Home Forums Reloading Big Game Rifles .45cal sharps

Maybe this isn't the best place to post this, but I didn't see a BPCR board.<P>A Sharps is at the top of my wish list. It will most likely be a Pedersoli because I can't justify the funds and don't have the patience for a Shiloh. I intend to hunt elk with this rifle, and in the interest of nostalgia, I thought I might stick with BP loads. I hunt with 430gr conicals over 100gr BP in a .54 ML, and would like to get similar or better ballistics in the Sharps. I wonder if 60-some grains of BP in a .45-70 case with a 400-500gr bullet and 30"+ barrel will be similar or much slower? It seems like it would be considerably slower. Should I consider a .45-90 or .45-110? Some of the target models are chambered for the longer cartridges, and while I wouldn't particularly want to carry around the several extra pounds that they weigh, I also don't necessarily want to settle for a load that dribbles out at 1000fps. -al

First, a correction. The target model and the "Quigley" are chambered in .45-70 and .45-120.<P>Second, I think I was forgetting the main point when I posted my original questions. If a guy is gonna shoot BP loads, he's gonna have to be satisfied with lower velocity. Nothing wrong with that - that's the way it is. If I want speed, I can load them with smokeless. I still wonder what the .45-120 would be capable of, though. I also wonder where I would find brass.<P>I found an old ST article that said 65gr (give or take) BP in the .45-70 case will push a bullet of 400-500gr around 1100fps (give or take) in a Marlin 1895, depending on the specifics, of course. I would make an educated guess that the 32-34" barrel of a sharps might result in 100-200fps more. Can anybody verify that? -al

Not exactly what you were asking for but:::<BR>I used to load 385 grainers over bp and they made 1100 fps from a 20inch barrelled H&R Handi Rifle.With cast lead it seems that good penetration is acheived at lower velocities than modern powder shooters would ever consider. <BR>The 30 in barrel on Pedersoli should give very good results with 400 or so grain bullets.<BR> When reloading you may wish to use a drop tube or some means of vibrating the case in order to get as much powder in the case as possible

EllieMae,<BR>Why not a C. Sharps? Right now, we don't have a huge backlog, I don't know if you wanted a '74, '75, or '85, (all available in calibers ranging from .22lr to 50-140), but we also have guns on the rack for sale, available NOW, and you don't have to wait. If you could give me an idea of what you want, I can get you an in-stock list of what we have.