I have been looking at a Falling Block in .30/06 and have narrowed it down to

Browning 1885
Ruger No 1
Colt Sharps
Dakota 10

Any opinions on these? Thanks
RLI

I have both the Browning and the Ruger and love them both,can't make up my mind if I like one more than the other. Both are very accurate and both have very classic lines.You couldn't go wrong with any of them, might be a cost issue for the colt.

I can get the Colt Sharps for about a $1000 with scope and case .I like the look of it but its used and more expensive but as new. I like the 28" Hexagonal barrel on the Browning and tang safety on the Ruger. The Dakota is nice but a lot more costly.
RLI

My choices in order of preference are:



1. Dakota

2. Ruger No. 1

3. Colt-Sharps-Borchardt

4. Browning



This is nothing against the Browning. They are very high quality, I just prefer a hammerless design, favoring those with tang safeties, and less weight than the Colt-Sharps. But the Colt Sharps is pretty rare now, and its' value just has to increase a lot as time goes by!

I don't know about the 30-06, but I have a Dakota #10 in 7x57 that I can recommend. It is very light and handles very well. In addition, it is a beautiful rifle that will group 140 grain Accubonds in .8 inch at 100 yards.

Jim

My vote is for a Browning B78 with the 26" round barrel. Don't see them much anymore.

If you can afford the Dakota why consider anything else?

Hi. Don't know if you've made up your mind yet, but should you decide against the Colt Sharps, I have been looking for such for a while. If you don't want it, let me know and let me know how to contact the seller.

Thanks.

Rob Kornacki
rckornacki@juno.com

WHAT is a Colt Sharps? I know of a lot of different types of Colts and I thought I knew just about every make/remake of the Sharps 63, 74,75 77, and 78 models. But I sure don't know what a Colt Sharps is. Any hints? Is it a remake of the 1874? Is it currently made?

Please give me a clue - I promise I won't rush out and buy this one out from under you. I'm more interested in an original 74 if I can find one that I can afford.

Brent

I bought the Colt Sharps but might buy the Browning 1885 also but have to sell a few guns first!

The Colt Sharps is a modern falling block made by Colt in the 1970's comes with a Canjar set trigger ,They were made to compete with Ruger No1 and Browning B78 but I think they were very pricey and not many made, only made for a few years. This is only second one i have seen it is like new.
RLI

If money is part of the problem go with the Ruger. I like my #1 in 30-06 it's as accurate as I can hold it so no complaint there. It likes heavy bullets much better than the lighter ones with the 180 gr being the best. Although I haven't tried the 165 gr yet anything smaller than that doesn't group very well and I've tried several bullets and powders.
Roadtrash

Thanks for the comments. Does it have a hammer? Can you post a picture? sounds interesting.

Thanks,
Brent

It does not have a hammer, safety is on the actual block which is different, I do not have a digital camera. Nice rifle.
RLI

I don't guess I've seen one, could you post a pic?
Roadtrash

Link on Guns America

But it's a 22/250 for $2,895.

You can buy 4 or 5 #1's for that.

Ugly little bastards they are. I never like the Sharps version of the Borchardt, but this is even uglier. Interesting though and the first I've ever seen.

Brent

I would not say it is "ugly" it is different looking to a Ruger No 1 if you are used to them. I remember reading old shooting magazines from the 1960's and when the No1 came out some said it was "ugly" because the look was "new" . I remember when synthetic/fiberglass stocks were put on sporting rifles and I thought how "ugly" they looked but years later I own several and I think they look great!
RLI

Check out the Martini-Hagn actions. I would call them the best modern falling block. - Dan

Colt-Sharps rifles were made in the early to mid 70s. It was a single-shot rifle in several calibers,,,22/250, 7mm Mag, 30/06 and .270 to the best of my recall. It utilized a Sharps falling block design. Everything was first rate...checkering, bluing, wood, et. al. Came in a fitted case with acoutrements. Something on the order of only 500 were made. i.e. small run. Why didn't it catch on? It was about $1500 new in 1970 and that was a bit of money then...may also have been before it's time here in the US. My thought regarding the lad making the inquiry was that if he could get it at $1000, he should be jumping, or let me know who had it for that money. I never heard from him.

Rob

Rob

Yes, I did buy the Colt Sharps in .30/06 and I am very happy I did see one one on Gunsamerica for sale .22-250 I think.
RLI