Blown Opportunity

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This makes me sick. In early December I saw this rifle at auction and was the Underbidder at $3250. The auction house it was sold through had a coupla halfway decent pictures, very little description. I even called on it to get a better description, the Auctioneer was very brief with me, leaving me with little more information on which to base a value. Also I must admit that I was a bit behind on values on this paticular rifle. Had I a better idea of the condition I probably would gone to the 7K level on it.



http://www.gunsamerica.com/classifieds/none/_976812272.aspx

[Jeff Higgins]

The old "Heartburns" are sure going up in value. I had one in .45-2.4 (aka .45-90) that I used to hunt with. A buddy has it now and still hunts with it. Fantastic guns; one of the strongest single shots made. The toilet lever always kind of put me off, though.

.40-70 Sharps Straight is not the most desireable caliber, unless collectors see some value in its rarity. The original chambering demanded undersized, paper patched, pure lead bullets to bump up to take the rifling. The chambers were very undersized compared to the bores. Groove diameter bullets will not chamber, so it makes it pretty tough to find a combination that will shoot with grease groove bullets. Modern .40 caliber bullets go .408"-.410"; the originals will not chamber anything over about .403" (if you are lucky); some will only accept .401" diameter. They kind of rattle down a .408" groove, .400" bore barrel. Black powder is a must to get these undersize bullets to obturate and fill the bore, and those bullets better be dead soft.

Loading dies for the original chambering are tough to find. Dave Gullo over at Buffalo Arms might have some. I was trying to get an old High Wall in this caliber shooting a few years back, and Dave was a big help. Shilo Sharps, C. Sharps, Ballard, Lone Star, and others chamber the "modern" version meant for .408" bullets, so all the dies are generally reamed to match the new dimensions. Brass is different, too, between the old and new versions. Dave makes brass for the new version from .30-40 Krag, but the originals demand Bertram or some other custom brass. What I'm getting at is this is one of the tougher original chamberings to shoot. Dies, molds, and brass are tough to find and, even when you do, your troubles are just beginning.

I started out with the High Wall with my standard 20:1 lead/tin alloy in a 390 grain, .403" Saeco mold that Dave sold me (his personal mold: he didn't know if he would ever get another). Bertram brass, custom dies reamed by Dave's gunsmith, and a bunch of Goex FFg. What a misserable failure at first. Bullets would not chamber at .403" as-cast, so I had to size them to .401". Dropped in the muzzle, they would fall under their own weight all the way through. Even straight black would not bump them up to fill the barrel, which despite being in fantastic shape, leaded horribly. Different seating depths, primers, granulations of black, and finally duplex loads had no affect on "accuracy". Even pure lead would not shoot well enough to be usefull. In desparation, I finally got around to learning to paper patch. Viola; success; acceptable accuracy. I later went to breach seating grooved .408" bullets and it shot even better. Major PIA, though. Probably a good thing that you missed it.

[Joeaksa]

Would make a nice addition to your collection of spoons. Like the old .45 cal rifles.

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The rifle came with a box of shooting supplys including a bullet mould, 40 rounds of old brass etc. That aside maybe that is the reason why this rifle has stayed in such nice condition, it was a PIA to load for.

I more than likily would not have shot the gun, even as I exclaimed that I would. I just never get around to it.

Thanks though you made me feel better about it. There is always something else just around the corner, like that liitle Choate "kit gun" I showed recently.

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You must have seen the 5 books on the British Falling Block rifles by Wal Winfrei or the Books on the American and German Schutzen Rifles. NOw there is a set of books(5 volumes) on the The NY Firearms Trade by Bob Sweney compiled and Published by Tom Rowe.

As a matter of fact all these books were either written or Published by Tom Rowe. U open up the books on the British Falling Blocks and look at the pictures, and picture after picture the caption reads "Collection of Tom Rowe"

He is currently working on a book cataloging the known Pope Barreled Rifles. also a 2 volume set on the rifles used at Creedmore, Wimbledon and Elcho Shield matches. I have 4 rifles that will show up in that set of books.

Ron Peterson a Dealer out NM at the Beinfield was taking rifles out of cases and putting them on his table, as he was doing it 8 guys were pawing through them like sharks at a feeding frenzy. I had picked out a nice Underhammer target rifle that was missing its False Muzzle made by a New Hampshire maker. Tom pointed out the Choate rifle and said, "This is the one U shoud buy." So I did. The gun is rather plain but it is more than made up for by the lines of the gun.

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Choate Rifle

[Jeff Higgins]

One of my old shooting buddies has an original Pope Ballard in some oddball .33 caliber. Came with all the original accroutements; false muzzle, mold, and a handfull of cases. Very pretty, very accurate.

I'm not so much into Schuetzen as the mid and long range matches. Shooting a Schuetzen match with one of the old breach/muzzle loaders is a lot of fun, though. The traditional shoot one shot and head to the back of the line to prepare the next one is a relaxing way to spend a day.

For those unfamiliar with the process, the bullet goes in from the front and the case goes in from the back, and never the twain shall meet. A false muzzle, which has a tapered leade in which to start the bullet, is pinned to the muzzle. A ramrod with a stop is used to seat the bullet to a predetermined depth in the bore, just ahead of the case. A case full of powder, with a blotting paper wad to hold it in, is inserted from the breach. The same case, just one, is typically used for the life of the rifle, for every shot it fires. It is scraped, cleaned, decapped, recapped, and recharged between shots.

Each target has several shooters on it, taking turns shooting as the rest prepare their next shot. The target is pulled and scored for each shot, and when everyone has ten shots, final scores are tallied. In the old days, most matches lasted all day and 10-20 targets (100-200 rounds) were fired for score by each shooter. Lots of beer drinking during the loading and waiting phase, by the way. They were Germans or of German heritage, after all.

Some of the most accurate rifles ever made are breach/muzzle loader Schuetzen rifles. The famous Rowland Pope had the absolute 200 yard group record for most of the 20th century (fired the group right at the turn of the century), shooting lead bullets and black powder.

One look at the official 25 ring target will impress anyone; the 25 ring is quite small, like 1"-1 1/2" diameter. And to be competetive, you better be shooting into the 230's and 240's on it. Offhand, 200 yards. Try that with your choice of any modern rifle; you will have a very difficult time getting anywhere close to those scores. The rifles are beautiful, the game is very demanding.

[Joeaksa]

Jeff,

When in Europe I got my jagdschein, the German hunting license. Normally very difficult to get, we had help being military. Still took over a year and loads of training and such.

We went to and participated in a Schuetzen match. You are correct that its one of the most accurate matches I have ever seen with any style of weapon. Was a very good lesson on just how good a shooter can be, even on old equipment.

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Find out what the serial numner is on that Pope Ballard of your friends as a Book is being prepared and its being done on a serial # basis. I have seen the rough draft. Amazing stuff.