1863 Shiloh Sharps Model 100 Rifle

[thomasgunn]

I’ve been meaning to share a pic of my 1863 Shiloh Sharps for awhile. A Farmingdale NY, Model 100 (stamped on the barrel), #2 Sporter in .54, 30” barrel. Read somewhere that Wolfgang Droege only made six of these, not sure how true that is. She’s a terrific shooter.

Would like to know if anyone else has one like this.

 

[Notchy Bob]

I don't own one, but I sure do like it.

It's such a pleasure to see older guns that have been used but kept in good condition. That one looks brand new! I've bought a few used (but not antique) muzzleloaders that had been neglected and/or abused. Fixing them up can be rewarding, but it's great to see one that has been properly appreciated.

I've taken an interest in percussion Sharps rifles recently, although I don't own one... yet. Not sure I'm up for the challenge of climbing the learning curve that seems to be required for shooting them.

If you don't mind sharing your load data, including the type of mould and bullet, I would be interested.

Thanks for showing your rifle!

Notchy Bob

 

[thomasgunn]

Thanks, Notchy Bob.
Picked up my first percussion Shiloh Sharps at a gun show in Pueblo, CO. for $300 around '82. A military rifle someone had "sporterised-a-tated", removed the three band fore arm, put a schnabel on. Loved that rifle! Been hooked ever since, owned several Shiloh '63 carbines, never could cotton to a short barreled Sharps. I'm down to two percussion Sharps and a few Sharps "unmentionables".
Never felt there was much of a "learning curve", it's a lot easier now with the internet. Back than, no one I knew shot them, only info source was occasional articles by Spangenberger or Hacker in the gun mags. Learned along the way. Buy one and shoot it, you'll be hooked. I like the earlier Shilohs a lot!
I have an original Shiloh Products "Buffalo Slug" mold, makes the barrel shaped bullets. Used it nearly since day one. Best mold for the '63s in my opinion. Also have a big Pedersoli "ring tail" mold I use sometimes. While I have a lot of patience, it doesn't flow into paper cartridge rolling. I do it once in a very loooong while. It's: Greased bullet, set with short starter, loose powder, close(blow away excess power), cap, aim, shoot. Repeat. Loads go from 60-100 grains (typically FFG) depending on what I'm doing.

 

[Phil Coffins]

The #2 sporter didn‘t sell as well as the #1 or #3 in the 63 or 74 Shilohs. I can’t say why but while I worked on custom rifles we only had a few people order the percussion sporting guns. You have a dandy rifle and have cared for it well. Wished I had one of the Buffalo slug molds!

 

[Phil Coffins]

I dug out an Shiloh catalog dated 1978 and a model 1863 sporting rifle #2 is listed for $489.00 with smaller calibers for $24.50 and tapered octagon for $27.75 extra. You got a good deal!

 

[DOUBLEDEUCE 1]

My old high school teacher and friend, lost almost all of his small gun collection in a fire. Only two guns were salvaged. They were both very old, late 1950’s- early 60’s Uberti revolvers. They were sent back to Navy Arms where they were purchased from and were completely reconditioned by the folks at Navy Arms…. for FREE.
A classmate of mine heard about the loss. He purchased a Shiloh Sharps .54 cal percussion rifle and gave it to our old teacher. Because of health reasons, the teacher never fired the Sharps. A few short years after receiving the rifle, the teacher called me and told me he had something for me. I met the teacher at my old high school. He gave me the pristine Sharps and the two reconditioned revolvers, 1851 .36 Navy and a .44 Walker.
i shoot the revolvers on occasion. The Sharps is still pristine, living in my safe now for thirty-five plus years. One day I’ll have to get it out and look at it.

 

[thomasgunn]

The #2 sporter didn‘t sell as well as the #1 or #3 in the 63 or 74 Shilohs. I can’t say why but while I worked on custom rifles we only had a few people order the percussion sporting guns. You have a dandy rifle and have cared for it well. Wished I had one of the Buffalo slug molds!

Interesting information, Phil Coffins.
I've always felt the #2 Sporter and the Gemmer '63s were the handsomest of Shiloh's percussion rifles. The Buffalo slug is an odd looking chunk of lead but incredibly accurate. I baby that mold!
Did you work at Shiloh during the Farmingdale days?

 

[Phil Coffins]

The Gemmer was only made as a custom order most being on the 74 action. I worked at Farmingdale in 1980 and then for the distributor in Washington state till it moved to Montana. The first percussion Gemmer I built.
2439 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

 

[thomasgunn]

The Gemmer was only made as a custom order most being on the 74 action. I worked at Farmingdale in 1980 and then for the distributor in Washington state till it moved to Montana. The first percussion Gemmer I built.
2439 by Oliver Sudden, on Flickr

Very, very nice! Always had a soft spot for them. Several years ago, Rick Hacker's Shiloh '63 Gemmer Sharps (the one he's holding on the cover of 'The Muzzleloading Hunter') came up for auction. My bid ($3400) was immediately outbid, grrrr. Consolation was I ended up buying his Gemmer Sharps "unmentionable" a few years later.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Rick came to our shop and was very nice to visit with. I never saw that cover you speak of and wonder if it’s the same rifle.

 

[thomasgunn]

Here’s the cover. This is the ‘63 from the auction. The one I have that belonged to him is a cartridge Gemmer.
Great book, by the way.

 

[Phil Coffins]

Yep, I believe that’s the same rifle. He told a funny story about that hunt involving his glasses steaming up and a log in the trail.

 

[Christophero]

Wonderful post, incredible photo and satisfying commentary. Thanks to all for posting and responding. I enjoyed Rick's book, that very one, and his magazine articles from those storied years. After my first deer hunt with a borrowed T/C Hawkin rifle in the Fall of 1986 I read everything BP I could get my hands on. Rick supplied the fuel for my fire. Learned velcro does NOT belong on any hunting apparel from his writings, and, two, couldn't believe a man needed that many muzzleloaders. He was certainly correct on the first lesson and I was wrong on the second. His influence, and mine, prompted a new but close friend from Cheyenne, WY to adopt the Muzzleloading rifle back in the 90's. How I loved to read his letters of time spent afield with those BP rifles he picked up along the way. My goal to venture into his mountainous world with PB weapons kept the fire blazing, but lo, he passed way too soon from this world.

I was intrigued by the breech loading percussion rifles that used to be marketed in the catalogues. The rules of my home state, Ohio, prevent those from being utilized for MZ season, only powder and projectiles loaded from the muzzle are approved. With little ones to raise another specialty rifle wasn't practical. Didn't prevent appreciating them from afar, though.

 

[Smokepole55]

I’ve been meaning to share a pic of my 1863 Shiloh Sharps for awhile. A Farmingdale NY, Model 100 (stamped on the barrel), #2 Sporter in .54, 30” barrel. Read somewhere that Wolfgang Droege only made six of these, not sure how true that is. She’s a terrific shooter. View attachment 182691Would like to know if anyone else has one like this.

I’ve the infantry version out of Farmingdale with a 2xx serial number and shoots great. I roll my rounds.

 

[thomasgunn]

The #2 sporter didn‘t sell as well as the #1 or #3 in the 63 or 74 Shilohs. I can’t say why but while I worked on custom rifles we only had a few people order the percussion sporting guns. You have a dandy rifle and have cared for it well. Wished I had one of the Buffalo slug molds!

Phil Coffins,
Dig some digging and see that Moose Moulds makes a .54 Shiloh style barrel slug mold (they call it the 'Trashcan') with both a flat or ringtail base. Check out their website. Excellent.

 

[Johnny 2 Knives]

Wow… thats an amazing looking rifle !

 

[Boston Bill]

Thanks, Notchy Bob.
Picked up my first percussion Shiloh Sharps at a gun show in Pueblo, CO. for $300 around '82. A military rifle someone had "sporterised-a-tated", removed the three band fore arm, put a schnabel on. Loved that rifle! Been hooked ever since, owned several Shiloh '63 carbines, never could cotton to a short barreled Sharps. I'm down to two percussion Sharps and a few Sharps "unmentionables".
Never felt there was much of a "learning curve", it's a lot easier now with the internet. Back than, no one I knew shot them, only info source was occasional articles by Spangenberger or Hacker in the gun mags. Learned along the way. Buy one and shoot it, you'll be hooked. I like the earlier Shilohs a lot!
I have an original Shiloh Products "Buffalo Slug" mold, makes the barrel shaped bullets. Used it nearly since day one. Best mold for the '63s in my opinion. Also have a big Pedersoli "ring tail" mold I use sometimes. While I have a lot of patience, it doesn't flow into paper cartridge rolling. I do it once in a very loooong while. It's: Greased bullet, set with short starter, loose powder, close(blow away excess power), cap, aim, shoot. Repeat. Loads go from 60-100 grains (typically FFG) depending on what I'm doing.

I shoot my 45 and 50 cal 63's with lubed bullets and still playing with loads from 40 - 60 grains and 300 and 405 grain bullets. I wear latex gloves so there is virtually no "personal" clean up. The rifles clean up fairly easily and the non updated gas check plates comes out easy. I use Bore Butter on the plates. I haven't shot more than 20 rounds per visit.

 

[JP 62 Flinter]

I’ve been meaning to share a pic of my 1863 Shiloh Sharps for awhile. A Farmingdale NY, Model 100 (stamped on the barrel), #2 Sporter in .54, 30” barrel. Read somewhere that Wolfgang Droege only made six of these, not sure how true that is. She’s a terrific shooter. View attachment 182691Would like to know if anyone else has one like this.

 

[JP 62 Flinter]

Hello Thomasgunn,
Beautiful rifle! Thank you for sharing. She's truly a sweetheart. I've been a BP shooter (muzzleloaders) since I was 8 (1976). It gets in your blood and nothing else even smells close...literally. In 2019 I purchased a Shiloh 1863, .54 cal, saddle ring carbine. It was shot little, but carried a lot. I took it to Big Timber and had Shiloh build a 26", heavy octagon sporter. I hunt with my BP rifles, muzzleloaders & BPC, but I'm soooo excited about the percussion Sharps. I got the call and picked up the 1863 at Shiloh on Friday. So much to learn, and so excited about it. While it's not a one out of six Farmingdale (congrats again), I'm excited about what is to come. I have attached a photo.

 

[Boston Bill]

JP 62, that’s a beauty!