Hello Folks,
I am a newbie and having very recently bought a ShilohSharps 40/65 I am looking forward to taking my first shots at our outdoor range when the snow melts near the end of April up here in Sandpoint, Idaho.I am reading a lot and have confused myself a bit. I'll have questions soon and look forward getting replies. I'll be 87 years old next month and don't want to spenda summer season figuring out what many of you already know. Regards, Jimsan.

Jimsan, I shoot a couple of Shiloh Sharps rifles and I will give you my loading info.  As far as a bullet goes, both the Saeco #740 and the Buffalo Arms 409400M4 will work extremely well in that rifle.      

Here are two loads that have worked very well in silhouette and midrange for me:

fireformed cases, slip fit, i.e. zero neck tension.
CCI BR2 
58gr Swiss 1.5
0.060" LDPE + newsprint wad
Saeco #740, 20:1
DGL lube
2.775" oal

fireformed cases, slip fit, i.e. zero neck tension.
Federal Large Pistol Match primers
62gr Swiss 1.5
0.060" LDPE + newsprint wad
BACO 409400M4, 16:1
3.167" oal.

Both loads shoot extremely well in both of my Shiloh .40-65's.  One is 1:16 twist and the other is 1:14.   

If I had to choose only use one bullet in a standard 1:16 twist it would be the Saeco #740.  A little lower B.C. than the Buffalo Arms bullet, but it is easy to get to shoot very well at midrange distances.

If you don't want to spend the extra $$$ on Swiss, then Goex Old Eynsford powder shoots very similarly.    

Chris.

Hiwall55 wrote on Mar 17^th, 2020 at 5:32am:


On my two Shiloh rifles they are right on spec.

One thing I'd recommend is to buy a set of RCBS dies made specifically for the Shiloh Sharps .40-65 chamber.  They reduce the case above the web just a little more than the standard dies.  This is sometimes necessary to get the cases to chamber as they are cut quite tight.

Chris.

Everyone.....I am a serious shooter and will shoot from rest. I have the RCBS Dies for my Shiloh Sharps and the 400-grain Snofer bullet lubed from Buffalo Arms, .030 veggie wads, CCI-BR primers, etc. Probably can't shoot until April 21 due to snow at range so I have time to to get suggestions and other information. I am  using Swiss FFg powder, but so far I only have the brass powder measure with the funnel on the top to measure volume. I measured 12 loads at 50-gr with the brass tube and measured them on my Redding balance beam to 1/10-gr. I threw out the highest and lowest values and averaged the rest to get a 50-gr equivalency by volume of 51.6 grains by weight. I loaded 12 rounds with 51.6 grains by weight. Then I did the same thing setting the brass tube for 52-gr. by volume and got 53.6-gr by weight. Is this acceptable? I have to wait on the snow to see what happens next. Thank you in advance....Jimsan

As an example of how well unweighed charges can work,  here is the last target I shot in my Shiloh .40-65.  It was a ten shot group @ 200m for a postal match being held on the Shiloh Sharps form.  The target was shot from prone with no support on the buttstock so the same target shot by a skilled benchrest shooter should be a little better.  Even with the two shots out of the core group it's still only 1.1 minutes of angle.

Chris.

So inquiring minds would like to know your load details on that target Chris.   

Thanks Chris.

Chris,

Where do you place the newsprint wad....under the base of the bullet OR in the bottom of the case before the powder goes in?

Thanks!

Tom