Ammo and or reloading supply recommendations for someone new to Sharps rifles

[Maxson]

I am hoping that my first Shiloh Sharps is going to be ready in the next 3-4 weeks a No.1 Sporter a .45-70, 32" heavy octagon barrel, with a #113 sight, #130 vernier Tang Sight and the Hadley Eye piece. I don’t plan on doing any long range shooting at this time. I have never owner or fired anything like this before and am looking for some advice. Original I was planning on purchasing some factory ammo but have not had much luck in locating any. I have a friend who does reloading and is willing to help me. I am looking for recommendations as to what I need to order and recommendations as to where to order. As I look on line, too many options for someone who is inexperienced. Would appreciate recommendations for grain of bullet, lube?, type of powder, debating smokeless or black powder, leaning towards smokeless at least at first for ease of cleaning. Other supplies? I’ve waited a long time to get a Shiloh and I want to do things right. Any advise would be greatly appreciated, thanks, Max

[Luke]

Go to the Shiloh Sharps website. Click on the menu. Click on merchandise. Click on books. Order "Shooting Buffalo Rifles of the Old West". Read it all. Then come back to this forum to follow up.

[Luke]

This will give you the foundation and language to get started.

[Castaway]

Black cleans easier than smokeless. The big difference is you can forego cleaning with smokeless, but should clean up black after each shooting session.
What do you need? If shooting black, a decapping tool which allows you to remove the spent primer without unnecessarily sizing the brass, a priming tool, a drop tube, and a compression die. A punch to cut milk carton and paper wads. If serious shooting is considered, a poly wad is recommended instead of a mail carton wad.
For cleaning, use tight fitting cotton flannel or linen patches. Stay away from synthetic fibers. You’ll also need a flexible rod for wiping between shots and final cleaning. Flex is needed to bend around your rear sights and enter the barrel. Water works great for barrel cleaning as the residue are polar compounds. Oil won’t dissolve the salts. Hot water works, cold water works, a drop of Dawn in your water helps. I use a 1:10 water/Ballistol mix. The big boys here lean towards MPro 7. Run damp patches down your barrel until clean. I then run two dry patches and finish with a patch of jojoba oil. Final cleaning takes less time than if cleaning smokeless.
Bullets! Get a good quality mould. Buying pre-cast bullets is expensive. If you decide to go the pre-made bullets, Midway has Montana bullets for roughly $1.00 each. If you cast, a good lube is necessary. You can buy SPG or similar lube or make your own. There are almost as many “best” lubes as there are shooters. I use a mix of 2:2:1 of mutton tallow, paraffin, and bees wax, known as Gato Feo lube. Pan lube or run through a lubri-sizer.
I’m sure I violated someone’s sense of propriety with my recommendations and they’ll chime in with their list. I’m also sure I left something off and the viewers will add as they feel appropriate

[art ruggiero]

contact kirk and ask what size diameter bullet will fit your fired case with out resizing the case probably .459 .460 shoot black plenty of help avail you need a 500 grain bullet that will do fine out to 600 yds find a turkey fryer at a tag sale and get a use cast iron pot to melt your lead there are plenty of threads on this sight that tell how to develop a load trust the shiloh web members they will help art

[semtav]

We could give you lots of advice, but first you need to make two decisions.
1. What are you going to do about bullets

2. What powder are you going to use.

That's just to start shooting. you can always change later but those are what you have to decide for now.

[bobw]

Just curious when did you order this rifle date wise? You had alot of time to read about the ongoing supply problems of bp or smokeless powders, large rifle primers, loaded ammo etc. You can spend a lot of money buying your loading outfit. Buying things that maybe of marginal benefit at this time should be avoided prioritize what you actually need and how hard it is to get now. Do you have a press? How about a secure place to load your ammo? Hard to tell you what to buy until you tell us what you have. Don't buy out of date books for info when you can get that info for free on this forum. Shooter to shooter right here. Guy by the name of Doug Bailey recently has started his bp journey and you can learn lots from his thread all 20 some pages. One thing for sure you need brass most will work but it is damn hard to beat Starline 45-70 . Dies, sometimes you can load without them but if you are going to be a greaser shooter you should have them. Large rifle primers are here or there occaisionally not easily bought these days. Various outfits commercially cast. Tell us what you have first. Bobw

[Maxson]

Thanks to everyone for the replies
This rifle has been a dream for MANY years, was finally able to make the dream come true early last summer when I discovered Bill Goodman, he had a gun advertised that was just going active that fit everything I wanted and then some. Since that time I have been doing a lot of research. I purchase the book “Shooting Buffalo Rifles of the Old West” and have been through it, I need to spend more time with it. I have done a lot of research on the internet, while there are great resources like this site out there, there is also a lot to be found and I have found myself at a point of information “overload” so have decided to focus on this group.

My initial plan was to purchase some factory ammo to start and look into reloading in the future. I have no reload equipment and have never reloaded ammo myself. I have several friends who do reloading who would help me but with the reality of the rifle likely to be here soon the overload of info from the internet has left me not sure of even the right questions to ask. I know that the Shiloh is a phenomenal rifle and that is extremely well built and likely forgiving of some mistakes I want to try and do things correct as much as possible and not to start out with bad habits. Purchasing some quality supplies (bullets, brass, powder etc) at least initially to get started seems while not the most economical way to go seems to be a small price to get started and enjoy the new toy.

Initially just some target shooting but eventually once comfortable I might like to try and fill the freezer with one of the many elk we have around here.

Hoping to find some “Sharps” enthusiasts or clubs in Western Oregon that might be willing to let a novice tag along for some practice. The only rifle range local is shotguns only.

Thanks again to everyone who has reached out

Max

[Ray Newman]

For what it is worth.

If at all possible, buy a box or two of 20 rounds .45-70 smokeless ammunition. Shoot it off, except for 1-2 rounds. I found commercial ammunition on Graf and Sons, Midsouth Shooters Supply, Midway, and Buffalo Arms. Some of the cowboy action shooting suppliers also may have loaded ammunition. Commercial ammunition is loaded to black powder velocity and pressure.

Take the fired brass and rifle to your friend who said that he would introduce you to reloading.

For reloading neophytes, smokeless and jacketed bullets are good place to start. That process is easier to understand and do than black powder and cast bullets.

If he does not have 45-70 dies have him walk you through the process with a calibre he reloads. This will give you a much better idea of what is involved. Have him walk you through the process step by step.

Your friend may have the appropriate powder for a 45-70. As for bullets, pull the unfired rounds apart and utilize the unfired jacketed bullets to set up the dies and bullet seating depth in the case. Again, have him walk you through the process step by step. Reloading is not rocket science but it requires attention to detail and time to do it.

Doing this will give you a better understanding of the process and if it is for you. In the past, I attempted to teach reloading to a few non-reloaders. They found out it was not for them -- equipment was too expensive, did not the time to do it,too involved, etc. I have heard other reloaders say the same about attempting to teach the process. You can and will learn the process and it is easier with a knowledgeable “coach.”

Also advise you to pay attention to what BobW posted today -- 4/11. As usual, he is "dead-nuts-on.”

[Dennis Armistead]

My question to the OP, where do you live? There maybe an experienced BPCR shooter close by that is willing to take you under their wing and save you a lot of time and money on what you need.
Dennis

[Maxson]

I live near Tillamook on the OR Coast but have no problem 2 or 3 hours, thanks for the reply
Max

[Coltsmoke]

Do what Dennis told you.

[doug_bailey]

Hi - I'm about 10 months ahead of you down the rabbit hole. There's a thread on the forum that provides a blow-by-blow account of how to fail at this in an incremental and kinda organized fashion that eventually points the way to something that works.

I'm now in a position where I can cast bullets, load them, shoot them and (mostly) hit what I'm shooting at, reload and repeat. I'm in San Jose, CA. If you feel like a long drive, I have some spare materials (cases, primers, powder and lead) and I'm willing to coach you through making some rounds using my equipment that you can take back home and shoot. Basically, paying it forward to acknowledge the help that folks on this forum gave me.

But to save a long drive and get some cases quickly and with least hassle, I like the idea of buying some smokeless ammo - that's what I did. I bought 45-70 loads from Choice in Montanna with 405 grain flatnose cast lead bullets. They will fit your rifle and you will enjoy shooting them. Plus, they are Starline brass, which is probably what you'll end up reloading with anyway when you can get your hands on some. You can get 520 grain round nose bullets from Buffalo Arms to save trouble casting while you get started. Get large rifle or large pistol primers from anywhere that has stock, 1.5F Swiss Black Powder from Midway and all the tools you need from Midway. But it's a process.....

[NDuckhunter2]

I’m glad you chose a .45/70, it’s much easier to find ammo and reloading components for. My favorite caliber is .50/70 which is a pretty common black powder cartridge and it has been pretty tough to source cases in particular where as I bought 150 .45/70 for pennys on the dollar compared to .50/70 if you can find any at all. I wouldn’t be able to afford all the ammo I shoot if I didn’t reload and some of my black powder cartridge guns they just don’t make ammo for. If you plan to shoot a lot you really don’t need to start out with expensive equipment, I started reloading my first black powder cartridges back in the ‘80’s when my dad brought home a .45/70 Springfield trapdoor rifle he bought for $200 on a business trip. I loaded it with unsized cast bullets lubed with crisco that I cast on a Coleman camp stove. I loaded the shells with a $5 lee hand loader kit that used a mallet to seat the case into the sizing die. Now a days you can get a lee single stage loader and dies pretty darn cheap and you can buy cast bullets far cheaper than jacketed bullets and just work your way up from there. LR primers are showing up pretty regularly around here now. I think you could buy the reloading gear and come out ahead price wise within 300 rounds, maybe less but if you only shoot 100 rounds a year It might not be worth it to you. You may also love to reload once you do it, I did.

[Luke]

Yeah, scroll down and look for "New to me Shiloh Sharps". Great thread.