Edition 2015-4 Published by C. Sharps Arms Co., Inc.

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

2015 www.csharpsarms.com * info@csharpsarms.com 2015

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)

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

Table of contents: Page

A Pilgrim’s Progress by Allen Cunniff …………………..………. 3

Wes Daems’ Winning Loads ………………..………. 10

OLD WEST CENTERFIRES by Bob Gietz ................................... 12

Outstanding Products ...................................................................... 15 CSA Low-wall in .44/40 by Mike Nesbitt ...................................... 21

ON THE COVER: THIS VERY SPECIAL CASED AND ENGRAVED 1877 C. SHARPS RIFLE

WILL BE AUCTIONED OFF IN JANUARY, 2016 AT LAS VEGAS, NEVADA BY THE FIREARMS

ENGRAVERS GUILD OF AMERICA. (www.fega.com) THIS RIFLE IS VALUED AT BETWEEN

$30000 TO $40000. TICKETS ARE BEING SOLD FOR THEIR BANQUET & AUCTION. FOR

MORE INFORMATION CONTACT barry_hands@yahoo.com.

*************************************************

Special Notice—C. Sharps Arms is For Sale

This sale includes the shop, the land the shop is on, all stock on hand, all patents, copyrights

and all trademarks, lock, stock & barrel. After 40 years at the helm, John Schoffstall wants to

retire. The price is negotiable and serious offers will be given appropriate considerations.

For more details call 406-932-4353

************************************************* Those who live by the sword get shot by those who don't!!

A Pilgrim’s Progress: Report From the

2015 Matthew Quigley Buffalo Rifle

Match By Allen Cunniff

Okay. Chamber the round. Raise the lever, closing the block. Locate the target in the

sights, get a good sigh picture. Hammer back. Remember sight alignment, and set the trigger. Breathe, pause,

refine sight picture. Check conditions…no change. Back on sight picture one last time…looking good. Finger

to the front trigger, keep the sight alignment, and gently apply pressure…a little more…*click*. (“What

the…??!”) Misfire! Wait a few seconds, keep the rifle pointed downrange, and re-cock the hammer. Restart

the sequence, only this time with a nagging doubt creeping in on your thought process. Squeeeeze…*click*.

“Son of a …!” (Whoops, that last part was a little louder than I intended.) Drop the lever, remove the round

and check primer strike. Just a light dimple in the primer, not deep enough for reliable ignition. Try it one

more time “just in case”. Back through the routine, although this time I’m more focused on the expected sound

and smoke outcome than the silhouette of a buffalo 805 yards to my front. Squeeze…”boom!” All right, an

inauspicious start, but at least it fired. Next round, but with perhaps a lingering bit of concern. A near

duplication of my first round, only without the “boom!” Time to ramp up the expletives.

I don’t think we’re in Australia, Toto. Nope, we were in Forsyth, Montana, for the 24th Annual Matthew

Quigley Buffalo Rifle Match, sponsored by the Forsyth Rifle and Pistol Club. Luckily, this was practice day

one, and we had planned enough time so that such an occasion would not interfere with our schedule. Equally

lucky, the only person within earshot of my muttered tirade was my spotter, Mike Nesbitt, and his ears aren’t

easily offended. Regardless, after one year of anticipation of our return to Forsyth, Montana, I was immediately

out of action for the moment with a broken firing pin on my C. Sharps Arms Model 1874.

This was the second year in a row that Mike and I made the trip to one of BPCR shooting’s preeminent

events, and for the second time the activities surrounding this gathering made this trip one of the highlights of

the year. The experience of shooting at Quigley is reward enough, and provides outstanding opportunity to

hone shooting skills, catch up with old acquaintances, replenish supplies, and explore a part of the country filled

with beauty and history. But beyond the experience on-site, I gain even more reward in the preparation leading

up to the trip.

Our planning for this year’s trip began at the 2014 event. Babes in the woods, we were assisted

immeasurably by the efforts of veteran shooters, particularly Dangerous Don McDowell, who led us step by

step through each phase of the match. There are many nuances to consider, and the events of the previous year

served as a framework for our 2015 preparations. Getting ready for Quigley was different this year. We were

determined to plan ahead for any possible contingency. Our experience from the previous year identified some

shortfalls that we were determined to overcome. In addition to the logistical planning commensurate with a

weeklong trip, much time and energy went into adapting equipment and preparing to face the unique challenges

presented by conditions expected in Forsyth. Although advanced preparation doesn’t ensure success, it

significantly minimizes the impact of adversity.

This year, we departed for Forsyth one day earlier than we did in 2014. This allowed us to add an

insurance day in the event of bad weather. Packing actually started the week prior, with a full load filling the

canopy of Mike’s (t)rusty Ford truck. Even with the addition of an outfitter’s tent and my own shooter’s cart,

the load organized well and made for ease of loading and unloading. The trip cross-country from western

Washington is always a scenic one, and just getting started gives a feeling of relaxation.

Travelling with Mike is never dull, and one should always expect a history lesson on railroads and

highways of the Northwest, in addition to discussions of equipment, gun building projects, personalities of note,

and poetry. Thankfully, neither of us are into karaoke.

The miles pass quickly, and the evening of day one found us in Big Timber, Montana. An annual stop

that in truth is a key reason for making the trip. Big Timber is the heart of Sharps rifle manufacturing in the

country, hosting both C. Sharps Arms and Shiloh Arms…every Sharps shooter should attempt to visit at least

once in their lifetime, although some may choose to schedule a stop in Pedersoli, Iowa, instead (don’t bother

looking it up, it doesn’t exist).

Our visit to Montana Armory, home of C. Sharps Arms, is always eagerly anticipated. By us, I mean,

not necessarily the folks at C. Sharps Arms. I always enjoy the opportunity to talk to John Schoffstall, and the

staff at Montana Armory always make a visitor feel welcome. It is a convenient stop to stock up on supplies as

well as to handle their newest offerings on their showroom display. This year, Mike picked up one of his

newest projects, a rolling block that had been re-blued and case hardened. Needless to say, he was excited with

the beauty of the rifle and anxious to fire some rounds through it on the practice range at Quigley. An aside, no

visit to Big Timber would be complete without a stop at The Fort, the local gun store/sporting goods/fuel

depot/convenience store/gift shop. Plan on spending some time exploring the gun store, as you are liable to

come across items that are scarce in your own neck of the woods. Frosty Freeze for an old fashioned breakfast

and Thirsty Turtle for lunch or adult beverages. Our stops in Big Timber are becoming a tradition. After an all

too short visit this time, we were once again on the road.

The last leg of our travel into Forsyth was foreboding.

Sinister-looking clouds formed a gauntlet along the interstate, and

prospects for favorable weather were dim. But luck held, and

although we ran into a little rain, the rainsqualls passed through in

narrow bands and major precipitation was avoided. Heading up

the dirt roads to the north out of Forsyth raised a cloud of dust, and

it appeared the area had avoided significant rainfall. When we

arrived at Quigleyville we were greeted by multiple rainbows on

the horizon, a good omen for weather to come.

When we arrived, a level tent site was selected and the

weathered and experienced outfitter’s tent was soon erected. As

luck would have it, we

Note the double rainbows found ourselves sited next

to Ashley Garman and his son, Robert, denizens of Toppenish,

Washington. Ashley attended Quigley in 2014 and shot very well with a

score of 35. Robert came to Quigley this year to serve as spotter for his

father, and they make a very good team indeed. Perhaps next year

Robert will join us on the shooting line. The remainder of the evening

was spent in relaxing and exploring the area, looking up old

acquaintances and locating vendors on traders’ row.

Creature comforts at Quigleyville are somewhat limited to what

you bring with you. RVs, tents, even converted ice fishing shanties can

be found in the small city that materializes each summer for a few days.

It is a refreshing feeling to realize the level of personal respect and trust

that is exhibited by the citizens of Quigleyville. A cordial atmosphere

surrounds the event, and confrontations that might be commonplace in

other crowded venues are virtually non-existent here. Call me naïve if

you will, but folks in Quigleyville are downright neighborly. Ash Garman with his .45/110

Quigleyville forming on the Lee Ranch, north of Forsyth. The target area runs along the bluffs beyond the camping area in the picture.

Our accommodation of choice was a 10’x12’ outfitters’ tent complete with a packer woodstove, and

proved to be comfortable and dry throughout our stay. The woodstove provided cheerful ambiance during the

cool of the evening and chill of the morning. It also, momentarily, served as a warming rack for Mike’s beaver

fur hat. Suffice to say, once Mike realized that: 1) the stove was still hot and 2) beaver fur only goes so far as

an insulator, it didn’t take him long to retrieve and resuscitate his storied headpiece. After a bit of brushing and

primping, much of the surface damage was abated and the cap was none the worse for wear. The emotional

scars, however, may take time to heal.

It’s more than a short jaunt into the nearest town (Forsyth), but emergency trips are a possibility.

Sanitary facilities are limited to Porta-Potties which are, thankfully, serviced every morning. Water is at a

premium, so plan on bringing suitable containers to supply you and your party for the duration. Limited food

services are available during reasonable hours, and each year a dinner service is provided at a nominal cost.

However, folks should bring enough food and beverage to tide them over. Lines can quickly form as patrons

seek cold drinks or refreshment during the hot weather, so the prudent visitor will include cold storage and

drinks in their plan. Alcohol is, officially, not allowed in camp.

Uncertain weather is a factor in the Montana June. At this year’s event, temperatures ranged from 50s at

night to mid-90s during the heat of the day. Two words…sunscreen. Okay, one word, but used twice.

Thankfully, before the match, event organizers brought in an aerial spraying service and mosquitoes were

virtually non-existent. Thursday evening brought stiff winds that played havoc on our faithful tent, but no

damage occurred and by morning conditions had settled down considerably.

Although the shoot on Saturday began with the wind doing a 180-degree shift from the left crosswind of

our practice days, it remained fairly predictable albeit moderate. By the time Sunday rolled around, winds had

shifted to tailwinds that played with sight settings, but once again remained fairly consistent and predictable.

In 2014, the event was postponed by half a day as rainstorms moved through the area. Mud on the firing

line was a way of life. Shooters sat in mud during initial stages of the match. Thanks to the generosity of Don

McDowell, I was able to use a short stool to elevate my posterior, if not my performance, over those next two

days. For this year we made sure to have our own stools in anticipation of inclement conditions. Problem

solved, right? More like “Problem? What problem?” As mentioned, our arrival on Wednesday night was

escorted by roving bands of local thunderstorms, whose only intent seemed to be to rebel against society and

spoil activities for good people such as ourselves. However, the threat passed and, although occasionally

showing itself on the horizon throughout the match, was not a disruption during the remaining 4 days. As a

result, dry ground abounded, and the stool was unnecessary. However, that preparation was not in vain as that

tool of a stool will remain a part of my kit. Having seen both sides of the weather, it will certainly be handy at

some time in the future.

Another tool we sorely needed in 2014 was a shooting cart,

ubiquitous in Quigleyville and extremely useful in transporting rifles,

ammunition, cleaning equipment, spotting scope, etc., from firing line

to waiting area to firing line in the shooters’ dance at Quigley. The line

box used to transport essentials last year was limited in capacity and

began to get rather heavy when moving equipment across the great

expanses as relays rotate to their next station. Quigley veterans use

specialized shooter’s carts of various and sundry parentage, and many

are works of art. These carts are procured commercially from a variety

of suppliers, such as Buffalo Arms, or equally numerous, as projects

built by various craftsmen and non-craftsmen alike. There is no

dishonor in an ugly shooting cart.

The commercially made carts are built-up jogging stroller

frames that have been modified to mount gun cradles, equipment boxes,

even cup holders. You may spend several hundred dollars in

purchasing a tricked-out shooters cart that you would be proud to push

around the sidewalks of your neighborhood, or you can piece together a

suitable substitute from locally available, low-cost materials, and use the A custom shooting cart, we think

money save to buy extra firing pins. Photo from the Quigley web site

My own cart is one of the “suitable substitutes”, using as its base a

jogging stroller of suitable design offered free of charge on Craigslist. With a

bit of innovative engineering and some scrap pieces from a woodshop, a

sturdy frame can be easily converted from a device formerly used for

transporting useless, mewling babies into a functional piece of equipment used

to transport the bulk of two shooters’ gear over several days of shooting.

Although it may take a considerable portion of your trailer or truck bed, it is

definitely worth the effort of acquiring and transporting.

A side note: The past two years have seen an increase in shooters at

Quigley using 4-wheelers, ATVs, golf carts, and similar motorized vehicles.

However, the organizers have announced that in 2016 shooters will NO

LONGER be allowed to drive such vehicles in the firing line area EXCEPT

for those with legitimate medical issues, and those must be approved by event

organizers. Lesson learned: bring a shooters cart.

The aforementioned broken firing pin was the first mechanical failure I have experienced with that rifle.

Although I carried no spare parts on the firing line, I do carry spare firing pins and lever springs in my possibles

box. To allow me to get back to practice immediately, Mike dug into his kit and provided a replacement pin.

Luckily, replacing the firing pin in the 1874 Sharps is quickly accomplished, and after a few minutes with a

screwdriver, I was back in business and suffered no more mechanical issues over the next four days.

Later, a visit to Pete at the C. Sharps Arms tent on vendors’ row garnered me 3 spare firing pins.

Nothing ensures a part will never break better than having plenty of those parts on hand, and there is no reason

to do without equipment while attending Quigley, as the traders’ row is expansive and varied. Major vendors as

well as individuals ply their trade, and with little effort one can fill most needs as well as a considerable number

of wants.

Early in our explorations, we visited the Vigilante Lube tent and

met the energetic and enthusiastic owner, Dan Highley. Dan has strived

to replicate the higher-performing lubes of the buffalo rifle period, and

the all-natural ingredients of Vigilante Bullet Lube are faithful to that

effort. Dan’s enthusiasm is contagious, and we naturally couldn’t leave

without picking up some of his fine bullet lube, as well as tins of patch

lube and gun grease. Initial tests using the patch lube and gun grease for

fouling control showed promise, and I am anxious to give all these

products a more thorough test. As luck would have it, the prize drawing

at the end of the shoot yielded me yet another tub of lube, generously

donated by Big Sky Bullet Lube. I have a LOT of testing to do. Always

searching for that magic bullet.

An ulterior motive for my visit to traders’ row this year was to

place an oak wagon box for sale. After a moderate amount of pleading

with Dakota Dick Savage, he agreed to allow me to post my box at his

tent in the hopes of

finding a receptive buyer. Dakota Dick Savage

Lo and behold, the sturdy, massive rifle box sold within a

short time, and after remitting the commission to Dick, I was

off to spend my largesse. Noted bullet mould maker Steve

Brooks was once again present, and for the second year in a

row I came home with one of his fine moulds, this time

sporting 5 grease grooves on a 555-grain .45 caliber

Creedmoor design. Rifle box to bullet mould in just about

that amount of time.

(Steve Brooks’ (in striped shirt) fine selection of bullet moulds is a

popular attraction on traders’ row. All proceeds from sales

generously go straight into Steve’s retirement fund.)

Day 1 of the shoot started with promise. First in line to register! Mike and I ensured we were on

separate relays in order to spot for each other. Our group was selected to fire all ranges in order, which

simplified movement of equipment as we worked progressively down the firing line. Unfortunately, we were

assigned to consecutive relays, which required the spotter for the first shooter to quickly move equipment over

to be prepared to shoot on my own relay, and even less time for the spotter to remove his own gear and set up

for spotting the first shots. A minor inconvenience to be sure, but it resulted in little time for preparation in the

rapid pace that is necessary to ensure over 600 shooters complete their relays in a reasonable time. With the

help of fellow shooters, everything went off without a hitch,

although next time we will be slated on alternate relays.

Our first target was the Buffalo at 805 yards. I won’t

belabor the reader with a description of my efforts, but suffice to

say that when the target painting crew went downrange to touch

up the steel, it wasn’t because of me. So did I shoot a clean

target? Heck, yeah, I shot a clean target. Clean when I started and

clean when I finished. Results weren’t much better at 600 or 530

yards, in spite of a good solid position that resulted in a steady

sight picture. Day 1 was an inauspicious start that cast a pall over

my trip.

Mike started his day off stronger, and continued

throughout the day scoring hits at each range. One bit of See those bullet marks, not my doin’s

choreography he inserted into his routine was to wear his shooting glasses for each shot and switching to

reading glasses for sight adjustment. The concept was sound, however, on a couple of occasions, he neglected

to switch back to his shooting glasses before taking the next shot. After a couple of such episodes, he delegated

responsibility to his spotter (whose name somehow escapes me) to conduct a final check and ensure the proper

eyewear was in place for each shot. Sadly, the spotter was no more effective in catching the error than before,

and Mike was fated to an occasional misstep in his ocular juggling act.

Day 2 brought a change in wind patterns, shifting to a steady tailwind with minor variations. Seeking a

change in fortune, I noted while cleaning my rifle between each relay on Day 1 that I was experiencing more

fouling than normal, a thick residue taking upwards of 8-9 patches to remove, and attributed it to the hotter, dry

weather. On a whim, I began Day 2 with the decision to change loads, using a proven load of 63 grains of Olde

Eynsford 1.5F behind a 550-grain Hoch Creedmoor bullet in my .45/70. This load performs well in my rifles on

our shorter ranges and damper climate at home, but hadn’t been tested at the longer ranges and drier weather at

Quigley. I also followed Dan Highley’s recommendation and

experimented with pre-lubing the clean bore with a few

swipes of the Vigilante patch lube. At the 405 and 417-yard

stages, the hits came more consistently.

Additionally, as I cleaned the bore between relays, cleanup

was much easier, using only 3-4 patches. The positive finish

did much to improve my outlook on life. Mike continued on

his quest to score hits at all ranges with his heavy .44/90, and

met his goal of improving his score until the 6th and final

stage, the Bucket target fired offhand at 350 yards. That’s

when he forgot to change back to shooting glasses again and

for him the Bucket simply got dusty from his close misses.

Mike in full recoil with the .44/90, photo by BJ Lanes Following the conclusion of the last stage, shooters began

to congregate in the central meeting area for the final awards and doling out of prizes. Prizes are donated by

businesses and individuals, and each year an impressive array of booty is awarded by random drawing. A

steady line of winners moves to the front to receive black powder, shooting gear, art and craft items, and the list

goes on. Sponsors are generous, and a large percentage of participants receive some sort of prize each year.

After the prize drawings, the shooters’ awards are announced in multiple categories.

One real outstanding part of the awards ceremonies are the drawings for the generously donated rifles.

According to details given on the Quigley web site, five rifles were drawn for among the Quigley competitors

again this year. The Shiloh Sharps

Roughrider 1874 in 45-70 caliber was won

by Marc Rohde of Forsyth, Montana along

with some special Rocky Mountain

Cartridge donated “Quigley 2015” head-

stamped brass cartridges. A Pedersoli

Lightning Rifle in 45 Colt was won by

Randy Ellingrod of Clearmont,

Wyoming. And the young shooters are

outstandingly recognized by C. Sharps

Arms with the donation of a finely

engraved Model 1875 rifle in 38-55

caliber, which was won by Spencer Barker

of Sidney, Nebraska. Tory Hirchert of

Wilton, North Dakota won the Jim Wilcox

Memorial Pellet Rifle for Small Fry

shooters and Brianna Sage won a

Remington bolt action .22LR rifle from the

The top ten shooters for 2015, each with a trophy plaque Forsyth Rifle and Pistol Club. The crew that puts this shindig on has got the routine down to a real

science. As luck would have it, we had the same RSO and scorekeeper team

this year that we “shot with” in 2014. The entire team; RSOs, scorekeepers,

target painting crew, registration staff, support teams, and EMTs…their

choreography ensured this whole shooting match went off without a hitch.

(There was rifle which had the barrel burst on the firing line early during the

days of practice which resulted in injury to the shooter. That was handled

immediately and effectively so our compliments go to the doctor and all who

assisted in treating that injury, so quickly.)

I would be remiss if I failed to acknowledge

the RSO and Scorekeeper who supported our

own relay, Tony Turner and Becky Berdahl.

Their flawless control and impeccable timing

ensured an efficient and fair shooting

experience for everyone in our relay. Although

this same level of professionalism was exhibited Spencer Barker won the 1875

all along the firing line, Tony and Becky were ‘ours’ and therefore special.

Becky in particular exuded a unique energy and supportive manner, contributing

greatly to the positive

experience. We’ll sign

up for their group again.

Following the prize

ceremony on that hot,

sunny afternoon, we

hit the road back toward

RSO Tony Turner home. The late start

necessitated another night in Big Timber, of course, as

well as a greatly-appreciated hot sit-down meal with

cold trimmings at the local tavern. The next morning

found us once again at the door of Montana Armory

(insert look of surprise here!). Touching base with

John Schoffstall and Pete was the primary purpose, but Scorekeeper Becky Berdahl in green shirt, very busy

not surprisingly, while there we met a few other Quigley

attendees who made their way to that hallowed ground on

their way home, including Dakota Dick Savage and his wife

on their way to the Pacific Northwest for an extended visit

and John Barber, a lawyer from Phoenix, AZ, who travelled

to Quigley by motorcycle (with pop-up trailer!) simply to

watch the festivities. Perhaps with that experience under his

belt, he will be back next year to shoot as well. After a short

visit to Montana Armory to tie up loose ends, we were once

again on the road for a straight shot back home. No, we

didn’t make it to Little Big Horn Battlefield again this

year…that’s for next year. Back in Olympia by 1 a.m. but

still pumped up from the trip even after the long day’s drive.

Trip complete, but next year’s trip begins.

The most significant advance preparation you can

conduct prior to this or any similar event is practice under

variable weather conditions. Here on the western (wet) side

of the Cascade Mountains, long range training facilities are

very limited. Locally, we have few ranges that provide

opportunities out to 600 yards, and generally they are

relatively sheltered from the type winds that can be

experienced in the high desert. Silhouette shoots are a John Schoffstall in the C. Sharps Arms showroom

particularly fun discipline, and can nicely hone long range skills that serve well at Forsyth. In this state, eastern

(dry) Washington contains terrain and weather conditions similar to the conditions at Quigley and provides

more realistic training opportunities. The ability to dope variable winds is extremely helpful, although careful

observation of other shooters on your relay can get you into the ballpark. Start your planning calendar to allow

your participation in several long-range events, and keep an organized shooters log to record sight settings and

pet loads. Silhouette shoots are prime training in advance of the events in Forsyth. Plan on arriving early at

Quigley in order to get in a few days of quality practice. Since weather is unpredictable, having at least a

couple of days will help ensure you get some quality practice and aren’t rained out by an aberrant weather

pattern.

Load sufficient ammunition to accommodate your practice as well as the main event. You will need 48

rounds for the match proper, and will not be allowed foulers or sighters during the record firing. Bring plenty

for practice. The practice line is open before and after the record event each day, allowing additional time to

hone skills and refine sight settings. Be familiar with your loads before arrival; you don’t want to have doubts

at the last minute. Load carefully; within the past three years, two shooters have sustained significant injury

when their rifles blew up on the firing line. Luckily, no bystanders were injured, but the point is clear.

Particularly when using smokeless powder, exercise extreme caution when loading. Naturally, this should be

common procedure at all times, but has been tragically underscored in recent years.

Although my match results did not achieve my personal goals, the entire experience was a worthwhile

effort and opportunity to learn, and those lessons alone made the trip worthwhile. In fact, a 2000-mile drive

with Mike is worth the price of admission alone. Not everyone at Quigley comes to shoot. Over the course of

the week, I spoke with several visitors who travelled to Forsyth to simply watch the match. The best learning is

in doing, and while the visit is an experience in itself, nothing beats the feel of being on the line in a non-

threatening situation and learning from the shooters around you. To those planning to visit, my advice is to do a

little preparation in advance, take your gear and shoot. Just make sure your gear includes a couple of extra

firing pins.

For the complete low-down on all of the Matthew Quigley Buffalo Rifle Match winners, visit the Quigley web site at--- www.quigleymatch.com/.

Quigley winner’s load details, courtesy of Wes Daems

Rifle, 1874 Shiloh Sharps, .45/90, 30" Heavy barrel

Cases, Star Line, annealed and fire-formed, trimmed,

de-burred flash-holes, then never touched again.

Bullets are loose in the cases, but I do put a VERY light

crimp on them for Quigley to keep bullets from falling

out because I like to wear my canvas cartridge belt.

Primer, Win Large Rifle (what I had on hand).

Bullets, Buffalo Arms Co. 525 grain Money bullet cast

with 15:1 lead/tin, I love this bullet!!

Lube, SPG, pan lubed bullets as cast.no sizing. John

Olsen's lube has worked as well for me in the past

when coupled with the Olde Eynsford powder.

Fouling, Blow tube, 6-8 deep breaths

Powder, 78 grains of Olde Eynsford 1 1/2F, drop tubed. I can’t say enough about the Olde

Eynsforde 1 1/2F powder, this stuff hydrates so easily!! I never cleaned my rifle for the entire

3 days with practice rounds included, about 150 rounds total. I blew 10 breathes at the end of

each day and pushed 3 cotton balls through the barrel to be sure I had no hard fouling. Fouling

on the cotton was like butter! Compression, I use a pre-set die to give me the length I need.

Wads, Gasket fiber .030” that I cut myself with a BACO press mounted cutter.

Old West

Centerfires

By Bob Gietz

This was our fifth match of the 2015 Centerfire season and we welcomed

just six participants at the CCRP Black Powder Range. Weather was balmy and

calm but anticipating warm weather to come only bottled water was at hand,

which simply translates to "no coffee." Two relative newcomers (Sam Snelson

and Jim Dickerman, the second time for both of them, both high scoring shooters) joined the few regulars for

this contest. The course of fire again included a total of 20 rounds, 10 rounds at each range of 50 and 100 yards.

The 50 yard target was the double bullseye buffalo (5 rounds at each bullseye) and at 100 yards we used the

"200 yard Muzzle-loading" rifle target. These are the same targets we have previously used at these shorter

distances. Dave Dolliver assisted by scoring targets.

Before this match got going, several shooters

engaged in very positive discussion about how we might

improve these cartridge matches. One idea, with credit going

to Allen Cunniff, was to have teams of shooters and spotters,

so sight adjustments could be made during the shooting

relay. This is in line with how other BPCR matches are done,

generally, of course, at much farther ranges. No, Allen didn't

intentionally neglect to change his sight setting just to set

an example but his error, mentioned in the next paragraph,

would have been caught early if a spotter was on the

job. (Others have fallen victim to similar circumstances

during this season's matches.) Having spotters during the

Allen Cunniff on the firing line matches would help us "fit in" more with other shoots and

might possibly encourage more shooters to join us. Everyone agreed that these matches should continue into

the coming year and suggestions for the continuing season's OWCF matches for added features or target

modifications are welcomed and encouraged.

Extra recognition for shooting consistency goes to

Bob DeLisle for getting exactly the same score at both

distances with his .45/70. That’s always interesting to see.

On the other hand, Allen Cunniff admitted that he simply

neglected to adjust the elevation for his sight setting after

shooting the 100 yard target and had a dandy 8-shot group

about 3 inches above the center of the bull on his 50 yard

target. You can see in the scores how costly that was when

compared to Allen’s scores in previous matches.

Once again, Mike Nesbitt used a different rifle.

This time is was a dandy new low-wall from C. Sharps

Arms in .44/40 caliber. His cartridges were loaded with 33

grains of Olde Eynsford 2F powder under the standard

.44/40 cast bullets, so his shots still had the good “black

powder roar” with smoke but somewhat less than the other

rifles. It does seem like the smallest cartridges we see on

our firing line are .45/70s and it was somewhat refreshing to Scorekeeper Dave Dolliver and RSO Bob Gietz

see something new (if we can call a .44/40 “new”). We might add that the “little” .44/40 with black powder

loads fit right in for our 100 yard shooting.

Mike did comment that his groups printed lower when fired over X-sticks than when fired from a bench.

Jeff quickly pointed out that it might be because the rifle is closer to the ground when shooting over X-sticks…

Then, after the match and the awards, a few shooters lined-up to take a shot or two with Mike’s new rifle.

Those were offhand shots at the 75 and 100 yard gongs on the range and good hits could be heard very easily.

Our black powder range is compact enough that three of our shooters began with targets posted at 50

yards while the other three began their shooting at the 100 targets. That’s how the first relay went and after

everyone had fired their shots for score, as well as getting those rifles cleaned, we went forward to retrieve the

first targets and post new paper for our second relay.

Prizes, in the form of C.

Sharps Arms merchandise plus

additional "meat" prizes from

our club provided each shooter

with a good prize. The next Old

West Centerfires match here at

Capitol City Rifle & Pistol Club,

near Littlerock, Washington will

be September 5th, 2015 on the

Black Powder range again and

reminders will be sent out just

previous to that date. Targets

will, again, be double bulleye

buffalo at 50 yards and the “200

yard ML” bullseye at 100

yards. Please notice that this

will be the last match for this

year's season and each shooters’

top five match scores will be

tallied up for the season’s

aggregate, with prizes for the

aggregate winners as well as for

the daily match scores on that

date.

The shooters who filled

the range with black powder

smoke this time are shown (left

to right) they are; (standing) Jim

Dickerman, Allen Cunniff, and Jeff Ritter (kneeling) Sam Snelson, Mike Nesbitt, and Bob DeLisle,.

Participants, equipment and scores, in scoring order are:

Shooter Rifle/Cartridge 50 yd 100yd Total Accum

1st Sam Snelson 1874 C. Sharps Arms .45/100 97 4X 100X 197 5x 386 8X

2nd Bob DeLisle 1874 Pedersoli Sharps .45/70 95 95 190 887 7X

3rd Jim Dickerman 1874 Shiloh Sharps .45/70 93 X 95 2X 187 3X 376 5X

4th Allen Cunniff 1874 C. Sharps Arms .45/70 85X 95 3X 180 4X 952 26X

5th Mike Nesbitt 1885 C Sharps Low-wall .44/40 90X 89X 179 2X 898 11X

6th Jeff Ritter 1874 Shiloh Sharps .45/70 87 92 179 816 14X

“We have the best government that money can buy.” Mark Twain

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTS: by Mike Nesbitt

C. Sharps Arms, Bluing and Color Case

Here’s a subject that I will return to several times but each time will be with a different focus. Over the

last year I’ve been working on a rolling block rifle, starting with an original Remington action. Added to that

action was a .44 caliber barrel made for me by Oregon Barrel Company. That barrel was installed in the action

by John Taylor and John also reconfigured the action to give it the “octagon ring” of a #1 Sporting Rifle. The

wood, nose cap and buttplate for this gun came from Treebone in Nevada. I intend to tell you about each of

these items, perhaps one at a time, but right now I want to focus on the bluing and color casehardening of this

rifle, the finishing of the metal.

The bluing and color casehardening were done for me by C. Sharps Arms. Most of this work, if not all

of it, was done by Pat Dulin, one of the craftsmen at C. Sharps. The rolling block was sent to the shop at C.

Sharps in pieces, fully disassembled, while the wood stayed home with me. The list of “to do’s” that went with

those metal parts included chambering the barrel, installing sights, knurling the hammer and block spurs, plus

giving the barrel a good blue while the action got their standard color casehardening.

Pat contacted me to ask which type of bluing I wanted and

my reply was to simply go for the standard job. Sharps had

fancier blues which require a higher degree of polishing. Pat also

asked me which color casehardening I wanted and, again, I went

for the standard grade. They also have pack hardening which I

have selected on some of my Model 1874s but for this rolling

block the standard color casehardening was my choice.

To say that I’m not disappointed is putting it mildly. I’m

delighted!! I didn’t get to see the

work done on the metal parts until

I stopped in at C. Sharps Arms

with the stock wood finished and

ready to be put on the rifle. The

job done on this rolling block was

superb in every detail. If these

small pictures do the rifle justice at

all, you will quickly agree with me.

The cost for the bluing and color casehardening is one detail I won’t tell

you about. The reason for that is because each job is different and if Sharps has a

general price list for such doin’s, I haven’t seen it. I will say this, if you have a

bluing or color casehardening job you want done, give the folks at C. Sharps

Arms a call at 406-932-4353 to find out what the job will run for you. I can’t see

how you’d ever be disappointed in the work they’ll do.

JAMISON INTRODUCES NEW BRASS FOR THE .40/70 SS

After what black powder cartridge rifle shooters feel like was a

long wait, the new brass for the .40/70 Sharps Straight is now

available from Jamison Brass & Ammunition, a division of Captech

International. One reason why it seemed like a long wait is because

the .40/70 SS case is somewhat unique. It can be made from some

other cases, such as the .405 Winchester or the .30/40 Krag, but many

shooters, and count me as one of them, prefer to use brass that is

properly headstamped for the rifles which that ammo is to be used in.

And, to say the least, the new brass from Jamison is certainly

properly headstamped. It is also of the proper length, 2 ½ inches

long, These new cases have a rim thickness of .070-inch which might

be on the thick side for some rifles and if they are too thick for your

rifle’s chamber, it is a simple task for a gunsmith to allow for these

thicker rims.

The new brass was tried at first with a 370 grain bullet loaded over

65 grains of GOEX’s Olde Eynsford 1 1/2F black powder. That

amount of powder will practically fill the case and no drop tube was

used. Those shot very well in my ’74 Hunter’s Rifle, targeted on

paper at just 50 yards. Then the fire-formed cases were reloaded

using the same powder charge, 65 grains, but under a 330 grain paper

patched bullet cast from a Tom Ballard mold. That powder charge and bullet duplicates the old factory load and

some serious thoughts are forming about using that load with the Sharps rifle for deer hunting.

Even though this cartridge is named

the “.40/70 SS” it was most commonly

loaded with a 65 grain powder charge. It

was introduced by Sharps in 1876 as a

replacement to the .40/70 Sharps Bottleneck

and became the standard mid-range cartridge

in 1878. It’s a fine sporting cartridge and

black powder cartridge shooters are very

pleased that new, correctly marked brass is

available for it again.

This new Jamison brass can be

ordered from C. Sharps Arms, they have a

supply in stock. by mailing to CSA, P.O.

Box 885, Big Timber, Montana 59011 or

calling 406-932-4353, or by email at

info@csharpsarms.com. The cases are

priced at $1.65 each or $150 per hundred.

I’ve got only 20 of these new cases so I’ll be

ordering some more.

VIGILANTE BULLET LUBE My introduction to Dan Highley and his Vigilante lubes was with muzzleloaders and they offer a patch

lube and a gun grease, both of which work very well. It was my pleasure to give them a good review in

Muzzleloader magazine in the Prime Possibles section. Now it is my pleasure again to give them a positive

report here in Outstanding Products after giving their Black Powder Cartridge lube a fairly good work out. Like their label says, this lube is for paper or metallic cartridges.

I don’t personally know any shooters who are using paper

cartridges these days although I do know of a few Sharps

percussion rifles where those paper cartridges could be used. Even

so, in the percussion breechloaders, like the 1863 Sharps, the

bullets still need lubrication with or without the paper cartridge.

Let me admit, one of those 1863 percussion breechloaders that I

know of is mine and when I get around to using it, I’ll really try to

have some Vigilante lube on hand.

Let me also admit that when I read that “For use…”

recommendation, I misinterpreted it, thinking it said for use with

paper patched or “naked” grease groove bullets. The paper

cartridge idea didn’t sink in until after I had done my shooting and

was taking this picture of the label on the lid of the container. Oh well, I’m sure that didn’t have any influence

on my shooting.

Dan introduced this new lube to Allen Cunniff and me while we

were cruising traders’ row at Quigley this year. Dan made sure we both

had a tub of his lube for black powder cartridges and we both promised to

give his lube a very fair workout.

For me that workout began with a fairly wide list of cartridges,

from the .44/40 up to the .50/90. Somewhere in the middle was the .44/77

and that is the cartridge which gave me the most experience, so far.

First, the .44/40; my loads used the standard bullet for the .44/40,

Lyman’s #427098, over 35 grains by weight of Olde Eynsford 2F with no

wad between the bullet and the powder. Those bullets were lubed with

Vigilante and sized to .429” before being fired in my new Model 1885

Low wall from C. Sharps Arms. That load worked very well, giving tight

groups at 50 yards, complete with a fine “lube star” on the rifle’s muzzle.

No leading or evidence thereof could be found during cleaning.

The .44/77 used both “naked” bullets and paper patched. The paper Dan Highley with Allen Cunniff

patched 400 grain bullets were loaded over 75 grains by weight of the Olde Eynsford 2F with a Walters’ .060”

wad plus a 3/16” grease cookie of Vigilante under the bullet. Those were fired in two 5-shot groups, back to

back with no cleaning. The last couple of cartridges began to feel “sticky” when they were chambered but not

stiff. All 10 shots scored nicely. When my rolling block rifle was cleaned it was obvious that the bore was still

coated with a layer of Vigilante and, again, no evidence of any leading at all.

The .50/70 and .50/90 also showed a quick acceptance for Vigilante lube, showing generous lube stars.

Now I will quickly point out, just before most of you remind me, all of my shooting with Vigilante

Bullet Lube was done during the summer, during a rather hot summer in fact. While I say how well this lube

performed maybe I should phrase that as how well it performed in warm weather. That can mean this is a good

summertime lube. At the same time, this gives me the opportunity to conduct my testing with this lube all over

again this winter and another report is likely to follow.

The Bullet Lube is priced at $24 for a one pound by volume, 13+ ounces by actual weight tub. For

second time orders you can get a $3 discount if you send in a target showing results of using their Bullet Lube.

Shipping via US Mail in a flat rate envelope is $6. To place an order or just to ask questions, contact Dan

Highley at Vigilante Bullet Lube, P.O. Box 666, Anaconda MT, 59711. You can also email him at

vigilantebulletlube@gmail.com and he also has a web site at vigilantebulletlube.com.

Dean Becker’s “SHARPS” Ammo Boxcs While ‘scouting’ along Traders’ Row at the recent

Quigley doin’s I noticed some wooden ammo boxes on

Dean Becker’s offerings. Those boxes area very well made

and marked in a very period correct manner. I told Dean

right away that I had to have one, or two, and that we could

banter about the price over the weekend. Yes, I got my two

ammo boxes but let me tell you what Dean told me about

those boxes.

He makes them as period correct as he can. Dean

mentioned that most original old time cartridge case boxes

for civilian shipments were assembled butt-jointed and

without the “skids” on the bottom. Military boxes were

made better, to put it simply, with dovetailed joints and the

“skids” on the bottom. These boxes measure 9 inches wide

by 15 inches long and they stand about 7 ½ inches tall, by

yardstick measuring on the outside. Inside measurements

are a bit smaller, roughly 6 ½ inches deep, 8 inches wide,

and 14 inches long. They will hold a lot of ammo.

Whether they’ll ever hold the “500 Unprimed Cases” as they

are marked might be open to speculation but we must all admire the

markings on these boxes. Dean said the stenciling was copied from

an original box. The markings are applied with a good grade of black

paint and sponged through the stencils. He says that is a somewhat

tedious way of applying the markings but far cleaner than other

methods which were tried. Dean went on to say that the markings for

the .50-2 ½ and the .45-2 7/8 are correct but the .44-2 ¼ he had to

guess at. I’m saying he guessed pretty well.

A lot of folks told him they would buy one (or more) of his

ammo boxes if it was stenciled

for the .45/70. At this time if he

decides to make those they

should have a proper stencil of

.45-2 1/10 as it was identified

by Sharps. Most of the folks

asking for the .45/70 boxes

have said they wouldn’t care,

use either designation, but Dean wants to remain as close to the originals

as he can. He admits the made his stencils for the .44-2 ¼ on a bit of a

guess, mainly because he wanted a box or two for his own .44/77. That’s

also the one that grabbed my attention at first.

Dean mainly sells these ammo boxes at shoots, such as Quigley,

but he will make them available through the mail for folks to don’t

happen to run into him. His price per box is $55 plus shipping. The

address the boxes will be shipped from is; Dean Becker, c/o A 1 Heating,

P.O. Box 1802, Elko, Nevada 89803. Payment is best made with checks

for money orders but Dean is planning on ‘going modern’ so he will be

able to accept credit cards. Contact Dean to see if that is ‘in the works’

Dean Becker at Quigley by emailing him at zb70045@ctnis.com.

ARMED PATRIOT DRONE T-SHIRTS

C. Sharps Arms’ “Armed Patriot Drone” T-Shirts. Logo reads, “I AM AN ARMED

PATRIOT DRONE, CONTROLLED BY GOD.” These Tee’s are 100% cotton,

available sized Medium, Large, and Extra Large. Colors, either red or blue. Price

$15.00 plus postage.

To get your shirt send orders to or call C. Sharps Arms, P.O. Box 885, Big

Timber, MT 59011-Phone: 406-932-4353.

You can also order these shirts from our

web site at

www.csharpsarms.com

These new shirts do make a “timely”

statement. Let’s spread the news by

declaring our loyalty and faith.

C. SHARPS ARMS LOW-WALL

IN .44/40

By Mike Nesbitt

There was (past-tense emphasized) a Model 1885 low-wall on the C. Sharps Arms

“in stock” list that really worked its way into my blood. That rifle’s chamber was

for the good old .44/40 cartridge, or .44 W.C.F. just to sound more official about it.

The rifle’s style was in the Classic format, with crescent butt plate and a

cheekpiece, plus the French grey receiver and butt as well as a silver inlay in the forearm. I looked at that rifle a

year ago but talked myself out of it. Then, on my recent trip to visit C. Sharps Arms, that .44/40 was still there.

Obviously that rifle was meant for me and this time I could not resist it.

The different ways that rifle “called” to me were too loud to ignore. One of those “calls” was from my

memory when many years ago I used to shoot with a club that had indoor shooting one evening per week. The

rules were that cast bullets must be used and velocities could not exceed 1000 feet per second. One old fellow

there used an original highwall in .38/40 caliber and he did very well with that rifle. Watching him do his

shooting put the ‘wants’ in my mind about having a rifle like it.

Another call this rifle had to me was because of the .44/40 chambering and that is a cartridge I really

like. To put it simply, I’ve been shooting .44/40s for a long time. Just about thirty years ago I wrote an article

for Rifle magazine called “The .44/40 as a Rifle Cartridge.” That story, published in Rifle’s

September/October, 1988 issue, was mainly focused on using smokeless powder loads, including the old high

velocity factory loadings, and it featured a couple of other shooters, old friends of mine, who also favored the

.44/40. They were Colonel Rex Applegate and country singer Hoyt Axton. My .44/40 rifle at that time was a

Winchester Model 1892 carbine while Rex Applegate favored the pump action Remington Model 14 ½ and

Hoyt liked another pump, the Colt Lightning.

While the .44/40 was and still is chambered for several revolvers, it has always been a rifle cartridge

first and foremost in my opinion. I don’t mean that simply in the historical sense either, what I mean is how the

.44/40 performs its very best in rifles. At the same time I do appreciate a good sixgun chambered for the .44/40

and, in fact, I favor them over other calibers for a belt gun. But even while the .44/40 will hold its own among

other handgun cartridges, I still tend to see it as a thing of convenience when it’s chambered in a revolver.

All of those little voices inside my head were telling me, instructing me, to get this rifle. And now I

realize that I’ve spent over 500 words in this article talking about myself and not the low-wall in .44/40. I do

hope you forgive me for that but I felt that my background with the .44/40 might have something to offer. One

thing is rather clear to me at this time and that is the fact that I should have gotten this rifle at least a year or

more earlier just so I would have had more time to enjoy shooting it.

As mentioned in the opening paragraph, this is one of C. Sharps Arms 1885 Low-wall Classic Rifles

with a 28-inch barrel, which is the same as the standard rifle except for the added extras including the crescent

butt plate, shadowed cheek rest, and a silver inlay in the forearm tip. This gun also has the French grey receiver

which is case hardened with the colors polished away. Previously I did not care for the French grey finish and I

might have gotten this rifle earlier if it had the standard color cased finish. This year I found the French grey

much easier to accept, finding it rather attractive actually and I did not already have a rifle with this finish.

And before leaving the shop with this new rifle I made sure that one C. Sharps Arms short range deluxe

tang sights went with me. That sight was mounted on the rifle before any shooting was done. My eyes have

enough trouble seeing open sights these days and I didn’t want to tease myself any further by not letting this

rifle perform at its best. Additionally, the short range deluxe sight seemed to be a real natural for this rifle,

going along with the gun’s single set trigger.

My first shots with this new treasure were

taken with some of the brand new .44/40 loads

from Jamison Brass & Ammunition which had

coincidently arrived at just about the same time.

Those loads feature a 200 grain lead bullet over

some fairly light charges of smokeless powder. In

fact, those are Cowboy loads which are meant for

rapid shooting at close range, so they are not

loaded to the upper limits at all. The velocity for

these new Jamison loads is printed right on the

box, 825 fps, and I’m sure that was taken from a

revolver, barrel length not specified.

(Jamison does not make their own .44/40

brass so these are loaded in Star Line cases.)

Those first shots, only five of them, were

fired at a small target posted at just 25 yards.

That was done after bore-sighting the rifle with the tang sight mounted. And those rounds were shot over a

chronograph just to see what they’d do being fired out of a 28” barrel. They were very comfortable shots to

take, to say the least, and their velocities averaged 936 feet per second.

The next five shots were taken with some Black Dawge loads using black powder. These are not

available anymore but I had a small supply and wanted to see how they’d do. Five shots over the chronograph

gave an average of 1125 fps, with a little more bark. What was actually loaded in those rounds I don’t know but

let me guess that it was about 33 grains of one of the standard GOEX black powders, either FFg or FFFg.

It is true that the old original loading for the .44/40 used a 200 grain bullet, sometimes as heavy as 217

grains, over 40 grains of black powder. That load, however, was in what are called balloon head cases. I used

to have several of those cases, where the primer rests in a raised area in the head of the case which gives that

kind of case greater internal volume, but gave most of them away rather recently. In the more modern solid

head cases, which are much stronger should that strength ever be needed with the .44/40, the case volume is

reduced by a noticeable amount. The old factory loads were said to give a muzzle velocity of about 1320 fps

and that was a speed that I was “shooting for” with black powder loads in this low-wall.

One item that I still have from my

earlier years of shooting with the .44/40

is my favorite bullet mold, Lyman’s old

#42798 (now listed at #427098) which is

for the standard .44/40 bullet. My mold

is a double cavity and about 1980 I had

one of those cavities hollow-pointed. So,

with each casting cycle I get one solid

nose and one hollow-point bullet. The

hollow-point’s cavity is not a real deep

one and that bullet weighs about 202

grains when cast with John Walters’ 16-1

alloy. The solid nose bullet weighs only

a little more, about 209 grains with the

same metal. Those are the bullets that

my low-wall will taste the very most.

While I have no real grounds to stand on, I do believe the hollow-point bullet is the more accurate of the

two. Someday I’ll have to give that a real and honest test but for now I’ll just be comfortable with my beliefs.

Why I feel that way is something I can’t quickly explain. It might be because over the years I’ve always loaded

the hollow-point just a bit “hotter” than the solid nose and perhaps the difference in performance really isn’t

accuracy.

But anyway, it was the hollow-point bullets that I began loading for the new low-wall with an eye for

performance. Those bullets were sized to .429” and lubed with Vigilante Bullet Lube before being loaded in

nickel plated Star Line cases over 35 grains by weight of Olde Eynsford 2F powder. That’s a rather full load,

coming to about 1/16” below the case mouth when charged from a Lyman #55 powder measure without the

drop tube. The powder is compressed by seating the bullet on top enough that the case mouth is slightly

crimped over the forward driving band on the bullet.

At the range those loads seemed to make the low-wall really come alive. The gun even cracked with

some real sounds of authority and the bullets grouped rather well at both 50 and 100 yards. I also sent some of

those short bullets on longer trips to a gong at 200 yards, getting good hits more often than misses. General

performance with the hollow-point bullets over the 35 grains of OE 2F was very good and the load is clean

burning too, that’s a load I might stay with for a while.

It wasn’t until the 2nd or 3rd trip to the range with those loads and the low-wall that I had the opportunity

to use a chronograph to see what the bullets’ speed might be. I assumed it would be over 1200 fps simply be

the actions and sounds of the rifle. The real answer did surprise me and those loads skipped across the

chronograph at 1360 fps. That’s some doin’s for a .44/40! Next I’m looking forward to dropping the loading

down to 33 grains of powder just to see what it will do with that charge.

One thing I learned about the low-wall when compared to the highwall rifles. Loading short cartridges

and removing the short empty cases from the chamber is a lot easier than with the highwalls. Those “walls” on

the highwall would really be in the way for loading and unloading the shorter ammo. I have highwalls in .32/40

plus .40/70 SS and really like them but for any of the shorter cartridges such as the .44/40, or especially the .22

rimfires, the low-wall is certainly the action to have.

At my next reloading session a

good batch of loads using 33 grains of

OE 2F was assembled using the solid

nose bullets which weigh what I will

call 210 grains. From the bench and a

50 yards, those shot very well, getting

good tight groups and getting a

velocity average of 1308 fps. The 33

grain load pleases me at least just as

much as the faster 35 grain loading

and I’ll be using both of those loads at

least until I try a 34 grain loading…

My real point in saying that is I have

much more to do and everything about

this low-wall in .44/40 shows as being

very positive.

Perhaps this story will be

continued in Old West Centerfires by

Bob Gietz because my plan as this is

written is to use the .44/40 low-wall in our Benchrest group at 50 yards with the 33 grain loading

next match which is only a couple of days away. That match will be shot at only 50 & 100 yards which won’t

strain the .44/40 at all. Here’s hopin’ Bob’s report on that match will contain some good comments about the

shooting done with this superb little rifle from C. Sharps Arms.

“To Learn Who Rules Over You, Simply Find Out Who

You Are Not Allowed To Criticize.” --Voltaire