Thread: Pedersoli Sharps 1874 Long Range 45-70 Black Powder - bullets skimming in the rain.

Took advantage of the calm before the storm this morning and shot out to the Tokoroa Range to dial in my Pedersoli Sharps 1874 Long Range 45-70 with black powder loads.
Load of Holy smoke FFG and 400grain projectile lubed with SPG.
Shooting a 10" gong at 200m was quite easy, got a bit harder in the beginning of the torrential rain.

Had a cool thing happen though, missed by going too high on one shot in the rain and the bullet seems to have hit 3-4 rain drops on the way out there. Possibly causing the projectile to go high? Or I fluffed the shot and its a coincidence - who knows.
You can see them splatter in the video:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Ia-zsPrOSyU

Here's one in the heavy rain that didn't seem to hit any raindrops and hit:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/iAkhFLmClMY

When it wasn't raining was a lot easier. Three for three:


Good fun all round, and not have my elevations sorted for 50-200m for both smokeless and black powder for this rifle. Time to stretch it out a bit now I think.

I can smell it from here...

Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

Does the radar work with black powder?
I can't get mine to work with my Flintlock.

Yes very reliably. But, you need to remember to set the velocity range for handgun rather than rifle.
Rifle velocity range is 1600 fps to 3900 fps. Handgun is 600 fps to 1600 fps.
I also use handgun velocity range for smokeless in this and my 44-40.

You can see in the video it picking up each of the three shots. Didn't have a failure to detect all day.

Do you crimp these with the type Lee M or roll crimp?

Very light crimp with a Lee factory crimp die. Just enough to remove the flare.

Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

Does the radar work with black powder?
I can't get mine to work with my Flintlock.

That’s because the projectile ain’t going fast enough!
Merry Christmas @7mmwsm

Originally Posted by 7mmwsm

Yeah I think I have it sussed now.
I wondered if it was all the "greenhouse gas" being emitted out the front interrupting the radar.
Merry Christmas to you too @Maca49.
Merry Christmas to everyone.
I'm sitting on the deck at Kawhia looking over the water. Beautiful day here. Wouldn't mind cranking up the lawn mower, but it's probably not the best time or day to be doing that.

jealous as heck mate...

Originally Posted by Makros

Took advantage of the calm before the storm this morning and shot out to the Tokoroa Range to dial in my Pedersoli Sharps 1874 Long Range 45-70 with black powder loads.
Load of Holy smoke FFG and 400grain projectile lubed with SPG.
Shooting a 10" gong at 200m was quite easy, got a bit harder in the beginning of the torrential rain.

Had a cool thing happen though, missed by going too high on one shot in the rain and the bullet seems to have hit 3-4 rain drops on the way out there. Possibly causing the projectile to go high? Or I fluffed the shot and its a coincidence - who knows.
You can see them splatter in the video:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/Ia-zsPrOSyU

Here's one in the heavy rain that didn't seem to hit any raindrops and hit:
https://www.youtube.com/shorts/iAkhFLmClMY

When it wasn't raining was a lot easier. Three for three:


Good fun all round, and not have my elevations sorted for 50-200m for both smokeless and black powder for this rifle. Time to stretch it out a bit now I think.

They’re a bitch to shoot prone, even with a gel pad

Originally Posted by JohnDuxbury

I can smell it from here...

I can smell the black powder AND the mill......

Originally Posted by Micky Duck

I can smell the black powder AND the mill......

And the pain, I sold mine, I couldn’t hold the barrel shooting off hand and bought this one

I don't find the recoil much to mention at all. Fired 65 rounds on Xmas eve. No problems. I find my deer rifles far livelier. I only wear a pad to stop a bruise forming on my collarbone from the metal butt plate.