Hello Everyone,

           Sometime in mid to late August I’ll be receiving my Shiloh Sharps 45-70 Sporter #1 with a 30” Octagon Barrel. I grew up shooting Pumps; I’ve been around Bolt Action rifles. And currently I own a Marlin 30-30 Lever Action. Yet I keep hearing in the forums about Rolling Blocks, Trap Doors, and a few others. I know that I have a lever action that opens my rear breach, which is where I put my cartridge. This Sharps Rifle and the other rifles like it is new territory for me, and I’m interested in understanding it better. 


I also keep hearing about Class 1 and Class 3 groups. Are there other classifications and what do they all mean? 

I would appreciate any and all the help in my search for this and much more knowledge that you all have that hopefully you might pass on to me. Thank you for your help.

Paul, you might also want to get a copy of Frank de Haas' book 'Single Shot Rifles and Actions' for more complete data on the different types and their merits. He gives a good description of the different parts of the actions & their functions as well as rating their strengths and suitability for various cartridges. There are good pictures of the various rifles in their original configurations as well as picures of some custom rifle versions. All of Frank's books are written from a gunsmith's point of view and contain some really neat tips. They are considered to be among the very best seminal works on single shot rifles.
When you have questions just ask, good luck, Joe

Sharps1874

I would like to suggest an additonal book that you will find invaluable. "Loading Cartridges For The Original .45-70 Springfield Rifle And Carbine" by Pat and J. S. Wolf. You can find it on Pat Wolf's web site here:

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You can also get the book from Shiloh Rifle Mnfg. here:

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The book is of course written to the model 1873 (and later models) Springfield rifle and Carbine, but it has a wealth of information that is applicable to any and all disciplines of shooting real gunpowder. I very highly recommend the book.

Hello Everyone,

           I finally received my Sharps Rifle, and well it’s an incredible site to look at. I’m sure that I’m going to have years of fun with my rifle. Under normal circumstances, I usually play around with the new things that I get before reading the owners manual, yet with the Sharps I’ve decided to read everything first. So far this has been a wise decision. 


           Good news, the end of the hunting season has turned out very good for me. I ended up with a very good Blacktail on the last Wednesday of the season about 2 weeks ago. One of the other hunters from the club pushed it my way and all I had to do was sit my butt down and wait for it to run to me. My buck turned out to be a very nice 3 pointer with exceptional eye guards. 2 days later, my Dad killed his deer, a nice fork horn with tall forks. It was great seeing my Dad kill what may be the last deer hill shoot in his life. I think at the age of 78 that he has hunted his last year. Most of the deer this season on the ranch that I hunt on killed their deer in the last few days of the season. We were lucky this year that we were in the rut that last 3 weeks of the season. The same thing happened last year. I ended up with the best buck of the season on the ranch. I’ll get my plaque for that this Saturday at the end of the season hunting party. This will be my second one since we started scoring in 1993. And I already picked up my deer meat from my butcher last Sunday. 

           I’m getting ready to get the last of my reloading stuff. Soon I’ll be shooting my Sharps. 


           OK, how has everyone else done? It’s been very quiet from all of you.