Thursday, March 09, 2017

Short range report

concentrating on one thing: the mini-Sharps
Yes, stock photo, as the one I have of mine is not to be found, the bastard.  Chiappa started making these a few years ago in several different cartridges; 39.6" long, about eight pounds, and except for looking like someone left it out in the rain to shrink it looks just like a 1874 Sharps.

After having tried one out, as noted in the past, I lucked onto one in .357 Mag.  Fun as hell to shoot, with the slight problem that it makes you want to start humming the theme from Quigley Down Under.  That's a tang sight folded down, that adjusts for elevation; windage is by loosening a lock screw on the front blade and adjusting.  Double set triggers that work nicely.

Experimentation showed that, at least for this one, it likes lighter bullets, with its favorite meal being the Hornady 140-grain FTX over 12.7 grains of Accurate #9, all held together with a Starline case.  I've actually shot 1" groups at 100 yards with that load when I do my part right.  The size and weight is actually a problem for me: it's so light that if you do ANYTHING wrong(breathing, trigger press, whatever) it throws the shot off.

Mine also has, as noted in the earlier mention, mine has one of these mounted on it.  Which has worked very well until the other day.  So I'll be getting that looked at.

Speaking of the scope, if you mount it directly over the bore the hammer spur will scrape the eyepiece.  I tried the usual method of a set of blocks to offset it to the left, which works, but I was able to find a hammer to fit, and bent the spur to the right so it clears with the scope center-mounted.

I shall have my own pictures, once I find the damn things.






1 comment:

Glen Filthie said...

I just mounted mid-range Lee Shaver Soule sights (a la Quiggly) on both my BPCR guns. Been VERY interested in the Leatherwood scopes but the things are like unicorns up here in Canada. My problem is exactly opposite of yours with my big Pedersoli Roller: it's so damned heavy I cannot imagine hunting with it!

More pics, Firehand! Noses pri.... Errrrr.... 'Enquiring minds' have a right to know!😆👍