1885 High Wall or 1874 Sharps?

[Ed333]

I have been wanting a 45-70 for some time now, one heavy enough to let me do some serious target shooting (which ruled out a couple of nice Ruger #1s I have seen). Right now there are two lightly used Ubertis available at two different LGS, an 1885 Highwall, straight grip, decent trigger, crescent buttplate, octagonal 30" barrel, buckhorn open sights. The other (only slightly more expensive) is an 1874 Sharps, crescent butt plate, straight grip, double trigger, ladder sight, maybe a tad heavier than the Highwall, but not enough to make the difference, round barrel (which I have not seen in the Uberti or Pedersoli lineups, they all seem to be octagonal on current offerings.) Neither one is one of the fancy models.
Is there a reason to prefer one over the other? Will the big external hammer on the Sharps mean slower lock time and a distraction? I will be shooting from a rest and rear bag, start on a bench at 100 yards, work up to 300 prone, maybe 600 at some point down the road if the bug really takes. I am a current F class shooter with a 6mmBR Norma, so this will be something different. If the bug takes, I will probably install a good rear tang vernier sight and front tunnel/globe on either one, so that is a toss-up. I assume the existing sights on the Sharps are slightly better, and more useful at longer ranges. Accuracy is important to me...which way should I go?
PS- I am aware that a shotgun butt is preferable, but figure if it beats me up too badly, I have some slip-on wrap-arounds I can try, I am tall and can usually use a little more length of pull.

[Cody Smith]

Congratulations on deciding to take the plunge in to BPCR shooting! I only wish I had done it sooner. I do think that most everyone eventually comes up with their own way of doing things and the way one guy does it and wins, the next guy can't make work at all. I have had some ups and downs myself and lately have been confident in my shooting and reloading abilities.

That being said, I have to disagree with several of your ideas. First and at the risk of sh@t storm from those that disagree, I have no interest in owning any of the Italian guns. I have owned and extensively shot seven different versions and find them vastly inferior to our American versions or even the Japanese Winchester and Brownings. In my opinions they are for the folks that like to talk about them more than shoot them. For facts to back up this statement, just look at the equipment list of any major shoots. Very, very few people are winning with them. If accuracy is truly important to you, I wouldn't go that way. Also, I positively hate the crescent buttplate. I can find absolutely no reason to buy one. The shotgun butt plate is not just preferred, as far as I am concerned, it is a requirement.

As far as sharps verses highwall, in theory the high wall should be an advantage, but in reality it doesn't really appear to be. Buy the one you like better and learn to shoot it. My suggestion for a first rifle is to find a nice used 1885 Browning or Winchester BPCR version that came with quality factory vernier sights, buy a case of powder and a creedmoor mold, and start learning.
Good Luck!
Cody

[Ed333]

Thanks Cody. I did not make clear in my first post that I was not looking to get into black powder right off, although that is a distinct possibility, there is some BPCR shooting going on in Maine, and even on occasion at my own club. I figure on playing around with smokeless reloading at first, I may get to black powder. But that does not affect any of your advice. I will say that I have had my eye open for a Winchester BPCR for some time, and simply have not seen one become available. I have missed on a couple of Brownings in the past, just was not ready to make the jump. I will also comment (not from any personal knowledge, but from reading) that many people seem to be happy with the accuracy they get from Uberti's, but I don't know from experience yet. More compelling at the moment, I am ready to spend somewhere a little north of a grand right now, but not three grand.

[Ironramrod]

333,

Well, as luck would have it there are 2 Browning highwalls and at least 1 American made Sharps (C.Sharps) listed on the For Sale section of this forum. Don't know the current status of any of them, but check them out if interested.

Regards

[Don McDowell]

The biggest problem you'll run into with the Uberti Hiwalls is their barrels aren't necessarily match quality. I do know of several of those that have been rebarreled with good barrels and make fine competition guns.
Beside the Winchester/Browning hiwalls, don't over look C Sharps.
Sharps rifles I believe are best left to either Shiloh or C Sharps, as the price difference between those and the better quality Pedersoli's is non existant.
Keep an eye out on the For Sale section here, there have been a number of rifles come and gone. Gun Broker has a goodly number of listings at the moment as well.
You'll find a world of difference between your highpower and the bpcr shooting. Stuff that won't even make a SMK flinch at 200 yds will make a bpcr bullet puke it's guts out. It's not uncommon for High Master highpower shooters to spend a few years in the Marksmen/Sharpshooter class when moving over bpcr.
Good luck with your purchase, and welcome to the sickness.

[Semtav]

Hipshot shoots a Spagetti Highwall with real good results, including quite a few match wins. but I can never remember if its a Uberti or Pedersoli. If they are real cheap, I'd say go ahead and buy one. better to make your mistakes on them while learning than screw up a quality rifle. You can always move up when you decide to get serious about Shooting matches.

[bobw]

Ed333 better find a Sharps, the only reason the 85 Hiwall survived was because the Sharps made the west safe for parlor guns. bobw

[Lumpy Grits]

Here's a very good whole package deal.
http://historicshooting.com/mybb/showthr...p?tid=1273

Gary

[Ironramrod]

Lumpy,
That's a good deal in today's pricing, and from experience the Browning high walls function very well! One can win matches w/ them, and they function well as a hunting rifle. No flies on them at all.

Regards
IR

[Lumpy Grits]

Yeah-IF, I had the $$$$. I'd be buy'n that '85.
Gary