Home Forums Hunting & Shooting BPCR .50-90 Shiloh

Haha! Sounds like a sales pitch to me!



I currently load my 45-90 with 18.5 grains of Trail Boss and a 405 cast bullet.


People think I am a real tough sombitch and everyone likes seeing that Winchester yard that big ole case out of the action.


Honestly, I cant shoot much more than that due to the shape of the stock.

It's almost apples to oranges here. I assume your Winchester is a Model 1886. There were likely NO 1886's used on the Buffalo prairies since they're too new. There were likely a few 1876's, but they simply weren't the gun a Sharps or Rolling Block is when it comes to Buffalo killing. Much of this is about history and getting a feel for what it was really like shooting Buffalo for hides.

I've owned an 1886 in 45-70. It started out life as a 40-82 but was re-bored for some reason. It was an excellent gun, but not a traditional "Buffalo Gun". The 45-90 is more of the same.

I've got an 1876 in 45-75. The 45-75 isn't as powerful as the 45-70. The guns the cartridge is made around won't fire the heavy bullets a 45-70 will. A 405 grain bullet is the standard bullet for the 45-70. Shooting that with 20 more grains of Ffg would certainly flatten a Buff, but it's not all about the kill. See Gunner's posts.

I keep most of my guns in the safes but I have some guns out that I use. My 1876 is setting in a corner of the mud-room and the ammo is right here beside me on the Printer. 350 grain cast bullet with 4759 powder under it. Packs a wallop but isn't my Sharps.

I know exactly what you mean Jim, I have an '86 in 50-110 WCF, it fires a 700gr flat nosed grease groove bullet at a very mild 1240 fps with black powder, that steel crescent butt was NOT made for men like us, those cowpokes back in the day were probably 130lbs soaking wet, that sombitch frogs the hell out of a mans shoulder.

I remember buying the '86 I had at a gunshop just north of where I sit on my ass. The guy had two for sale...mine, a standard octagon barreled rifle and another, a 45-90 like Jim's, with a pewter-colored, engraved receiver. I don't remember how much that one was. Too much for a poor college student, but it wasn't a whole lot more than the one I bought. Wish I had them both now.

Its a double whammy for we with the crecent stock 1886's.


The LOP is way too short and the butt too narrow and pointy.



I bought a stock set from the Gunner a few years ago to get my 45-70 to where I could use it. Bought a wood carving kit to inlet for the tang safety. Had to take out a lot of wood.


Still use a slip on leather butt pad just to get a better LOP.



I bet a big Sharps rifle with proper stock length and design would be a dream to shoot compared to an 1886.

1 st Shiloh I ever bought was in 1991 and it was the one I all ways wanted since they started Shilohs up in Farmingdale, New Dork. Long Range Express 50-140 (3 1/4") std barrel it weighs 10 lbs and 3 oz. Full throttle loads will kill on both ends if'n you aren't ready for it. The 50 cal RCBS ppb was a favorite for years with 140 grs GOEX 1 Fg. When I started playing with more compression to get a crack instead of a boom and Cartridge grade my groups were looking better and acceptable. 50-140's are not target rifles but was able to get hits and a group at 800 yd Quigley buffalo that satisfied me. I was experimenting with multiple point compression and found it would accommodate 165 grs of Fg Goex Express. I found out that not only are there things in life you don't need to do twice but places you don't need to go once either. I can shoot it without a recoil shield but you don't want to make a habit out of that. I also found out the old Boy Scout motto" Be Prepared" is still damn good council, Extra Strength Tylenol 1/2 hr up front before you go to shooting works pretty damn good. I've shot a couple mule deer and 2 antelope as well as a full size buffalo cow with it and these days I shoot up some loads every once in awhile prior to hunting with it. Mostly I use my 40's and 45 Shilohs for target shooting these days cheaper on the pocket and easier on the body. Shoot the hell out of them, it's just plain fun and enriching. MB

I don't even want to imagine shooting a 50-140.

Even the military butt stock I sold Jim will be much more shooter friendly than the crescent butt, those damn things are brutality personified.

LOL EE, I saw a 50-140 Sharps not long ago on one of the auction sites for sale, it wore a crescent steel butt, no way in hell Friend!

Crescent steel buttplates are indeed brutal.

Yessir, I believe they were designed to be fired 'around' the ball of the shoulder muscle, I've tried that too EE, it goes against every thing I've learned about 'getting in' a rifle, just feels weird.

I shoot a custom 465 gr cast full throttle load from my 86 Win 45-90 that isn't bad however the octagon adds some additional weight for recoil counter measures from that nasty crescent..

That's a fine looking lever rifle there Woody, i'll send ya a pic of what I did with my 45-120 and buckhorn barrel sight with Bagwell built copper penny front sight at 300 yards the other day.

An old friend now departed helped get started with slug guns. One of his favorite competition rifles was .50 caliber and he shot a 800 grain dual alloy (2 piece swagged) with 200 grains of Swiss 1.5. The gun weighed near 40# but still gave you a solid thump on both ends.

pacecars, whether 40, 44, big or little 45's or the 50's, these rifles are a hoot, never a dull moment, loading, shooting and hunting with them.

Love them all. I switched up my order. I called Bill and he let me switch my order to the .50-90 Business Rifle. I have never had a round barrel

Nice, that round barrel in 50 cal will look like a truck axle! it'll be a shooter too.

Got in on a round barrel run back 2010 did not have to wait 1.5 years like normal. Rounds and bull barrels are built in batches then they go back to normal production of octagonal. You guys quit Jacking Off and call Shiloh tomorrow maybe you can have a gun in less than 6 months. I know what I'm talking about. Yeah mine is a business rifle chambered tight original style 45 2 7/8", checkered steel shotgun butt, fire blued screws, bone & charcoal finish, semi buckhorn and a 30 " heavy rd barrel with. Sling swivel studs. Normal business rifle barrel is 28" ,I asked for 30 " they said they could do that and I said will it look like the #2 Creedmoor Silhouette barrel ? And she said that's what it will be. Only made 2 mistakes that I would rectify if doing it over. 1 I'd order the polished barrel( originals were) and damned if I wouldn't tell them to hand select atleast semi fancy wood. Mine was ordered std and I got 2x4's in my wood pile with better looking figure in the wood.. I call mine the all Business Rifle cause it will work from 10' to 1 mile. MB

pacecars, did you go with a 22 twist for your new Big 50 Business rifle?

Naw, they ain't that big. .45-70 with a half and half barrel.




It just loves my elbows I guess.