Many years ago, I had the opportunity to shoot a 50-140. it belonged to a classmate of mine at the gunsmithing school at Lassen Collage in northern California. I watched him fire a couple of shots and then he asked me if I wanted to give it a try. I jumped at the chance. I can't verify this but he told me that the cartridges were loaded with 140 Gr of triple F and a 550 Gr stake buster. I got into the same position I had observed him in, which was sitting slightly sideways to the target, crossed legged with my left elbow resting on my left knee, which was forward. I then took aim at the target 125 yards away and slowly squeezed the trigger. With the recoil, the tang sight hit my thumb, which proceeded to hit my lower lip and then I was looking straight up at the sky, on my back with the rifle pointed up at the sky. The pain I felt in my lower lip and jaw was almost unbearable. My shoulder didn't feel to good either. I handed the rifle back to the owner and then wiped my lower lip to see how much blood there was. I was shocked to see none! No teeth missing either. No cut, nothing but a goose egg lump of swelling. The thumb still bothers me though. The good Lord was really watching over me that day. The lesson I learned from shooting that rifle ranks up there with treating every firearm as if it is loaded and don't point it at anything you do not intend to shoot. I spent 15 years training in the martial arts and I can assure you that nothing has ever hit me that hard. As Mr. McDougald said, it cured my flinching. Nothing has ever compared to that. I was 23 at the time and am now 65. Don't forget something like that.
Friend. My Heart, truly goes out to you on this video. I felt your pain with every shot you made. My Uncle has that rifle and I shot it a few times when I was about 12 years old. I'm 52 now and still remember it to this day. The only good I can say came from it was that I've never never flinched or had a problem shooting any other rifle, or pistol that has ever been put in my hands.
Thanks for the sympathy, John! At least we've both got that one checked off the bucket list and won't feel the need to shoot one again in our lifetime.😉
Damn I’m almost 100% traditional flintlock muzzleloader. But I did get to shoot a .458 once…. It was enough. While I’ve shot that load behind a three hundred and a four hundred and fifty grain round ball that has no where the power of a cartridge load, but even that in a heavy gun was unpleasant When you said four was enough I believed you Put some ice on that
I had a .50-140 for time and can attest to its power on both ends. Mine was a C.Sharps 1875 now it’s a.40-65 and the .50 barrel is in a rolling block and rechambered to .50-70 now it’s much better. It handled smokeless and black but gave me headaches and eye pain so in the interest of good health I changed it.
That second shot lifted the gelatin block completely up and off that stand and dismantled the stand. It set you back. And you still kept your hat. You, sir, have my respect.
Wow! When I saw the size of that cigar sized cartridge I was amazed. When you shot it off the bench I started to get a flinch. I’m sure I’ll stick to .45-70 and lower. Thanks for this outstanding video with a cartridge I had not even heard of and one I’m sure I won’t be looking to acquire.
I love the big bore black powder guns. I grew up shooting a .54 Hawken rifle with 110 grains of powder. So, watching this video was nostalgic in lots of ways. Beautiful gun.
@@tomallen6073 I used to shoot Buffalo hollow point maxiballs with 120 grains of black powder...in the days before pyrodex. The experience made every other gun I've fired feel tame. Literally snot coming out of my nose and bruises on my inner shoulder. Just brutal.
Glad to see you back, though the feeling of getting behind on work is a pain! Love all these old guns you go over and demonstrate, my favorite ones to load for and take out hunting.
Nice video and rifle. Two things to remember about the Sharps, only cycle the lever when your at half cock to protect your firing pin, the other is when bench rest shooting your rifle should be resting on the barrel at its null point for best accuracy. Finding the null point is fairly easy by hold it by the rear stock and using a rubber mallet to tap the barrel to find that particular rifles null point. May not make much of a difference at the short ranges you were shooting but it definitely will as the yardage grows.
Gawd Mark! Looks to be a hand held Howitzer. That is one massive cartridge. Your movement from the recoil is hurting me all the way back here in Michigan. I ordered a Shiloh Sharps several months back in the much tamer 45-70 very similar to your customers Shiloh Sharps. It will be one of my most treasured rifles. Once again you offer a superb video on a historic weapon that gives us viewers something of great value. Sincerely thank you.
Thanks for taking one (actually, four) for the team. After one shoulder surgery in 2009, I would never shoot a 50 caliber on the bare shoulder. Perry Pappous
try a patched round ball - muzzle loader black powder rifle - 50 cal. 70 grains - very accurate very soft almost no recoil but same rifle - saboted 45cal 140grains that will set you back - not near like this 50-140 though
Wow, great job taking four shots with that monster !!! Back in 1994 I had a gunsmith built me a rolling block sporting rifle with a 34" barrel. He was also building Sharp's rifles at the time and want to know if I wanted my rifle chambered in 50-120 or 45-120, I told him to make it in 45-70. Brass, dies and bullet molds would be easier to get and it wouldn't pound my shoulder as bad as the 50-120 or the 45-120. I do also like shooting the 50-70 military rolling block rifles. Thanks for sharing the video with us.
In the early 90's met a man at the local range with a new 45-110...he was loading smokeless for fairly obvious reasons. He let me cap off 1 round... thank you kind sir. Doesn't hurt to be 'in the know ' about firearms. Even had the chance to hold an original .75 smooth bore revolutionary war and an original scoped sniper rifle of Civil War origin. Not to shoot, just to admire. The scope was a joke...but it is older than dirt.
My great great grandfather was a packer for the army at Fort Bozeman in the days before Custer. My other grandfather was a trapper around Yellowstone. As you can see, my people are Westerners. Seeing these guns brought a bit of pride. Thanks
My condolences Mark! That bad boy was almost kicking you from under your hat. Back in the 1970's I bought a Shiloh percussion in .54 caliber at a muzzleloading shoot which I was competing. I only had loose powder and bullet and as I was seating the bullet, I seated too deep because my long starter was too long. The recoil was vicious in that little carbine but, I don't think it was as bad as the maimer you were shooting. Glad you are making vids again, I was beginning to be concerned and even told my wife last week I feared something was wrong. Welcome back!
Have the Shiloh Farmingdale New Model 1863 rifle in 54 cal. bought used for 275.00 in 79. Made up my own 54 Cal paper cartridges..a real pleasant hoot to shoot.
Wow! Thank you for posting this video. I really enjoyed it. We were riding to Sturgis in '96 and stopped by Shiloh. After getting back home I ordered at Hartford in .45-70. Glad I didn't go for the .50-140! If I want serious oomph I'll go with my M-70 in .375 H&H.
Quite a few years ago I had an original Sharps Borchardt chambered for 45-120-500. It was a beautiful rifle... even had the loading tools and the bullet mold for the 500 grain paper patched bullet. And yeah, every shot was painful.
They are fun I have a pedersoli sharps 45-120, 30" barrel octagon to round, lots of fun shooting a 370gr soft lead bullet with 30grs of Trail Boss powder. (Recoil is negligible). But when I switched to goex 2fg 110grs behind a 610gr round nose it will wake up your ancestors. Love the sharps rifle, that 1859 deserves and to be shot and enjoyed. Really enjoy your videos and comments.
@Phil Giglio I use a drop tube and compression dies to load my 45-120 and 110 grs of goex-ffg is all that will reasonably fit and still cover all the grease groves of the bullets I'm using.
Truly incredible, I've never had the opportunity to shoot a Sharp's, but on my other double set triggers I've dry fired the set triggers without the hammer being cocked to get the feel of the trigger let off. I started shooting double set triggers as a 13 year old and now I'm spoiled, I don't like a gun without a "hot" trigger.
I live fairly near Big Timber and I love to visit the Shiloh Sharps and the Sharps shops. They’re both on the same street in BT. Well worth a visit if you’re near there.
Ouch! Just ouch! I absolutely could not shoot that from a bench. I’d have to shoot it standing. What a powerful black powder round! Beautiful rifle. Enjoyed the video!
In 1985 I ordered my Sharps Shilo as ordered it was $961 and 6 weeks to get to me. That was before Quigley went down under so I saved a lot of cash and time waiting. I ordered the 50-3 1/4" chamber , 34" number 1 taper barrel throat-ed for paper patch. I have taken two deer over the years with a 450 grain 50-70 bullet @ 1725 f/s over SR 4759 powder the load from a Lyman reloading manual the ranges were 70 & 150 yards . I shoot black powder for informal target with paper patches bullets , My Lyman mold adjusts from about 440 - 712 grains . The 1-36 rifling twist is a bit slow for the longest bullet and they will cant at 100 yards with all bullet noses pointing in and a 3" group . I have not fired it at longer range with the heavy bullet . I have loaded some paper patch 712 grain bullets over 150 grains Swiss 1 1/2Fg powder a hard card wad a lube cookie (.2") and Chronograph them at 1617 f/s . I do wear a P.A.S.T. shoulder pad when I shoot it saves the shoulder some! I have fired some more powerful loads with smokeless powder and it is just unneeded ,Hodgdon powder has some data and the other data was for a Barnes 600 grain jacketed soft point .
I learned, the hard way, that standing Off Hand with my Big 50's and .577/450 Martini's makes it a mite more tolerable in the recoil department. Being a stock maker, I also do some weight redistribution to make the recoil behave. Of course, you can't do that with a customer's gun. Great video reminds us that the old shooters still have a place in our lives. 👍
I have one of those Shiloh Sharps in 50- 2 1/2". It can be loaded with 90, 100 or 110 grains of black powder. I have found that it likes an original Sharps loading of 50-90-473 using a paper patched bullet. I ordered it with the heavy barrel and it weighs in at around 11 pounds. Shooting from the sitting position on the ground with cross sticks my sholder is able to absorb the recoil better than when shooting from the bench. I only recently discovered your channel and enjoy it greatly.
I am very happy with my Shiloh 45/70 using 520 grain cast lead. It kicks, but nothing like the 50-140 you are shooting. Hope you recovered OK. Good video and beautiful country.
Mark you are the better man !!! You are holding that piece 'Man Portable Artillery' like your looking at a nasty Charbray (hooey). When you stuffed that nitro powered corn cob up the pipe I saw determination and trepidation on the same face, it was like looking into Tuff Hedeman soul when he dropped into the chute on the back of Bodacious !!! God Bless Cowboy 😇😇😇
Good video Mark. A PAST recoil shield is your friend. I shoot BPCR's in 50-90, 45-90 and 45-70...the 50-90 with 670 gr cast bullets. The PAST allows you to shoot comfortably many rounds in a setting. Takes a lot of the bite out of the hard kickers. See you in Cody.
That rifle looks like it recoils more than modern cartridges like .375 H&H, .416 Remington and even .458 Win. I've shot my fair share of stout modern muzzle loader loads of 150gr of pyrodex, 12 gauge 3" Turkey loads and the .375 H&H. I flinched watching this video. I definitely have a healthy respect for heavy recoiling firearms. From historical information I've read a lot of Sharp's rifles weighed around 20lbs and had bull barrels. That's a pretty sweet rifle! Shilho makes a damn good rifle! I don't believe they offer 50-140 anymore in their current lineup.
I own and have fired both 45-70 and 50-70 ( Springfields and Rem rolling blocks )…. But I can only imagine -140 ! …Nice. That is a serious Buffalo gun right there !
I have a Sharps in .45-70. After watching this video I feel like a wimp for thinking the .45-70 kicks too hard. I enjoyed this and you have a new subscriber.
Pretty crazy watching you shoot that sharps. I had a Shiloh Sharps ,50-140 years ago I got off a Veteran friend of mine. He had some smokeless 540 and 650 grainers he gave me. You talking about stout. That rear tang sight blooded my lip and I thought it knocked out my tooth. Another friend shot it and it bloody his lip also. I shot it a few more times but each time it felt like getting hit with a two by four. Needless to say I sold it to a Vietnam vet. He sold it to a friend who last I heard was shooting bear's and Buffalo with it. Pretty much everyone that shot it with smokeless powder while I owned it got the hell beat out of them. They didn't want to shoot it more than once or twice. 😄 Have fun with that beast maybe a past recoil shoulder pad would help. Thanks interesting to watch from a different angle. Painful and brings back some fun but bad memories. Hope I don't have nightmares tonight. 😲😄😄
That rifle would be a real pleasure to shoot if you had a mad grizzly coming after you. You wouldn't even feel the recoil. Thanks for showing it to us.
@@joshuathomas8529 I'd stick with an M1A, HK91 or an FAL in 7.62x51 personally. I've owned all three and an AKM at one point or another. But whichever you can afford. None are as beautiful or as accurate as a well made and maintained Sharp's rifle though.
I have a Sharps in 50-90, which is definitely my upper end on recoil. No thanks for a full load 50-140. I haven't seen any T-Rexs lately, so I can't imagine needing one.
Wow! That looked like it would beat the hell out of almost anyone’s shoulder. But I have to admit that if you were shooting at say a charging grizzly, you more than likely wouldn’t feel any or at least very little of the recoil. I know a few people shoot lighter loads for target but, I personally shoot whatever size load for target and game. That way I don’t need to re-sight in my rifle (s) after target shooting. Cool video, I stumbled upon your channel and thought I would check it out. I always wanted to know more about the Sharps. There’s a lot of history behind that rifle. Thanks for doing this video and sharing the info.
That thing looks like it definitely kills on both ends ! lol I went through gunsmith school in Lakewood,Colorado years ago and one of the fellows had a 50-140. This is the first I've seen one shot though!!!!
Well welcome back didn't know what happened to you but when you said you were working I sure understand that. I thought my 4570 kicked bad but boy howdy that sure does. I just be willing to bet that you won't use that shoulder tomorrow or if you do you'll sure know you shot that big cannon. I believe I would call the cartridges missiles. Have a great day and stay safe and keep your powder dry!
🇺🇸👨🏽🦳😳😁😋… Ooohhhhh MAN 👨🏽 !!!!! I LOVED IT !!! I JUST FLIPPIN’ LOVED IT !!! 😃…. Back in the early 60’s , My Dad and older brother took my other brother and I , to the CM range in our state and began to teach us about firearms and the US Constitution . And THAT’S where we learned about AND Fired , for the first time , ANY firearms . And the first one , that they chose for me , was the “ 1874 Sharps 50-110 , Paper-Patched Cartridge … And need I say , That IT WAS AWESOME !! 😳… From that moment on , I was HOOKED on the Sharps Rifles !! 😃😋…. But I still haven’t gotten one yet … But I will someday ! 😁… We also learned a ton of valuable lessons from our elders and pledged to follow them all through life . That made our Dad really proud 🥲 and Happy , not only to mention that our older brother was impressed with how brave the two of us were , for attempting to try such activity …🥲… We all , had a ball and a great day , to boot !…😊😁🥲👨🏽👍🏽👍🏽👨🏽🦳🇺🇸
Yep, I have a 50-140 and if you shoot it a lot. I use a 50-120 or 50-110. One thing I have found is that the brass on the 50-140 swells ... with the black powder and a wet winter like here in western WA. the case's grow and will not fit well in the chamber. And I take a ram rod with me just in case and I sand down the brass until they fit.
I had a Shiloh Rifle manufacturing 50 -140 ,no freebore, custom made it had a 4130C receiver a NO1 heavy barrel 1137gunbarrel quality steel, a small firing pin breechblock for high pressure, regularly shot Barnes 600 grain spitzers on top of 120 grains of IMR4831, I fired 450 grain Barnes flat nose on top of 120 grains of IMR4350, chronographed at 2700 fps , I shot 300 grain Barnes bullets on top of 120 grains of IMR3031, all those loads were safe in my rifle, I used a Powley slide rule computer to find a good starting load, but I had to get rid of it in order to live in the apartments where I currently reside.
The 600 grain loads produced 2300 fps 7900 p/f of energy and at 100 yards was still higher than a 300 Winchester magnum, oh yes free recoil was 130 f/p stand up and walk away from 3 shots at the bench with that.
I think the off set primer strike is natural to the design although I saw a comment that it might be a broken firing pin but I have a new Pedersoli Sharps and it strikes off center so I hope that’s the case and not a broken firing pin as it shoots fine and only has about 200 smokeless 45-70’s thru it.
Nice shooting Tex. I have a ten pound Martini actioned rifle, chambered in the English equivalent of that cartridge. The 577-500 No2 BP Express, or as you may know it over there, the 500 No2. It’s case holds 140gr of FFg and it was originally loaded with a 350gr paper patched bullet to get the express speeds and was used mainly on Tigers etc. I have several bullets moulds for it, ranging from the Lee 500-450-F to a monstrous 700gr GC mould that was designed for a 505 Gibbs by CBE. I have fired four shots with that big bullet in front of a full case of BP and it certainly gets your attention! 😅😅 Mostly I shoot it with a 490gr PP bullet and smokeless powder so it’s a bit easier on my shoulder. 👍😁 Cheers from downunda.
