Bertram Brass and American; Shilo Sharps will supply reloading dies as available. From 1852 until 1860, cartridges made by the Sharps Mfg. The heavier bullets were the best for hunting buffalo, and the larger cases favored the heavier bullets. The rifles were built for the newly formed Sharps Rifle … The only way to increase shocking power was to increase bullet diameter; the only way to increase penetration was to increase bullet weight (and thus sectional density). Its case is a rimmed, straight taper type with a base diameter of .565" and a neck diameter of .528". At that point Ballard was absorbed into the new Marlin Company, which continued to produce Ballard rifles. Sharps. The .50-90 Sharps came about when buffalo hunters clamored for more powerful loads with increased killing power. The Ballard Sporting No. It is perhaps not widely realized that Sharps made target rifles as well as hunting rifles, and the company was very successful in match competition. Marlin offers their new Model 1895 lever action repeating rifle in .45-70, and Browning and Winchester have done limited runs of modern Model 1886 rifles in .45-70. Ballard rifles were offered in .45-100 until they were discontinued by Marlin around 1889. The designation .45-70-405 would indicate the .45-70 cartridge loaded with a 405 grain bullet. But by 1881 the Sharps rifle company was out of business, though the rifles were used up until at least the beginning of the last century. Our design offers two distinct differences to the original. Buffalo Cartridges of the American Frontier. All rights reserved. Choose the Wood Grade, Engraving features, material finish and more below. The case was 2.81" long, and the loaded cartridge had an impressive COL of 3.25". The .45-75 Winchester was introduced with the Model 1876 lever action repeating rifle. The cartridge overall length (COL) was 3.44". Although primarily a match cartridge, the .44-90 Remington had the accuracy, power and penetration to make it a good bison cartridge. COL was 4.16"! The Sharps Company liked the name on their rifles to match the name on the cartridge it used, a common marketing strategy at the time. Case length was 1.89" and overall cartridge length was 2.25". The day of the vast North American bison herds may be gone forever, but modern hunters can still enjoy shooting and hunting big game with some of these historically noteworthy cartridges. If there were ever a cult cartridge for the AR-15, the 6.5 Grendel is it. Its factory load ballistics called for a 550 grain lead bullet at a MV of 1370 fps and ME of 2300 ft. lbs. Cases for reloading and bullet molds are still available as of this writing for the .50-90 Sharps. These included not only the famous "Trapdoor" Springfield military rifles and carbines, but also rifles from Hotchkiss, Marlin, Remington, Sharps, Winchester, and other civilian companies. Sharps 1863 Carbine converted to 50-70. The 405 grain bullet was the weight chosen for use by the Army. Description: This rifle started life as a Sharps model 1865 Military Rifle with serial number 159697, it still shows the civil war inspectors cartouches, it may have been one of many that were converted to .50-70 about 1870 and used until the Trapdoor Springfield .45-70 Carbines were ready. It was probably the most popular all-around big game rifle cartridge of its era, and was widely regarded as suitable for all North American game, including bison. It was the early buffalo cartridges that did most of the heavy killing. The .50-70 was the U.S. Army's service cartridge from 1866 to 1873, when it was replaced by the .45-70. Our design offers two distinct differences to the original. CR0233 PEDERSOLI KODIAK MARK IV DOUBLE RIFLE, .45-70 CALIBER. The final refinement of the American buffalo cartridge actually occurred after the extinction of the last great bison herd. .45-70 was a chambering offered in many famous rifles. Copyright 2003, 2012 by Chuck Hawks. The Sharps Rifle and Carbine (Models 1848 to 1881) were chambered for the.50–90 Sharps cartidge (0.52in caliber/bore). Please understand that it is not intended to be an inclusive treatise on the subject. We feel that Shiloh Sharps Rifles reflect the extra time and effort that go into their manufacture. The original was the 2.875" (2 7/8") .45-110, introduced in 1876. Factory loads were provided with various bullet weights up to 470 grains. Factory loads gave a 550 grain lead bullet a MV of 1250 fps and ME of 1812 ft. lbs.