Edition 2016-5 Published by C. Sharps Arms Co., Inc.

The Last Hunt

page 3

Manufacturers of A WORLD FAMOUS SERIES of Classic Metallic Cartridge Rifles and Classic Sights

P.O. Box 885, Big Timber, MT 59011 Phone: 406-932-4353 Fax: 406-932-4443

2016 www.csharpsarms.com * info@csharpsarms.com 2016

THE AMERICAN SHARPS SHOOTERS

Publisher: C. Sharps Arms Co. Inc., John R. Schoffstall – President Mike Nesbitt - - - Editor (miken54@aol.com)

Allen Cunniff --- Field Contributor (tpigskin@comcast.net) Bob Gietz—Field Contributor (duckfreak@q.com)

Dangerous Don McDowell - - Field Contributor (ranch13@hotmail.com)

Table of contents: Page

THE LAST HUNT by Rick Hamilton………………………….……….………….……. 3

OLD WEST CENTERFIRES by Bob Gietz ........................................ ...…………9

Outstanding Products ……………………………………………..………..;;…..11

BACO’s BORE WIPE SYSTEM by Dangerous Don McDowell……,,.…….…. 16

THE SWAN by Allen Cunniff……………………………..………...…………...18

“Politicians and diapers must be changed often, and for the same reason,”—Mark Twain

The Last Hunt

By Rick Hamilton

Nothing! “How can a 2000

pound buffalo bull disappear so

quickly,” I thought to myself as I

scanned the horizon with my binoculars.

Even though it was an early June

morning, the light cooling breeze felt

good on my skin, and was causing the

bluestem to do its shimmering dance in

the rolling valleys and hilltops. The

quickly climbing temperature bore

witness to a forecast of a hot day,

although a few isolated storm clouds

hinted at a shower as well.

Hoping to take advantage of the

cooler morning, I was on a solo last

buffalo hunt here on our Sandhills ranch.

After 15 years of raising buffalo and 13

years of outfitting hunts for them, there

remained only one, aptly named Brutus “Ol’ Brutus,” one ton of wild buffalo bull

by one of our clients. As another client had told me, he certainly fit or filled the definition of the majestic bison;

of course he was also fitting the definition of several other things like mean, crotchety, and intimidating!

Due to some major health issues of mine and my not being able to keep up to the necessary physical

demands anymore, we sadly sold the buffalo herd this past April. Trucking this bull with the rest of the herd

was not an option for a 2000 pound ornery brute that had killed cow buffalo here before when they encroached

upon his comfort zone. We elected to wait for him to completely shed his winter coat for taxidermy purposes

and hoped he would stay in the hills without the rest of his herd until that transpired.

The day had come and as I glassed the grass covered sand dunes that compromise the Sandhills, it was

hard to imagine that in the early 1800’s this was called the “Great American Desert” on some maps. The

dryness of the sand, however, is balanced by the huge underground reservoir of water beneath the hills called

the Ogallala Aquafer. This shows up in the many sub irrigated meadows, streams, lakes, and sloughs in the

Sandhills which also support the abundant grass cover which furnished a highly nutritious and plentiful food

supply for the enormous herds of buffalo that have grazed here throughout history.

Numerous stone spear points found in the Sandhills and used in the Paleo era for buffalo/bison hunting

nearly 8000 years ago, give testament to the fact that buffalo have been grazing the Sandhills far longer than

most people realize. We personally have found Eden points and Central Plains era stone points used for hunting

buffalo here on the ranch which date approximately from 8000 years ago to 1000 years ago respectively.

The Sandhills were also communal buffalo hunting grounds for some of the historic Indian tribes

including the Omaha, Lakota, Ponca, and Pawnee. Some of the 1870’s buffalo hunters also hunted buffalo in

the Sandhills. I have a couple of 405 grain, 3 groove, hollow base lead bullets that show soft tissue damage

which I found way out in the hills in the early sixties. The 3 rifling lands show on the bullets which say they

were shot in a Springfield and I like to imagine that they were used on a buffalo.

With all that history, in addition to owning four 1874 Sharps rifles of my own, and having guided most

of our clients in the past 8 years with BPCR rifles, it was an easy choice for me to use one of my Sharps. The

big question was which one? All my Sharps rifles have taken a number of buffalo, but health at this time forced

me to pick the lightest which was the .45-110 Shiloh with 30-inch heavy barrel.

The other contender was my C. Sharps Arms rifle, also in .45-110 which, like my Shiloh, is reamed with

a gentle leade at the beginning of the rifling to be conducive to shooting with paper patched bullets. The only

drawback to this rifle is it has a 34 inch, #1- 1/2 heavy Badger barrel, and that made it too heavy for me if an

offhand shot was necessary. My beautiful C. Sharps Arms rifle is definitely a buffalo gun if X-stick are used

and very accurate but my strength just wasn’t there to carry it on this hunt. My gun of choice was equipped

with standard barrel sights, modified by some grinding and filing.

For a bullet, my selection

was a KAL .442” hollow base paper

patch which throws a 550 grains

using a soft alloy and wrapped to

.449”. Although I have purchased

one of the KAL .442 molds, for this

hunt I was still using bullets from a

generous supply Bob Watts had

given me to try previously. My

1/8th” lube cookie was a mixture of

jojoba oil and beeswax, 3-1 as

recommended by Bob. The load I

used will sound like an echo from

Dick Savage, which it actually is,

using 102.5 grains of KIK 1.5Fg

with no compression and a .025”

wad. CCI’s BR2 are always my

primers of choice and Norma’s basic

brass completes and contains my

load.

Rick’s rifle and one of its .45-110 cartridges This combination will shoot

consistent 1 MOA groups or better off of X-sticks in hunting conditions out to about 400 yards using a blow

tube or just a couple of breaths down the breech which allows subsequent shots to be taken without wiping the

bore. The first shot from a cold barrel hits in the same place as the rest. My C. Sharps .45-110 will also shoot

same impact from a cold barrel. Both of those rifles are at home with paper patched bullets and both have

chambers with the gentle leades in them.

Emphasizing how rifles are all individuals, my .45-90 using grease groove bullets does not shoot to the

same point of impact from a cold barrel.

Let me sound like a hunting guide for just a few moments, I highly recommend the semi-buckhorn rear

sight with fold up ladder when used with a brass colored blade for a front sight. I use mine with the ladder

down for 100-175 yards and I use the ladder standing up with the slide moved completely to the top, aiming

with the “V” filed at the bottom base of the ladder for my 200 yard setting. Then with the slide on the ladder

completely down, I use the V notch for my 300 yard setting. And for my 400 yard setting and up, I have

elevations for the V marked with Kurt Altenburg’s pocket knife on the ladder’s staff. That works better than

anything else I have tried.

Barrel sights are simple and when hunting simple is always better. They are also faster to operate and

work better in a variety of lighting conditions than other sights. Likewise, a blade front sight is best for hunting.

I have seen guys lose their front apertures when carrying rifles with globe front sights. With practice you can

shoot as well to 400 yards with barrel sights as with most any other sights. Most of the original buffalo hunting

rifles I have seen had just barrel sights and, of course, scopes were costly back then too.

Shooting with X-sticks works better than trying to shoot from the prone position while hunting because

vegetation and topography usually impede view if your eyes get down that low. Occasionally I will use a set of

homemade standing sticks for hunts as well.

Getting back to the hunt, I finally spotted Brutus and he was over ½ mile away and he had spotted me.

He took off and went into a fast mule deer bounce for 50 yards or so and then broke into a full gallop. The sight

of a critter weighing a full ton and still being able to

bounce gracefully like a mule deer still impresses me.

Not having the rest of the herd around had indeed made

him extremely wary. He had went from being on the

offensive to when he was protecting the herd, to a

defensive position of protecting himself.

Catching back up with Doris, my wife and

camera person, we hiked over to where we had last

seen the bull. After an hour of fruitless search we

suddenly spotted his hump just behind the crest of a

hill. Then we made a long stalk to the top of the hill

but the bull was nowhere to be found!

Leaving Doris for the while, I started out by

myself and tried tracking the big bull. Sure enough, his

tracks showed and were easy enough to follow in that

Showing the size of the buffalo track in the sand immediate area as it was rather sandy. I had followed

him for about a quarter of a mile when I

found where he had made his own

personal gate through a barb wire fence!

At that point I went back and got Doris

and we headed back on the trail, over the

broken fence and into another large tract

of land. Brutus simply seemed to be

gone and I was beginning to wonder if he

might become one of the lost legends of

the hills.

We had to keep looking. Then I

hiked on ahead to a large hill which

provided a good vantage point of the

surrounding terrain. Poking my head

through the grass on the crest of the hill I

finally spotted old Brutus.

After planning a strategic stalk,

we hoped to gain the vantage point of the

top of a small hill from which we could get This was Brutus’s “gate” through the fence

a clear shot at Brutus, who was out in a small valley. We both headed hunched over to the base of the hill.

Then I crawled to the top and peered through the tall bluestem. There was Brutus at just 135 yards. The light

and wind were both at my back. That was a perfect set up and I wanted this to be a one-shot stand.

With hand signals I motioned for Doris to crawl up with the cameras to a spot immediately to my right.

While she was doing that I was setting my X-sticks and getting into shooting position. I whispered to Doris that

I was ready and she immediately replied that the grass was too thick for good filming.

At this point Brutus was quartered to me. I asked Doris to stand up partially until she had a good view

with the camera. Brutus immediately spotted us and as my clients have said, his eyes would bore right through

you. Almost immediately he turned broadside while deciding what he was going to do. I knew he wasn’t going

to stay there long as he was poised for flight. He was either going to run away, stand his ground and dare you to

make the first move, or come after us! That bit of wisdom was imparted to me by one of my clients who has

hunted a number of both Cape buffalo and bison/buffalo. He wrote in our guestbook that his hunt here had been

his most exciting of all his hunts around the world! That’s another story for another time. Right there is when I

set the rear trigger. I was not concerned about taking the shot, conditions were very good and I knew my rifle.

For no single reason or perhaps for a

variety of reasons, my mind drifted back a

half dozen years ago to a Viet Nam veteran I

shall call “Mike,” as he was also pulling the

set trigger while pointed at a buffalo here on

the ranch. Mike had been a hunter all his life

before the war. His body bore the many scars

of a warrior from an outfit well known for

their abilities. He came to hunt with us along

with a regular client of ours who was also a

Viet Nam veteran, at the recommendation of a

veterans’ center where they had met on the

west coast. Up until that day after the war he

had never been able to fire a gun.

I will never forget the emotions that

poured forth from Mike after he did pull the

trigger. His shot was true and the buffalo was

all his. The hugs, the tears, the experiencing

of a former part of his life he had shut out for

Rick takes careful aim as thoughts race through his mind so long. It was an awakening in which we all

rejoiced.

Those were some of the emotions I knew I would miss, but the memories will remain forever. For me

the shot itself was anti-climactic even though the shot was very true. To me the greater significance was the

ending of an era where I had made and greeted old and new friends from around the country. We have built

many lifelong relationships that we hope to continue as our life begins another phase.

Then my mind,

aim, and concentration

came back to the shot at

hand. With a slight

squeeze of the set trigger,

my .45-110 Sharps roared

and Brutus was hit with

the only shot that was

needed. The 550 grain

paper patched, hollow-

based bullet, passed

through the top of the

heart and continued on

through to be buried itself

forever in the shifting

sands. Perhaps, years

from now, it will be

picked up by someone

and they’ll wonder if it

had been used to hunt

buffalo.

This, I can only

expect, was my last buffalo Moments after Brutus fell, Doris took this picture of Rick’s last buffalo hunt

hunt. I can feel accomplished and carry no regrets because no mistakes were made and things went very well.

Brutus had lived quite a good life, free in the Sandhills as did his ancestors, and it was a good death, as the

Native Americans say. We all can only hope for the same.

For what it is worth, let me continue here with some of my recommendations for hunting buffalo with a BPCR:

Use non-adjustable X-sticks (adjustable sticks need adjusting at the wrong times)

Use barrel sights

If using globe sights be sure to tape over aperture spring to keep from losing the aperture

Know where your first shot from a cold barrel impacts in relation to consequent shots

Use blow tubes or blowing down breech for fouling control

I always recommended heart shots for most shooters. The heart is lower than a lot of people realize.

I have used both soft and hard alloys and believe that shooter accuracy is of a more paramount issue

Eyes rolling in a bull means you had better be somewhere else

Tail up like a flag means severe agitation and/or a charge

Get up to 130 yards from a buffalo and they will show head-shakes as first sign of aggression

100-130 yards is a caution zone

Closer than 100 yards is the danger zone

Cows with young calves will charge

Bulls may charge at any time but more so during the rut or if cornered or wounded

It is ill advised to underestimate the danger of a buffalo! A buffalo rancher of 60 plus years told me that when I

first got started. His name was Todd and he told me never to go near a buffalo without at least a .44 Magnum

on my hip. If you haven’t seen a dangerous buffalo you haven’t been around them long enough. Good advice

to live by, he told me…

Authors note: I would like to take this opportunity to give a very special thanks to Dick Savage for all his

help, friendship, and patience for mentoring me over the years in Sharps rifles. I would also like to thank Kurt

Altenburg for all the help he has given me on same. Between these two guys, there has never been a question of

mine about rifles or cartridges they couldn’t answer. I couldn’t ask for better friends than Dick and Kurt!

Also thanks to Bob Watts for all his help with the tight chambered Shiloh rifles as well as the loan of the

paper patched bullets. Bob is also a very good friend.

And last, a special thanks goes to all the many clients from around the country who have hunted with us.

We truly enjoy calling you all friends now!

Here’s hopin’ to see all of you at some shoots in the future! BPCR people are the best!

“The Second Amendment is on the ballot in November,” Donald Trump

Old West

Centerfires By Bob Gietz

This was the final match of our 2016 Old West Centerfire season (the

2017 season gets an early start this coming November) and we had a very good

match, in nice enough weather with seven shooters participating. It is my

pleasure being range-master for these shoots. Our course of fire included 20

rounds, with 10 shots being taken at 50 yards and the other 10 taken at 100 yards using bullseye targets. In

addition to having those seven shooters, Dave Dolliver was on hand to help with the target scoring.

Our match also included awarding those shooters with the season’s

aggregate, shooters attending this particular match were each

awarded two prizes, from the “prize blanket” which held several

items, mostly donated by C. Sharps Arms. Instead of talking about

this match and then the aggregate standings, we’ll talk about them at

the same time. Because of that, we’ll talk about the man who took

2nd place first.

That shooter was Jim Dickerman and we mention him first because

he took 1st place in this individual match. He’s done that before, a

very good shooter. Jim uses his Shiloh Sharps in .45/70 very well

although I don’t have any “inside information” about his loads. It

was on the aggregate standings that Jim took 2nd and the prize he

selected was a set of prone X-sticks from Buffalo Arms Company.

In 2nd place for this shoot was Allen Cunniff, shooting his very

favored .45/70 1874 Sharps from C. Sharps Arms. Allen is one of

our top shooters and he was tied with Jim for points but just a bit

behind on X’s. If his 100 yard group had been a bit more centered

he would have gotten those X’s. His target had a good group for

those 10 shots, with a score of 86, but those hits were all to the left

of the X.

Jim Dickerman One of

the fine aggregate prizes donated by C. Sharps Arms

was a very brightly polished gold colored belt buckle.

When Allen’s name was called for 1st place in the

aggregate he stepped forward saying, “I’ve got to

have that

buckle,”

and none

of us

could

disagree

with him.

That was

certainly

the pick

of the

prizes. Allen’s new gold colored C. Sharps buckle

In 3rd place for this match we have Jerry Mayo.

Jerry is our newcomer to these doin’s and this is only his

third match but the improvements he’s made in his

shooting are outstanding. We’ll be seeing more of his

shooting in the next season. For this season’s aggregate

Jerry is on the bottom of the list but that’s because he

shot in only three of the matches. His name will be much

higher on the list for the next aggregate, just watch.

Mike Nesbitt came in 4th for this shoot and he

was using his C. Sharps Low-wall in .44/40. We might

say that Mike holds the record for using the most calibers

in these matches and during this season he has used rifles

in .44/77, .50/70, .44/90 and now the .44/40. One reason

for using the light recoiling .44/40 in this match is

because Mike had eye surgery just three days ago,

getting a new lens (cataract surgery) in his shooting eye.

Did that new lens help? Well, his shooting wasn’t bad.

In addition to that, Mike was over- heard saying that he could see his groups in the targets at 50 yards again,

for the first time in several years. (He says, if you need cataract surgery, do it!) And we can expect to be

seeing this Low-wall in .44/40 at

these short

range matches again. Mike also took 3rd place in this season’s

aggregate, picking “meat prizes” for both of his awards.

Our aggregate scores are based on the top five match scores for each shooter. We have

six matches per season and that means the shooters who attend all six matches can throw out their

lowest match score. Three of our shooters for this match benefitted from this arrangement and gained

additional points to their previous accumulated scores. They were; Jeff Ritter gaining 11 points, Mike Nesbitt

adding 24 points, and Don Kerr also 24 more points.

Don Kerr used his C. Sharps Arms ’74 in .45/90 to grab 5th place in this match. While doing that he shot

this match’s highest score at 50 yards, an impressive 98-3X out of the 100 points possible. Don had some

weaker scores earlier in this season so his accumulative scores for the aggregate put him in 6th place.

“Loco Jeff” Ritter shot his way into 6th place for this match, shooting his Shiloh in .45/70. We like to

call him “Loco” not only because it fits his personality but because he was a steam locomotive engineer at

Knotts Berry Farm. Jeff shot his way into 4th place for the season’s aggregate.

At the bottom of the list for our shooters in this match we find Bob DeLisle but he’s been up at the top

before. None of us shoot our very best every time and Bob’s name will be up either at the top or near the top

again, we can easily guess that. Also, Bob is playing with new bullets and the addiction of buying new bullet

molds seems to have a grip on him. Bob placed 5th in the season’s aggregate.

This match was actually very tight and the top five shooters’ scores differed by only five points. That

makes the statement which says while we do shoot at short range, the shooting is rather serious. We’re friendly

folks at the same time. Give our shot range matches a try, bring a BP centerfire and come shoot with us.

Scores for this Match

Name Rifle/Cartridge 50 yd. 100 yd. Total Aggregate

Jim Dickerman 1874 Shiloh Sharps .45/70 94-2X 90-2X 184-4X 914-18X 2nd

Allen Cunniff 1874 C Sharps Arms .45/70 98-X 86 184-X 933-20X 1st

Jerry Mayo 1874 C. Sharps Arms .45/70 97-2X 86 183-2X 446-2X 7th

Mike Nesbitt 1885 C Sharps Arms .44/40 94-3X 88-2X 182-5X 888-13X 3rd

Don Kerr 1874 C Sharps Arms .45/90 98-3X 81 179-3X 854-10X 6th

Jeff Ritter 1874 Shiloh Sharps .45/70 89-X 86 175-X 882-6X 4th

Bob DeLisle 1874 Pedersoli Sharps, .45/70 92-2X 75 167-2X 875-10X 5th

“The more laws, the less justice,” Cicero

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTS: by Mike Nesbitt

POPE STYLE RE-DECAPPERS

Here’s a real handy little tool and this one will be seen again and again in my line box. It’s the Pope

style re-decapper from C. Sharps Arms. We’ve seen other versions of this tool before but this new one by C.

Sharps Arms is just a little different which might add to its versatility. Instead of having a “built in” shell

holder, this tool uses RCBS style shell holders. Those shell holders are not easily changeable but they could be

changed if really desired.

Generally, C. Sharps Arms is offering these tools

suited for four different case or rim sizes. Number 1

will fit .45/70s through .45/120s, number 2 is for .40/65,

.40/70 BN, and .40/90 BN (and that should work with

the .40/50 BN too), number 3 has a shell holder for the

.40/50 SS, .40/70 SS and the .40/90 SS, and number 4 is

the big one for the .50 caliber Sharps cartridges, .50/70

up to the .50/140. Those are the standard sizes.

When I ordered my re-decapper I asked if one

could be rigged for the .44 caliber Sharps cartridges, the

.44/77 and the .44/90. “Well, okay,,,” was the reply so I

can’t say how eager the guys in the shop would be to

have other sized shell holders put on. And I am

certainly glad that I asked.

In addition to re-decapping, this tool also has a blade style primer pocket

scraper, shown in the small photo to the right.

What I can tell you is how handy this little machine can be. After getting

it I’ve hardly used anything else, particularly for de-capping. And I must admit

that I’ve de-capped far more different cartridge cases than just for the .44 Sharps

because the de-capper does not

use the shell holder. With mine,

while it can only re-prime .44/77s

and .44/90s, it will de-cap almost anything with a mouth of the

case large enough to go over the de-capper. So, a lot of .50/70s

and .44/40s have been de-capped with this particular tool.

In the photos shown here the tool is being used with a .44/90

case, in the positions for de-capping and then re-capping.

C. Sharps Arms has these handy Pope style

re/decappers available in the sizes already mentioned

for sale at $75 each plus $4.50 for shipping. To order

just write to C. Sharps Arms, P.O. Box 885, Big

Timber, Montana 59011 or call 406-932-4353, or

order on line at info@csharpsarms.com.

ELECTRONIC HEARING PROTECTORS

Here’s an item that probably wasn’t seen on the old buffalo

ranges but these are, in my most humble opinion, well worth

being mentioned and considered. My own rather recent

experiences with a reduced sense of hearing are, while on the

firing line, when ear plugs or other hearing protectors are

required by range rules, hearing the range commands gets to

be very difficult. I was introduced to these electronic hearing

protectors and I’ve been using them almost ever since.

What these are, just in case you don’t already know, are

“ear muff” style hearing protectors that have electronic

speakers inside. The microphones for those speakers have a

noise level sensor which instantly shuts the speakers off, so

sounds of gunfire are not amplified but normal voices and

other sounds are “fed” nicely to your ears. In other words, I

find that I can hear conversations better with these “head

phones” on than while not wearing them.

My own voice can close the microphones. Does that

tell me my bark is worse than my bite?

There are at least a few makers of these hearing

protectors but the pair that I bought, and find worthy of

telling you about them, are the E-Max Behind-the-Head

versions made by Caldwell. The “behind-the-head” refers to the wires that connect the two ear phones, which

goes behind the head so wearing a broad brimmed hat is still the shooter’s option. They also make the more

standard over the head sets.

The head phones have an off/on switch on the right ear phone and that also is a volume control.

Conversations and range commands can be heard easily but sounds above 85 decibels shut the speakers of for a

split second, protecting the shooter’s hearing. Two AA batteries provide these power for the electronic hearing

protectors.

When I talked with others about getting a pair of electronic hearing protectors I was cautioned about

“cheaper” models that shut the sound off for a rifle report (just an example) but then would not return to normal

sounds for a couple of seconds. I have not experienced that with these, it seems like the normal sounds come

right back, instantly. The only problems I do have with them are; my hat won’t fit tightly because the ear phone

won’t let the hat come down to where I usually wear it, and these head phone are warm, almost too warm for a

hot summer. Other than those two small areas, I’m very pleased with the fit and function of these ear phones.

If you want more information about them you can go to the manufacturer or two Buffalo Arms

Company, where I got mine. To find them on the Buffalo Arms Co. web site, www.buffaloarms.com, look in

Shooting Supplies and Accessories. More technical information is available in the catalog listing. Buffalo

Arms’ retail price on these hearing protectors is just $30.55 and postage must be added.

“If you don't read the newspaper you are uninformed, if you do

read the newspaper you are misinformed.” -- Mark Twain

LYMAN’S #2 TANG SIGHT FOR UBERTI ‘73 The popularity of the guns of

the old west made Lyman re-introduce

some of their fine accessories just like

they used to make in the last 1800s.

That’s just a general statement but it

leads us right into this short

conversation about their #2 tang sight

made especially for the ’73 lever action

as made by Uberti.

Lyman patented their #1 tang sight

in 1879. The #2 followed very shortly

if not at the same time. The only

difference between those two types of

sights is that the #1 had the

combination apertures, with the fold-

down small aperture, and the #2 came

with removable discs, a feature that

was favored by target shooters.

Putting one of these sights on an

Uberti copy of the ’73 Winchester will

usually require drilling and tapping for the forward sight hole and Lyman includes directions on how to do that,

including tapping the hole for 10-32 threads. That needed to be done on my Stoeger/Uberti rifle but that was

the only modification before the sight was installed. Then it was lined up with the open sight before the open

sight was removed.

Let me give one tiny warning, be sure the very small Allen screw on the lower part of the upright is

good and tight. That’s what holds the sight stem in place. To tighten (or loosen) that Allen screw, a .050”

wrench is needed, something that isn’t commonly found in most shooting boxes.

Shooting with the new tang sight was a blast! I used loads with 200 grain cast bullets over 33 grains of

Olde Eynsford 2F black powder. My first group was a bit high, so the sight was lowered. The next group is

what you see pictured, five shots in a very tight group. I was aiming at 6 o’clock so the sights were left as is, to

hit with a dead-on

hold.

But that was

at just 25 yards and I

wanted my .44/40

rifle to have just a bit

more reach than that.

So, another target

was posted at 50

yards and the good

shooting continued.

A very slight adjustment The top rifle has the target disc while the lower uses the hunting disc

was made, raising the rear sight just a little, and more shots were fired. As you see in the picture, hits clustered

in the bottom of the 10-ring and that’s where the sight remains. Someday I will probably re-sight this rifle for

100 yards but for now, good hits at 50 yards with black powder loads make this rifle ready for duty.

Lyman’s list price for one of these #2 tang sights is $99.95 and they are available directly from Lyman

or most sporting goods stores. The #2 tang sights, each with “hunting” and “target” discs, are also made for the

66, 86, 94, and the Marlins. See the entire Lyman line at www.lymanproducts.com.

BUFFALO ARMS COMPANY’S BORE WIPE SYSTEM

By Dangerous Don McDowell

Leave it to our good friends Dave Gullo and John Venhouse to test and

introduce to the BPCR shooting world a great new product. This latest great

thing is the Bore Wipe System, which utilizes a brass spike that is threaded on

one end so it can accept a hard plastic button that also has a rubber O-ring on it to

act as a squeegee. The spike will also hold two bore-specific wool felt cleaning

buttons ahead of the plastic button. The purpose of this Bore Wipe System is to

clean and dry the bore when wiping between shots and do it with just one pass.

The wool buttons are soaked in your favorite bore cleaner. I like 7-1

water and NAPA water soluble cutting oil. Then, after firing a shot, the soaked

Bore Wipe assembly is pushed through the bore, beginning from the breech, with

a jag tipped rod. Add a dry patch to that jag tip. This combination with one of BACO’s 2” square arsenal

cleaning patches works just fine. After one pass with this combination your rifle’s barrel should be ready for

the next shot.

One extra thing you’ll want when you use this system is a pan which can catch the Bore Wipes as they

emerge from the rifle’s muzzle. And they really don’t just fall out of the gun’s barrel. I was surprised to note

the velocity they seem to gain, so put that pan out a foot or so to be sure the wipes don’t “over shoot” their

mark. If they do fall into the dirt, extra cleaning will be needed before they can be used again.

The Bore Wipe System really scrubs the bore, leaving it clean and prepared for that next bullet and load.

It is actually just as fast if not faster than blow-tubing. And it works better than a series of damp and dry

patches when used between shots.

Some shooters I know have tried experimenting with these Bore Wipes while shooting grease groove

bullet and having good results. They have been using an oil/water mix of 5-1 and only one of the wool buttons.

While that does work, I still prefer to use the two wool buttons simply to be a bit more positive of having them

do a good job.

The wool buttons themselves are rather easy to clean after use. Even so, I’m still looking for the

ultimate cleaning routine for those wool felt “wads.” At this time, I carry a small tub to put the dirty buttons in

when changing them by putting new or clean buttons on the brass spikes between shooting relays.

The best way to give BACO’s Bore Wipe System a good try is to order their “starter set” which includes

about 30 of the wool buttons along with enough of the brass spikes and squeegees to set up about 15 of the

wiping units. My suggestion is to order two of the starter sets and another big box of the wool buttons. With

that you’d have enough of the Bore Wipe units to last a good day of shooting without the need to change any of

the wool buttons on the spikes.

I like these Bore Wipes so well, I’m sure you’ll like them too. Thumbs-up to Buffalo Arms for this one!

The BACO Bore Wipe Systems are available for .32, .38, .40, .45, and .50 caliber rifles. The price for

the start kit in each caliber is $60.00. See them on the BACO web site at www.buffaloarms.com.

BWS ready for use in right pan with lubed buttons in left pan

Photo courtesy of Buffalo Arms

THE SWAN My C. Sharps Arms New Model 1875

By Allen Cunniff

In addition to their fabled accuracy, part of the attraction of every serious

shooters’ favorite Sharps rifle is the elegance in its design and execution. The

preeminent rifle builders in the world (I’m looking at you, Big Timber) turn out a

wide variety of models that remain faithful to their traditional roots, but are also

works of art. Buyers of modern rifles have many options in selecting components

and personalizing their orders. I am proud of every one of my 1874s, both in

appearance and in craftsmanship. The standard versions of Sharps are already eye-catchers on the range, but

sometimes you just want a little something extra.

Approximately 2 years ago I had the opportunity to purchase a used C. Sharps Arms New Model 1875

rifle chambered for the .45 2-1/10th inch cartridge from the Cabela’s Gun Library. Compared to my 1874s, I

considered this particular 1875 as a low-budget alternative. This one was a Model 1875 “Business Rifle” built

in the mid-90s. It had a rather plain, straight-grained walnut stock with shotgun buttplate, straight grip,

Schnabel fore-end, casehardened receiver, and the round tapered 28” Badger barrel. It was not the equal in

appearance to my others, but it was in good shape and the price out the door was too good to pass up.

This shows the “round top” Model 1875 after the recent work was done

I was pleased to have happened upon this rifle, but my greatest surprise came about with my first

opportunity to fire the rifle on our local range. This sweet little number could shoot! Consistent with a variety

of loads, the rifle quickly gained my confidence as the most accurate of all my Sharps rifles. But like a prom

date with a “good personality,” it sometimes found itself waiting in the shadows while its more attractive sisters

made their way to the dance floor. Additionally, the straight grip, while more appealing to me aesthetically,

was not as pleasant to shoot offhand as the pistol grip of my other rifles. So, for several seasons, my 1875 was

relegated to the occasional range visit as I doted more attention on the other members of the harem. Yes, I am

that shallow and not altogether proud of it.

During my occasional musings, I

began to consider adding some features that

I felt the 1875 in its current form was

lacking. At a minimum, the little rifle

deserved some quality wood, equal in

appearance to its capabilities. I finally

decided to pull the trigger, so to speak, and

the 1875 was placed into the back of Mike

Nesbitt’s truck during our annual pilgrimage

to Forsyth, Montana for the Matthew

Quigley match. Naturally, a short layover in

Big Timber gave me an opportunity to

discuss my restock plans with the folks at C. Take a look at the cheekpiece and that gorgeous wood

Sharps Arms and to select a blank from their assortment of fine lumber. My original plan was to have the wood

profiled and inlet at C. Sharps Arms and then then mailed back to me for finishing, but each visit to the “mother

ship” makes me appreciate more and more the skill and craftsmanship of the resident stock makers. After

talking with John Schoffstall, I decided to have the work done by C. Sharps Arms and added a cheekpiece,

pewter nose cap, and

pistol grip in the upgrade.

The easy part was over,

there was nothing left for

me to do but wait.

The eventual

arrival of the UPS truck

took the better part of a

century, but finally the box With this picture you can see the very fine wood to metal fit

was in my hands. I will admit that I opened it slowly, with heightening anticipation, but I couldn’t have been

more surprised at the transformation that had taken place to my “ugly duckling”. This COULDN’T be the same

rifle that I had left in Big Timber. The transformation is astounding; new wood alive with color and figure, a

pistol grip that feels as though it were custom made for my hand, and…as a complete surprise, new

A left side view of the .45/70 Model ’75, just to be complete

casehardening, deep and blue! I honestly

wasn’t sure that someone hadn’t made a

mistake and thrown in a new rifle in the

box, but there was my prized Badger barrel

still attached to the front. As expected, the

fit and finish throughout are exemplary.

These simple modifications have

greatly enhanced my enjoyment in a rifle

for which I had already gained a great deal

of respect. The changes are more than

simply cosmetic, the addition of the pistol

grip has improved my hold for offhand

targets, which will enable me to use it more

frequently in local competitions and,

hopefully, make the journey to Forsyth

next year. What was once considered only

utilitarian in appearance now possesses the

beauty to match its outstanding accuracy.

My only concern now is that it may decide

that I’m not good enough for it.

Now I’m eager to go shoot it which

simply means you will probably be hearing

more about this rifle. Let me go for now

and I’ll get busy preparing the ammunition.

“If you want a real friend that you can trust in Washington, get a dog.” - Harry Truman –