Historic Shooting Forums

The deeper I get into the Sharps rifles, the more I'm being drawn into period correct buffalo rifles, what is correct?

#3 Sporter
#1 heavy barrels
Bone pack colors
Fire blued screws
Polished steel barrels
Schnabel fore end

I've recently heard some bull barrel guns were used, as well as pistol grip rifles with pewter nose caps.

What are the correct calibers/cartridges?

40-70 SS
40-70 SBN
40-90 SS
40-90 SBN
44-77 SBN
44-90 SBN
45-100
45-110
50-90

I may be to the point of ordering a period correct buffalo rifle, any help, additions or comments are greatly appreciated.

This will be a barrel ladder sighted hunting rifle, brass availability will be a major deciding factor.

Here you go Chris. Correct rifle correct sights and correct bullet.
A .44-77. It worked good for me on two Bison's and it worked good back then.

[attachment=1134][attachment=1135]

Don't forget the good ol' .50/70. That can be called the first of the buffalo guns. Besides that, it has a lot more punch than what many of us give it credit for. In fact, some doin's!! Shoot sharp, Mike

Most any sporting sharps with a straight grip would be correct. 44-77 was the most chambered, 40-70 and 40-90 both had good reputations, and the 45 2.1 and 45 2 7/8 had a good following in the later years.
50-70 were plentiful while the much vaunted 50-90 received more press in later years, than the actual production numbers show.

When did pistol grips appear on rifles?

If you are going to spend the money to get an American made Sharps rifle and want to know how to configure it, get the book Sharps Firearms by Roy Marcot and others. It has a lot of pictures and information in it that will help you to build a period correct buffalo rifle.

My self, for an early buffalo rifle I would choose a Hartford model with a military butt and a pewter cap with a 28 to 30" polished #1 heavy barrel with a blade front sight and a semi-buckhorn rear. The caliber would be either, .44-2 1/4 SBN, .50-70 Gov., or .50-2 1/2 SS.

For the later period I would choose a #3 sporter with a shotgun butt and Schnabel fore end. Also with a 28 to 30" polished heavy barrel using a blade front and a semi buckhorn rear. For this rifle I would choose a .40-2 5/8 SBN, .45-70 Gov., or .45-2 7/8 SBN.

All the calibers listed here are correct. The .44-2 5/8 SBN and the .50-2 SS would also be correct. Both .44's may be hard to get quality brass for, so make sure you have your brass in hand before you commit. Doing that has saved me from grief twice.

The rifle Kurt has posted is also period correct and has a very nice period correct front sight.

Kurt, many Thanks and nice rifle, that rear sight has a long ladder on it, bet it will reach to all you need doing.

10-4 Mike, I have a '74 C-Sharps 50-90, it is a bruiser in more ways than one, spect the 50-70 can get it all done as far as hunting goes too, were I too try a 50-70 I'd go for a 26 twist and try to get to 1200 fps with a 515 gr flat nosed greaser for hunting.

Don, Thanks for all that, good to hear the mighty 50 didn't get all the credit it was due, I always knew it had to be a stone cold killer, particularly with a good 715 to 750 grain hunting bullet well stabilized and spun up tight.

John, not sure on the exact date of the pistol grip guns, by and large the straight stocked guns held up much better in horse wrecks, trips and falls etc.

MikeR, a lot of good info there, Thank You, I'll list in another post what I have, and what I've got my mind on for a build thus far.

(05-09-2018, 08:43 PM)John Wrote: [ -> ]When did pistol grips appear on rifles?

Pistol gripped guns have been around for ever, but mostly on target rifles.
They were considered to fragile for rigors of the hunt.

Gunner the "big 50" was a very small production item. It was loaded with the same 473 gr. bullet of the 1 7/8 and 2 inch case. Wingate said in his book the 50 2.5 had such an explosive affect on game that it's usefulness was limited to the buffalo hunters.
Sharps only built slightly over 700 74 rifles in 50 anything.

'74 Sharps I currently have.

C-Sharps 50-90, #3 Sporter, Schnabel fore end, 30" #1 heavy barrel, checkered steel shotgun butt, standard case colors, full buckhorn ladder rear sight and copper penny front sight.

Shiloh 45-110, #1 Sporter, pewter cap 30" Bull barrel, steel checkered steel butt, standard case colors, full buckhorn ladder rear sight and copper penny front sight.

Shiloh 45-70 #3 Sporter, pewter cap, 30" standard weight barrel, military butt, standard case colors, full buckhorn ladder rear sight and copper penny front sight.

Shiloh Roughrider 40-65, pewter cap, 30" half round barrel, checkered steel shotgun butt, bone pack case colors, full buckhorn ladder rear sight and copper penny front sight.