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 GietzField 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
BACOs 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 1800s 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 1870s 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 wasnt 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. CCIs BR2 are always my
primers of choice and Normas basic
brass completes and contains my
load.
Ricks 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 Altenburgs pocket knife on the ladders 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 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

Showing the size of the buffalo track in the sand

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
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 Brutuss 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 wasnt 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! Thats 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.

Rick takes careful aim as thoughts race through his mind

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
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, hollowbased 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 theyll 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 Ricks 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 havent seen a dangerous buffalo you havent 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 couldnt answer. I couldnt 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!
Heres 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 seasons
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, well talk about them at
the same time. Because of that, well 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. Hes done that before, a
very good shooter. Jim uses his Shiloh Sharps in .45/70 very well
although I dont 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 Xs. If his 100 yard group had been a bit more centered
he would have gotten those Xs. 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 Allens name was called for 1st place in the
aggregate he stepped forward saying, Ive got to
have that
buckle,
and none
of us
could
disagree
with him.
That was
certainly
the pick
of the
prizes.
Allens new gold colored C. Sharps buckle

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

Jerry is our newcomer to these doins and this is only his
third match but the improvements hes made in his
shooting are outstanding. Well be seeing more of his
shooting in the next season. For this seasons aggregate
Jerry is on the bottom of the list but thats 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 wasnt 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 seasons
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 matchs 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 seasons aggregate.
At the bottom of the list for our shooters in this match we find Bob DeLisle but hes been up at the top
before. None of us shoot our very best every time and Bobs 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 seasons 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. Were 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
Jim Dickerman
Allen Cunniff
Jerry Mayo
Mike Nesbitt
Don Kerr
Jeff Ritter
Bob DeLisle

Rifle/Cartridge
1874 Shiloh Sharps .45/70
1874 C Sharps Arms .45/70
1874 C. Sharps Arms .45/70
1885 C Sharps Arms .44/40
1874 C Sharps Arms .45/90
1874 Shiloh Sharps .45/70
1874 Pedersoli Sharps, .45/70

50 yd.
94-2X
98-X
97-2X
94-3X
98-3X
89-X
92-2X

100 yd.
90-2X
86
86
88-2X
81
86
75

The more laws, the less justice, Cicero

Total
184-4X
184-X
183-2X
182-5X
179-3X
175-X
167-2X

Aggregate
914-18X 2nd
933-20X 1st
446-2X 7th
888-13X 3rd
854-10X 6th
882-6X 4th
875-10X 5th

OUTSTANDING PRODUCTS: by Mike Nesbitt

POPE STYLE RE-DECAPPERS

Heres a real handy little tool and this one will be seen again and again in my line box. Its the Pope
style re-decapper from C. Sharps Arms. Weve 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
cant 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 Ive hardly used anything else, particularly for de-capping. And I must admit
that Ive 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

Heres an item that probably wasnt 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 Ive been using them almost ever since.
What these are, just in case you dont 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 shooters 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 shooters 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 wont fit tightly because the ear phone
wont 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, Im 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

LYMANS #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.
Thats 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 folddown 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. Thats what holds the sight stem in place. To tighten (or loosen) that Allen screw, a .050
wrench is needed, something that isnt 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 oclock 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 thats 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.
Lymans 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 COMPANYS 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 BACOs 2 square arsenal
cleaning patches works just fine. After one pass with this combination your rifles barrel should be ready for
the next shot.
One extra thing youll want when you use this system is a pan which can catch the Bore Wipes as they
emerge from the rifles muzzle. And they really dont just fall out of the guns 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 dont 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, Im 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 BACOs 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 youd 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, Im sure youll 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 (Im 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 Cabelas 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
Nesbitts 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 couldnt have been
more surprised at the transformation that had taken place to my ugly duckling. This COULDNT 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, andas a complete surprise, new

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

casehardening, deep and blue! I honestly

wasnt sure that someone hadnt 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 Im not good enough for it.
Now Im eager to go shoot it which
simply means you will probably be hearing
more about this rifle. Let me go for now
and Ill get busy preparing the ammunition.

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