Rifles

One of my neighbors recently came back from the Safari Club International Convention beaming with pride. While in Reno, he had finally bought the Sharps rifle he's pined for since seeing the movie "Quigley Down Under." He, like a lot of American shooters, had been suffering from a severe case of firearms nostalgia that couldn't be ignored any longer.

Firearms nostalgia is a common affliction that manifests itself in various forms and can change instantly or over time. For the most part, I've managed to stay relatively immune—though I'm a sucker for early top-break pocket revolvers. And with the exception of a '92 Winchester knock-off, have managed to suppress the calling from guns of the Old West—particularly Sharps rifles.

Aside from their role as a step in firearms design, there's not much about a Sharps that appeals to me. They're really big and heavy—especially for a single shot—and if I specifically wanted a single-shot, I'd probably opt for one much lighter in weight. Most Sharps are found chambered for .45-70, and for that caliber, I'd probably go with a lever-action for the additional magazine capacity.

All that indifference for the Sharps changed however when I saw the Charles Daly Little Sharps at this past NASGW show in Atlanta.  Not only did it appear to be a handy size that I'd use more than admire, but when I learned it was chambered for some interesting cartridges including .22 Hornet, .218 Bee, .30-30 Win. or .38-55, I knew my "gun fund" was about to be emptied.