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Every Tuesday there are about a half dozen guys at the range shooting modern highwalls and Sharps. One guy in particular I talk with a lot. He has a highwall clone in 45-90 with a reproduction old school scope. I watched him hit a 20″ pig at 600 yds 10 of 12 shots. Since it is a single shot he can cast some really nice bullets and can control his neck tension without any crimp. He even neck turns his brass. He seats his bullets where he gets the best groups. He shoots 3″ to 4″ groups at 600 yds. He says he doesn’t hunt at 600 yds but easily at 400 yds. His 2 buddies are also using modern techniques but don’t shoot as well as he does.
Almost makes me want to build one of these.
November 7, 2015
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I agree, Chuck. At least a couple of firms are making new high wall frames and at least one is building a damn fine Sharps, just be careful calling it a replica because they fought hard to use the “Old Reliable” stamp. I dabble with a C Sharps 1874 in 45-90 now and then and it didn’t take much to get it on Raton’s steel Buffalo at 1123 yards using BP and 20-1 alloy. Quite honestly my load has no neck tension. I seat the Lyman 457125 over a wad and a slightly compressed charge of Swiss 1.5 in a fired, cleaned and reprimed case with good results. Some day I’ll get back to work on that project but it would be more fun with a high wall. Winchester’s SS was late to the party for real bison but I wouldn’t mind ringing that steel buff with a tribute to JMB. I may need optics soon but last time I tried I was able to do well enough with Vernier tang sights…even though I couldn’t see the target.
Mike
TXGunNut said
I agree, Chuck. At least a couple of firms are making new high wall frames and at least one is building a damn fine Sharps, just be careful calling it a replica because they fought hard to use the “Old Reliable” stamp.
There were hundreds of HW repros made by the Meachum & Ballard companies before they both went under. Those were the best, but I think there may have been others. I think one of those could be bought for less than building a new rifle from scratch, not to mention sparing one’s self the aggravations that usually go along with such a project.
I’d be surprised if C. Sharps had to fight very hard for the rights to “Old Reliable,” unless some other maker had previously copyrighted it. It’s a great shame, I think, but when the original holder of such a famous trademark goes out of business, the name can then be stolen by whomever first lays claim to it by filing the necessary paperwork with the US patent office. This is how the Leatherwood Co. got away with claiming the famous William Malcolm name for their scopes. That’s bad enough, but far worse, from the historical perspective, was the outrageous mis-appropriation of the most famous name in American arms-making history, no, not Colt or Winchester, but Springfield Armory, by a private entrepreneur in Geneseo, Il! Considering the unparalleled historical significance of that name, how could the US gov’t allow such a perversion to happen!
Chuck said
Almost makes me want to build one of these.
Why wait, Chuck? https://www.gunbroker.com/item/958010251
This is their basic HW–much fancier models could be ordered.
But if you want to go to the next shoot in style, here’s the one to make everyone take notice: https://www.gunbroker.com/item/959042193
This company was founded to make Ballard replicas, then undertook to build HWs too, which may have contributed to their eventual failure, by trying to do “too much.”
clarence said
Chuck said
Almost makes me want to build one of these.
Why wait, Chuck? https://www.gunbroker.com/item/958010251
This is their basic HW–much fancier models could be ordered.
But if you want to go to the next shoot in style, here’s the one to make everyone take notice: https://www.gunbroker.com/item/959042193
This company was founded to make Ballard replicas, then undertook to build HWs too, which may have contributed to their eventual failure, by trying to do “too much.”
Clarence I have so many projects now I really don’t want another one. In the last 2 days I’ve had to clean 6 guns and I’m not done. If I were to build one it would have to have a scope. Even with tang sights I really have a hard time aiming/seeing at 100 yds. Definitely no Schutzen butts. My friend has a lever on his 85 similar to the one shown on the engraved Ballard. It hits is finger when fired.
TXGunNut said
I agree, Chuck. At least a couple of firms are making new high wall frames and at least one is building a damn fine Sharps, just be careful calling it a replica because they fought hard to use the “Old Reliable” stamp. I dabble with a C Sharps 1874 in 45-90 now and then and it didn’t take much to get it on Raton’s steel Buffalo at 1123 yards using BP and 20-1 alloy. Quite honestly my load has no neck tension. I seat the Lyman 457125 over a wad and a slightly compressed charge of Swiss 1.5 in a fired, cleaned and reprimed case with good results. Some day I’ll get back to work on that project but it would be more fun with a high wall. Winchester’s SS was late to the party for real bison but I wouldn’t mind ringing that steel buff with a tribute to JMB. I may need optics soon but last time I tried I was able to do well enough with Vernier tang sights…even though I couldn’t see the target.
Mike
Mike that’s good shooting. I can see far just not when trying to use steel sights.
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