Home Forums Hunting & Shooting BPCR slightly different, may not fit exactly but you guys are the Sharps experts...

anyone messed with the Mini Sharps from Chiappa? selling my CJ5 this spring and am thinking of picking up one of these in 17 Hornet for something different in a gopher rifle....

Sheridan,

Over on castboolits website they don't have much good to say about them;

LINK

Ed

There's one for sale on gunbroker. The forward end of the rear tang sight is so far off center with the "tunnel" into the chamber it's not real funny, bet the front sight would have to almost set out on a separate extension to get a mechanical zero..

dammit, there goes that idea....better to find out this way though....

I'd look one over a Chiappa closely before buying. I handled one and my finger was an unusually tight fit in the trigger guard. It could be a headache, especially if one takes advantage of the set trigger.

Dakota is building a high-end version of the same concept, but I don't know how similar they are in size and features. Presumably their version is finely made. It should be, they cost as much as a Shiloh

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=396558964

Looks like it at least has a sensible trigger layout.

I collect lots of different single shots but for the money I think I'd pick a Ruger #1 over a Chiappa.

apreciate the hands on experience Pat, only seen pics....may look at getting the Ruger in 450-400 ive always wanted instead......did not expect the Chiappa's to be of Shiloh or C. Sharps quality but was hoping it would be serviceable.....sounds like it aint even that....sincerely appreciate the input even if it crushed my idea...living in BFE i often cant actually get my hands on them unless i commit to buy and have the local shop order it for me....

Forget the Chiappa. When you sell the Jeep, get a Shiloh. You will be a LOT happier. Trust me.

Bill, no way ild buy an Italian gun in a big round like 45-70.....just was thinking if they were half decent the mini Sharps in 17 Hornet would be a neat gopher rifle when i got bored with the 10-22 and Savage 17HMR since the vast majority of my shooting is done on gophers.....may just order a Shiloh aswell.....been pretty gun poor for awhile and was hoping to pick up a couple guns with the proceeds from the Jeep but there would only prolly be enough to just get the Shiloh and prolly a good set of sights

If it's a 17 hmr you want, grab one of the new Winchester lowalls.

There you go.

Yep.

Japanese single shots (Low & High Walls) are about as romantic as nuns, but they will be mechanically excellent, and have fine barrels.

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=404663487

here's a K hornet

http://www.gunbroker.com/Auction/ViewItem.aspx?Item=405736254

there's also new ones in .17 Mach II, .17 HMR, .17 WMR, and 22 WMR

Add me to the list of those who would avoid the small Italian replica. I can't put too fine a point on it, but it takes more than nostalgia or "cool" to get me to part with my $$ for a firearm; I'm a shooter first and foremost. I can't say anything bad about the rifles from any personal knowledge or experience, but the Sharps was a transitional design and does need parts like the lever spring and firing pin from time to time, and I'd worry about continuing availability.

I'm quite happy with my Japanese 1885s, and I consider them attractive as well as functional, although there are those who consider it an abomination that they are not exact replicas of the original Browning 1885 design. To each his own. Not all Browning/Winchester 1885s are the same, and it matters depending on choice of sights. The modern versions, at least some of them, have a short tang that isn't drilled and tapped for a tang sight. Varying barrel thickness may create issues with mounting modern scopes - height of the front mount.

In choosing between one of these, and a Shiloh, it depends too on choice of chambering. Shilohs aren't offered in modern chamberings, or .22 LR.

I believe there is a pent up demand for certain single shots, but the manufacturers haven't seen it as a viable market. I would jump all over an 1885 made by Shiloh, and many have wished Ruger would make a No. 1 in .22.

Meanwhile we take what we can get. Mini- Sharps? Cute, but no thanks.

Paul

Pedersoli did make a run of 22 sharps rifles, but they didn't last long on the market. The darn thing was heavy, didn't really balance good and at 1300$ just didn't set the rimfire market aflame.
Part of the sales problem with those may have been timing, if it would of come out a year or two later when the 22 bpcr thing started really hitting it's stride sales may have been a good bit better.
C Sharps does offer the 75 in a rimfire, and while I can't say for certain, it might even be possible if you provided a barrel to get them to build one in the 17,might be worth a phone call...

Two thoughts in response:

I've given passing thought to an 1885 from C. Sharps, but I don't care for their stock design, and they aren't very flexible with choices.

I wish I could drum up some interest in mini-BPCR (.22) shooting around here. All we have is a very small contingent of us old fart BPCR shooters, and a small monthly (sometimes) gong shoot. Seems the smallbore single shot interest is centered around Texas and Oklahoma, some Kansas. Around here it's all about black guns, "tactical", and short range cowboy, which is huge.

Even with all that goes on in Phoenix, seven hours for me, there is zip interest in the .22 version.

Damned frustrating, but I count myself fortunate that at least there is some shooting going on, and places to shoot, in a gun friendly state, and within one day driving distance of Ben Avery in Phoenix.

Paul

Paul if you had a set or two of targets, and just threw up a match to bpcr distances, only make it a run what ya brung thing,(ie if it's rimfire it's going to compete) you might be surprised at what interest there is.
Cheyenne has several matches during the summer, and gets great attendance from folks from as far away as Denver. Casper has the targets and was going to get the berms and stuff in place for maybe a match this year. Alliance shoots a monthly match, but it's on swingers..
Lots of interest can be out there,just needs someone to grab the bull by the horns..

I think a lighter, scaled down Ruger #1 could be a real good seller. The current action can take anything up to a .600 Nitro; build one that goes up to a .473 max case head, and work on reducing weight elsewhere. Dakota's Model 10 goes that route, but of course is quite spendy.

I could see this "Ruger #2" being a good item for them.

I've proposed some informal side match mini-BPCR stuff, but the problem around here is the gun club(s) politics about range access. It has gotten pretty nasty. The SASS main club, a very small part of which is BPCR, barely tolerates it, mainly as a side interest of the cowboy thing. Just add a "buffler gun" to your rig, and shoot a few longer range targets. It's OK, but the point is that BPCR is a kind of poor cousin or stepchild of SASS around here.

I have a nice set of swingers scaled for long range .22 silhouette that I've offered to set up for informal matches or just practice, but gotten a "ho hum" response.

The handgun club is big and influential, and downright predatory. They'd love to grab all the other ranges to expand theirs, even tried to turn the very large SASS cow town into an RV lot for their events. Fortunately, they failed to do so.

All of the shooting ranges are BLM land, managed by the county. Politics and funding. Surrounding desert is mostly federal, so can't build anything permanent.

Still trying to do what I can.

Paul

Sheridan here's something to consider:

http://www.bigsandymt.org/LittleSharps.htm

Hope this helps.

useless, dude your name is sheridon???

what a gay name, I thought that was a girls name?

Stamps Foot, ....."SHOO, Pest!"

....go play in the traffic, or pour some Mercury into your nose.

GTC