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Regional Topics => Chinook Country => Topic started by: Buffalo Creek Law Dog on January 12, 2017, 03:08:27 PM

Title: Sharps question
Post by: Buffalo Creek Law Dog on January 12, 2017, 03:08:27 PM
When I do my daily walk, I listen to the old radio shows from the 1940s/50 on my Iphone.  Yesterday I was listening an old Hoppilong Cassidy radio show and he mentioned twice, a Sharps 450 rifle.  I never heard of one so, I Googled it and nil results on a Sharps 450 rifle.  Is it possible that this was an old fashioned term no longer in use or, the imagination of a script writer?  I tend to lean toward the latter but, then what do I know.
Title: Re: Sharps question
Post by: Ranch 13 on January 12, 2017, 03:50:49 PM
My guess would be some script writers dream.
The term "big 50" was thrown around quite a bit in the early 1900's and was pretty generic for Sharps no matter the actual rifle was more likely a 44..
Title: Re: Sharps question
Post by: PJ Hardtack on January 12, 2017, 05:56:10 PM
I've got several Sharps reference books, including Seller's 'Bible' and there is no mention of a "450 Sharps".
Title: Re: Sharps question
Post by: Buffalo Creek Law Dog on January 12, 2017, 08:01:42 PM
Thanks guys, that's what I figured, a script writers error.
Title: Re: Sharps question
Post by: Sir Charles deMouton-Black on January 13, 2017, 11:25:13 AM
There is some cross-over between US and English cartridge nomenclature.

My Cartridges of the World, 3d Ed. shows ".450 Rigby Match (2.4")" as being identical to the .45-90 Cartridge. John Amber (Gun Digest) owned a Rigby-Metford-Farquhaharson rifle with cases headstamped "J.Rigby & Co. 1881". Amber apparently acquired the rifle from a Canadian shooter.

So, If a Canadian target shooter used this rifle, the existance of a Sharps target rifle in .450 Rigby Match is reasonable.

Remember that scene from Quigly DU, where ammo was being adapted from Brit stuff for his .45 Sharps?
Title: Re: Sharps question
Post by: Ranch 13 on January 13, 2017, 11:41:03 AM
Rigby actually bought Sharps Creedmoor rifles and took them back to England.

Title: Re: Sharps question
Post by: Buffalo Creek Law Dog on January 13, 2017, 12:23:10 PM
It's possible that the script writer had heard the term .450 Rigby Match somewhere and assumed that was a common term and used it in the script.  To paraphrase ...Who knows what lurks in the minds of men......The Shadow knows ;)