1874 Sharps Saddle Rifle,
caliber 45-70 Gov't, 30" barrel,
figured walnut, pack hardened, standard sights,
used, by Shiloh Sharps
Part Number: AAW-270
Availability: In Stock
Price: $3,299.00
Special Restrictions Apply
Not available for export outside the U.S.A.
Must be delivered to a Federal Firearms Licensed dealer.
A signed copy of your dealer's FFL license is required before shipment.
This 1874 Sharps rifle, by Shiloh Sharps, is lightly used. Stocked in walnut, the rifle has a 30" octagon barrel, and is chambered for the .45-70 Gov't, .45 2-1/10 cartridge. The rifle is fitted with the factory blade front sight, and semi-buckhorn rear sight. The action is pack hardened. This 11-1/2 pound rifle is an excellent choice for shooting iron silhouettes, buffalo matches, and steel gongs at 400 and 600 yards. The weight is a great advantage when shooting from a rest, and it greatly reduces recoil. This rifle qualifies for FFL transfer and can be picked up by a Minnesota resident, or it must be shipped to a FFL dealer in another state. Trigger reach is 14-1/4" and the weight is 11.6 pounds. This rifle has a few small handling marks on the stock.

Chambered in the popular caliber, 45-70 Government, we strongly prefer black powder hand loads, and especially the 500 grain original U. S. Army - Frankfort Arsenal bullet, now known as the Lyman 457-125 bullet. You can easily assemble your own cartridges using our inexpensive reloading tools and molds. We recommend 500 grain cast lead alloy bullets, lubed with SPG lubricant, over our thin card wad. The top barrel flat is marked SHILOH SHARPS MODEL 1874 ahead of the rear sight. It is marked CALIBRE 45 2-1/10 in two lines near the breech. The 30" barrel is fitted with a blade front sight, and a barrel mounted ladder sight. Both sights have some small marks near the dovetails, so the sights must have been removed and replaced at some time.

This Sharps Rifle is stocked in semi-figured walnut with vertical stripes across the comb of the stock. The shotgun buttstock is shaped with a cheekpiece, without accent line. The stock is fitted with a case hardened checkered steel buttplate. The walnut stock on this rifle has a very open grain, which is visible as you roll the rifle in the light and you can feel a very slight texture on both the stock and forearm. Architectural details include the semi-circular flat on the walnut forend, in front of the action. Our bottom view shows the color case hardened lever. Notice the tiny lug at the front of the lever, which stops the lever while the extractor is seated. Press the lever slightly forward, while open. This over-travel causes the extractor to snap rearward, ejecting the fired cartridge. The walnut forend has a schnabel tip.

The receiver, hammer, lever, and triggerplate are all pack hardened. The left side of the receiver is marked SHILOH RIFLE MFG. CO. BIG TIMBER, MONTANA in two lines. The 1874 Sharps lock action is smooth and crisp, with a reliable half-cock safety notch positioned just above the firing pin. A fly detent in the tumbler insures perfect action and fast lock time, when using the set trigger. The double set trigger has double levers allowing you to cock the lock, or set the trigger, in any sequence. When fired from the front trigger alone, trigger release is a normal 2 to 3 pounds. When fired with the rear trigger set, the front trigger release may be adjusted to nearly zero, using the set screw between the triggers. We strongly recommend using these set triggers for dry fire practice, which is perfectly harmless, provided that the hammer is fully down, not at the half-cock safety notch. Dry firing, at a small black dot on a white piece of paper, each evening, is the best way to develop skills, practice follow-through, and to eliminate the tendency to flinch during recoil.

This rifle will require load development, and fine tuning, for serious target competition. We enjoy casting bullets, hand loading black powder cartridges, and enjoyable afternoons at our local 100, 200, 400, and 600 yard range. If you enjoy shooting, recording results, and creating loads, order this rifle, today. Order it for a ten day visual inspection. You will be delighted. Else if it does not fit you, return it in unfired condition for same-day refund. Postage is your only risk, when you order any one-of-a-kind gun from Track, whether new, used, or antique.
Track of the Wolf, Inc.
18308 Joplin St NW
Elk River, MN 55330-1773

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