Pedersoli Sharps Silhoutte

Youngsters might think the Sharps is an old fart’s gun and in many ways they would be correct. Single-shot, external hammer, big old calibre, which is normally a reloading-only option and in truth iron sights only, plus it’s big and heavy. That aside it’s a beauty and also a milestone in firearms development, as in its day it and other black powder cartridge rifles (BPCRs) were the tack driving long range guns of the late 1800s. Be it for punching paper or hunting.

So now perhaps I have peaked your interest? In modern competition the Sharps and its BPCR brothers are mainly used in classic events. The slight exception is the Quigley matches of the last 10-years, which sought to put a bit of fun and challenge into this sort of shooting with 1/3-sized, paper buffalo target and a small, 600-yard scoring zone (the bucket). The last in keeping with the film Quigley Down Under, where the hero Mathew Quigley used a Sharps 1874. In the USA the rifle is regularly used for hunting too; often buffalo and larger antelope, but in the spirit of the original.

SHARP PRACTICE

If you want off-the-peg Sharps probably the best bet is Pedersoli of Italy, as they offer a good range of 1874s. For the British shooter wanting to get into BPCR shooting the best bet is their standard, 1874 Silhouette model.
It is little different from the 1874 Sporter; both sport a 32”, heavy octagonal barrel with splinter forend. However, the Silhouette’s butt is wider and deeper and offers a pistol grip. This is far preferable to the slimmer straight-hand furniture of the Sporter with its wickedly curved steel butt plate! Believe me if you fire 20-rounds in a match you’ll appreciate it!

From the box sights are basic with a U-notch/flip-up ladder on the barrel and a simple, drift-adjustable feather blade in a dovetail up front, this set up offers a degree of elevation and windage correction and at shorter ranges out to 100/300 yards shoots acceptably. But for pure paper-punching after market precision sights, much like those found on modern Target Rifle (TR) bolt- actions are to be recommended.

These consist of a rear Long Range Creedmoor sight, which is a tang-mounted ladder with elevation and windage-adjustable aperture, some even offer a multi-hole dioptre (Hadley-style Eye Piece) to cope with conditions. Up front is a tunnel with interchangeable inserts to give different options and some also offer windage adjustment by micrometer and level bubbles. Pedersoli offer a wide range of these accessories.

BACK TO BASICS

My Silhouette is set up like that, but the rifle I was sent to test came as issued and I thought it would be a little different to see how it performed from-the-box as it where. As the first thing most people do is remove the standard iron sights and fit something more precision!

Pedersoli have always offered a good product and the Silhouette is no exception! Though entry level - as they do make some highly decorated guns - it’s well put together. The stock is two well-matched piece of Grade 1 walnut with a flat finish. The action, lever and hammer are colour, case-hardened with the breach block, barrel and butt plate blued. Sight consist of a flip-up ladder at the rear with a fixed U-notch (folded flat) and an vertical sliding plate with wide V and base U-notch for longer range use. It’s marked from 200 to 800-yards in 100-yard increments. The front blade is silver and offers windage-only movement.

CALIBRE CHOICE

Weighing 10.57 lbs with its 32”, 1-18” twist barrel and chambered in either 45-70 Government or 45-90 the Silhouette is a big rifle measuring 48.7” butt to muzzle. It’s also well balanced and the wider/deeper butt plate and pistol grip really make a difference.

The rear sight is a basic, flip-up ladder with sliding notch plate and good enough for short range
Guns are nitro-proofed, though some of the Sharps shooter prefer to load with Blackpowder, which can give good results in the right hands. However, I would say go for 45-70 and reload with smokeless powder and cast, lead bullets. Dies and components are readily available, and though not traditional you are generally going to do a lot better from the off.

Importers Henry Krank & Co Ltd, also supplied a set of Lee dies, brass and 405-grain, hard-cast lead flat nose (F/N) bullets. For longer range work I’d recommend a 500-grain Silhouette bullet that offers a more pointed ogive (nose) which is ballistically superior. Factory ammo is limited with a number of hunting loads, which are Section 5 classification, but can be owned on a Sect 1 FAC if you hunt. Also MagTech (CBC) make a lead F/N 405-grain Cowboy load too, but in truth reloading is the best route.

FALLING DOWN

The Sharps offers a falling block action and an external, hammer. To operate set the hammer to half-cock (pull back one click) and push the operating lever/trigger guard down. This exposes the chamber for loading, slide in a round and keeping the muzzle down slightly close the action. Once you have fired operating the breach quickly will trip the manual ejector/ extractor and kick the empty free. Conversely doing it slowly will deposit it in the feed way where it can be removed.

The 1874 Silhouette has an adjustable, double set trigger, the front blade fires the gun the rear is set (pulled back first) to reduce the pull. This lighter release is to be appreciated for target shooting. So with the gun loaded thumb back the hammer to full cock (second click) aim and fire. Trying it set and unset will indicate the difference in the actual release. Though useful I would not recommend it for more casual sorts of work and hunting, as it’s very light!

GOOD ENOUGH

My load consisted of 31-grains of Hodgdon H4198 under the 405-grain lead bullet and Hornady’s 325-grain Leverevolution polymer- tipped hunting ammo. The reload was producing about 1350 fps and the factory 1900 fps. In general both could hold a 2 x 4” rectangle at 100-yards, which is acceptable certainly for the basic sights fitted. Though when adjusting for windage (front sight) remember that all corrections are into the error; gun shoots left move foresight left so the barrel will realign to the right. Settings on the ladder are more advisory too, so as ever it’s just a matter of finding an accurate load then shooting to the ranges you require and noting the setting.

Precision sights will do better and are near mandatory on the target line! Recoil is acceptable as the gun soaks up a lot of it, but pushing the big 405 and 500-grain bullets is not like firing a 243 etc! I have to say though classic shooting is my love I also shoot for the pot and have always wanted to use the Sharps on a big deer or better still buffalo, as it would be great to see how it really performed. Not sure it will ever happen, but you never know.