I have a nice developed BP load for my Sharps in 45-70, so I figured I would start shooting off-hand at 200 and 300 meters. Lots of things to control and work on with using aperture sights and a heavy barrel. I was wondering if anyone out there has experience shooting these rifles off-hand. Any recommendations of how to practice? I have been using a style where one puts their elbow on their protruded hip as steady support. It is a weird feeling and looking position to be in but seemed to be effective especially for Schutzen shooters back in the day.
Off-hand Shooting with '74 Sharps and BP
- Thread starter Chief TC
- Start date
Shortgrub
Member
The best advice that I was given many years ago was to place something that will hold water on the end of the barrel. If that stance works for you use it. Like lifting weights. 3 reps of 15, with more water(weight) added as you progress. Work on all the basics while developing muscle memory. Shoot as much as possible.
Retreever
Member
I would recommend switching to shooting sticks.
I already shoot off of sticks as that is the traditional BPCR style of shooting. I want to improve off-hand skills.
Jim Watson
Member
BPCR Metallic Silhouette 200 meter chickens are shot offhand. Tough work.
Elbow on the hip, rifle on fingertips, schuetzen type palm rests not allowed.
Elbow on the hip, rifle on fingertips, schuetzen type palm rests not allowed.
Lefty38-55
Member
Yes, I must admit ... the drop and stock design of a Sharps was never intended to be an offhand rifle ... less Quigley or not, with his 782-yards shot, LOL!
I had one, a Pedersoli 45-70 Hartford model, THE best built production gun I ever had bought. But it royally su@ked wind for offhand shooting! I shoot Schuetzen rifles and have even built a few and honestly I've never seen a Sharps on the offhand line. Crossed sticks shootin'? You betcha - nice choice!
And note it has NOTHING to do with the weight of the rifle! As Harry Pope, the famous barrel maker, barely weighed 110-pounds soaking wet and yet some of this 200-yard offhand record targets (duplex loads to boot) have never been equaled ... yet. And he shot a 14-pound rifle! But again, the stock design, the drop at the comb and the ability to use a palm rest is what sets something like a Stevens model 52 (shown below; just one I built), or a Ballard, or Winchester 1885 High Wall, etc. apart from the fairly 'straight stocked' Sharps ... at least for offhand use.
P.S. - One also rolls their back in a curve backwards, throwing their hip towards the target forward, whilst in the Schuetzen offhand shootin' stance ...
Lefty38-55
Member
See if this helps you too! Apologies, as I could not find the link earlier …
This is an excellent article on offhand shooting by Harry M. Pope himself. Off topic, but I consider myself lucky enough to have one of his barrels …
Captain*kirk
Member
Frankly, I've never fired my Sharps other than from the bench. I do get good results offhand when using my Hi Wall but that's a completely different animal altogether.
AzShooter1
Member
535 grain bullet and 70 grains of BP worked great on chickens for me shooting BPMC matches. You just have to get use to holding that 12 pound rifle out there. Takes lots of practice.
Jim Watson
Member
I am sure it did, but I knew folks who had lighter Chicken Loads, too. I tried it a couple of times but decided it wasn't worth the changeover in loading. .38-55-335 and .40-65-404 don't kick as much anyhow.
A friend and I were shooting at a buffalo silhouette at 1000 yards. My wife, who is one heck of a shot with a muzzle loader, came up and asked if she could try it.
I handed her the Sharps 45-70, explained the sights, etc.
She put the rifle to her shoulder, did some looking through the sights a couple of times, tried the trigger, finally put a round in chamber.
She put the rifle to her shoulder, cocked the hammer, made some minor adjustments, and fired.
She lowered the rifle and asked “Did I h…BONG!!
She handed me the rifle and said “It’s best to quit on a hit!”and walked away.
That ended the shooting for the day.
I handed her the Sharps 45-70, explained the sights, etc.
She put the rifle to her shoulder, did some looking through the sights a couple of times, tried the trigger, finally put a round in chamber.
She put the rifle to her shoulder, cocked the hammer, made some minor adjustments, and fired.
She lowered the rifle and asked “Did I h…BONG!!
She handed me the rifle and said “It’s best to quit on a hit!”and walked away.
That ended the shooting for the day.
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woodnbow
Member
- Joined
- Feb 19, 2007
- Messages
- 2,092
SHE’S a keeper!
Yup, 51 years so far.
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Bazoo
Member
I've not seen that before, thank you for sharing.
My recommendation would be to start shooting a heavy 22 lr rifle. I practice at minimum once a month and prior to deer season, 4 times a month shooting off hand with my 52C Winchester or Remington 513T a minimum of 100 to 200 rounds maybe more. I start at the 50 meter range than move to the 100 yard and end at 200 yards. After a short break before coming home I shoot 20 rounds of 45/70 at 200 yards.
I like to staple a paper plate on top of a Large shoot N C target at 200 yards because it allows me to see where the hits are with 22lr when I miss the paper plate. My reason for the paper plate also is that it is approximately a similar size to the kill zone of a deer and I can see the plate through my Vernier Sights, or my Refield and international sights. Also, when I am done shooting and tear down the target I can differentiate the 22 lr hits from the 45/70 and I can see how well or miserable I did.
Finally when it comes to a stance for your Sharps everyone has their favorite and in reality there is no proper or correct way to stand and hold the rifle because we are all built different, and some of us may have disabilities. Use the stance and hold on your rifle that is the most comfortable for you. Once you have developed muscle strength and stamina you will begin to see the improvements. For me it took a while but was happy to be using 22lr because it was about building the strength and stamina , allowing me to spend time with very little cost. I find that using a very light rifle is very counter productive for me as I move more with a lighter rifle than a heavier one.
I like to staple a paper plate on top of a Large shoot N C target at 200 yards because it allows me to see where the hits are with 22lr when I miss the paper plate. My reason for the paper plate also is that it is approximately a similar size to the kill zone of a deer and I can see the plate through my Vernier Sights, or my Refield and international sights. Also, when I am done shooting and tear down the target I can differentiate the 22 lr hits from the 45/70 and I can see how well or miserable I did.
Finally when it comes to a stance for your Sharps everyone has their favorite and in reality there is no proper or correct way to stand and hold the rifle because we are all built different, and some of us may have disabilities. Use the stance and hold on your rifle that is the most comfortable for you. Once you have developed muscle strength and stamina you will begin to see the improvements. For me it took a while but was happy to be using 22lr because it was about building the strength and stamina , allowing me to spend time with very little cost. I find that using a very light rifle is very counter productive for me as I move more with a lighter rifle than a heavier one.
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hawg
Member
I never had a metallic cartridge Sharps but I had a paper cutter with a 30 inch octagonal barrel. I never shot it past 100 yards but the only time I benched it was sighting it in. The rest of the time was offhand. I never had a problem shooting it that way. My loads were 80 grains of powder behind a 490 grain ringtail.
coondogger
Member
- Joined
- Aug 18, 2009
- Messages
- 552
One of my daughters competes in biathlon. Their targets are 50 meters and tiny. For offhand shooting they rest their elbow on their forward protruding hip. But she told me that precise timing of the shot between heartbeats and breaths is far more important. A biathlon rifle is heavy but not as heavy as a Sharps. And the biathlon rifle, unlike a Sharps is balanced for offhand shooting. My own experience is that you can easily shoot a Hawken rifle offhand, but this is not the case with a Sharps rifle. A kneeling position or prone, or some kind of rest; sticks, a tree branch, a boulder, or a bench rest. The first three can be used in the field while hunting. The last one, not so much. That is all I have to say on the subject.
Chuck R.
Member
The only way to get good at it is practice, both live and dry fire.
When I competed in black powder cartridge silhouette I had a .22LR built to mimic my silhouette rifle. I then made small to scale silhouette .22LR tgts for both off-hand and sticks so I could practice out to 200yds. IMHO .22LR is the way to go, due to the amount of time spent casting and loading is eliminated, so more time to practice.
My stance is as Jim Watson described it. The only difference I did was to stand a couple degrees off the TGT, then wind back into it tightening my lower back muscles. I'd also automatically add a PT of elevation from my "stick" zero as the rifle recoiled up from the sticks a bit. At the matches they had stands for your ammo and the rifle so that you wouldn't be holding the gun for the entire string.
A 12lb BPCR takes some effort to hold steady, so don't hesitate to pause, drop the rifle down, rather than rush a shot, then reset.
When I competed in black powder cartridge silhouette I had a .22LR built to mimic my silhouette rifle. I then made small to scale silhouette .22LR tgts for both off-hand and sticks so I could practice out to 200yds. IMHO .22LR is the way to go, due to the amount of time spent casting and loading is eliminated, so more time to practice.
My stance is as Jim Watson described it. The only difference I did was to stand a couple degrees off the TGT, then wind back into it tightening my lower back muscles. I'd also automatically add a PT of elevation from my "stick" zero as the rifle recoiled up from the sticks a bit. At the matches they had stands for your ammo and the rifle so that you wouldn't be holding the gun for the entire string.
A 12lb BPCR takes some effort to hold steady, so don't hesitate to pause, drop the rifle down, rather than rush a shot, then reset.
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