50-70 Sharps Military Rifle

[Mike]

Eric, King David has a standard weight barrel, not even a #1 Heavy. So I think it weighs right around 11 pounds. That's pretty good for carrying on the hunt but a little light for taking repeated shots, such as at targets or in a match. A fine rifle and I've had it since 1981. Shoot sharp, Mike

[Eric Johanen]

At the range this morning and my deer hunting load is set: BACO 511.500 grain FN pan lubed, OS Dixie brass full length sized, 70.0 grains KIK 2 fg weighed, .030 vegi card, CCI BR II primer. Load shot to the front sight at 100 yards and held 3 inches. No crimp, just take the bell out of the case. Very good load! Shot the Accurate 51-465S pan lubed, OS Dixie brass full length sized, 74.0 grains OE 1.5 fg weighed, .030 vegi card, CCI BR II primer. This bullet was seated out with the first band exposed and again no crimp. Load grouped just above the 500 FN bullet. Again 3 inches and I will work with this load for steel matches and longer range shooting. Both of these bullets are shooting really good in the Shiloh 1X36 twist. I am going to work with the BACO 492-500 grain pp bullet now. I use Bertram brass as it is just a whisker thicker at the case mouth and holds the patched bullet snug. Have shot it in the past and it shows promise...now to really work it up!

[Eric Johanen]

Shot the BACO 511-500 FN load again and It's a Keeper! Prints 3 inches high, center at 50 yards and at 100 yards it's 2.5 vertical X 2.0 horizontal. 6 O'clock hold and shots impact in bottom half of the black on a 25 yard timed and rapid fire target. Managed to put two low and left before I noticed my sloppy grip and was dragging wood on the trigger pull! Corrected that in a hurry! With 6 rounds left I tried 200 yards. With the ladder flipped up I shot on the SR target and managed to put them all in the black. First two a bit low and left. Corrected my aim point and placed the next 4 center but a little high in the top of the 10 ring and close nine's. Not to shabby for the first time stretching the yardage! I'll be lowering the bottom U on the ladder and re setting my notch and get a solid 200 yard zero. These were shot with no fouling control! Next time I'll see how many can be shot accurately with no fouling control just for fun. I'll file in the ladder notch using the Accurate Molds 51-465S that I want to use for steel matches. Pretty good day on the range!!

[Eric Johanen]

Noticed when cleaning today's brass just how clean the 2 fg KIK burns. Very little residue left in the case and after washing up 20 rounds the soapy water is pretty clean. The more I am using this powder, the better I like it! Fouling is not very heavy and it is moist. May have lead to extended shooting without fouling control I experienced.

[Eric Johanen]

Boy's, I got real lucky on my swag filing in that rear site! Rough filed it yesterday. dropped the U and cut a new notch with a small V file. Planned to set it to final today on the range. Well, posted my target at 200 yards and settled in on the bench and using the Accurate Molds 51-465 with 74.0 grains of OE 1.5 fg it commenced hitting in the center of the black with a 6 O'clock hold. Getting to know how much front sight it needed I ended up with a group 5 inches vertical by 4.5 horizontal. Both the BACO 511-500 FN and the Accurate 51-465 are really shooting! I will not be changing these loads for a good long while! This military 74 shoots pretty good for that long un-beded forend. All that is needed now is to get the trigger puller to really screw his stuff down tight! I can see some steel banging in it's future.