Since 1985 when I first read the story of Billy Dixon's mile long shot at the second battle of Adobe Walls in 1874, I've wanted a Sharps '74 in 50 2-1/2" Sharps Straight. Also known as the 50-90 Sharps this is the "Big Fifty" of legend and lore, not the 50 3-1/4" according to most authorities.
Well I finally found a used one when I had the money to do something about it. It is a Shiloh Sharps Business Rifle with a 28" round barrel, a plane walnut stock, the military steel butt plate, and simple barrel sights. All that is fine with me and I finally got around to shooting it earlier this week.
My first shot was at a 2" Magic Marker square on a piece of cardboard at 25 yards to see where the sights were looking. A 50 caliber hole appeared at 12 O'Clock on the square and I was in business. Next I picked out a rock on the side of a desert ridge, which one of my shooting buddy's range finder said was 135 yards away. Shooting off-hand I proceeded to scare the bejebers out of that football sized rock with the next 9 rounds. I hit all around it often close enough to make us think I might have actually hit it. No matter. Every shot put a smile on my face, even when my reconstructed shoulder declared it had had enough.
No pictures yet but you all know what a Shiloh Model '74 looks like. Well this is the plainest, least fancy version of that rifle. Not very pretty but it suits me just fine. Now I have to find more bullets and powder.
PS: I finally got a picture. And with Marshal's help here it is.
Dave