Shiloh Rifle Manufacturing Company

Shiloh Rifle Manufacturing Company is an American firearms manufacturer based in Big Timber, Montana. The company is principally associated with detailed reproductions of historic black-powder rifles, especially the Sharps 1863 percussion rifle and the Sharps 1874 black-powder cartridge rifle. Its products serve collectors, historical-arms enthusiasts, target shooters, and customers interested in traditional single-shot rifle design. The company's modern Sharps production developed from an earlier venture, Shiloh Products Inc., which was established in New Jersey by Len Mulé in partnership with Wolfgang Droge of Drovel Tool Company in New York. That earlier operation produced Sharps reproductions from 1976 to 1983. Mulé was responsible for early drawings, mechanical drawings, and prototype work for the Model 1863. In 1983, production of the Shiloh Sharps rifles began under the Shiloh Rifle Manufacturing name, continuing the effort to return historically significant Sharps designs to modern production. Shiloh's identity is built around small-scale, detail-oriented manufacture rather than broad mass-market firearms distribution. Its rifles are offered in multiple configurations, including different trigger arrangements, stock and wood grades, surface finishes, barrel lengths, and barrel profiles such as round, octagonal, and half-round. The Model 1863 uses percussion ignition and is offered in .50 and .54 caliber forms. The Model 1874 uses black-powder cartridge ammunition and is available in a wide range of traditional and historically associated chamberings, including .45-70, .50-70, .38-55 Winchester, .40-65 Winchester, .44-77, .45-90, .45-110, and .45-120. The Sharps 1874 has also benefited from cultural visibility through its association with the 1990 Western film Quigley Down Under, starring Tom Selleck. That connection helped reinforce public recognition of the long-range, single-shot Sharps rifle as an icon of Western firearms culture, although the company's principal significance rests on its manufacturing and reproduction work rather than on entertainment partnerships. Shiloh remains best understood as a specialist American rifle maker focused on historically styled, handcrafted firearms and the preservation of traditional Sharps rifle patterns.

Shiloh Rifle Manufacturing Company's modern history is rooted in the revival of the Sharps rifle. Before the Montana company began production, Sharps reproductions were made by Shiloh Products Inc., a New Jersey enterprise founded by Len Mulé in partnership with Wolfgang Droge, owner of Drovel Tool Company in Farmingdale, New York. The partnership operated from 1976 to 1983. Mulé performed much of the foundational design work, including original and mechanical drawings and prototype development for the Model 1863. His contribution is therefore central to the reintroduction of the Sharps rifle to modern manufacture. In 1983, production of Shiloh Sharps rifles began under the Shiloh Rifle Manufacturing name. The company established itself in Big Timber, Montana, and continued the production of historically based single-shot rifles. Its range centers on two principal designs. The Sharps 1863 is a percussion rifle inspired by the Civil War-era pattern, while the Sharps 1874 is a black-powder cartridge rifle associated with the later development of the Sharps design and its reputation for accuracy and long-range performance. Rather than treating these rifles as generic sporting firearms, Shiloh presents them as detailed historical reproductions with substantial configuration choices. Customers can select among different barrel lengths and profiles, including round, octagonal, and half-round barrels, as well as variations in triggers, wood quality, and finishes. The Model 1863 is produced in .50 and .54 caliber versions. The Model 1874 is available in numerous traditional or historically connected chamberings, spanning cartridges such as .30-40 Krag, .38-55 Winchester, .40-65 Winchester, .44-77, .45-70, .45-90, .45-110, .45-120, .50-70, and other black-powder cartridge configurations. Some chamberings described as standard factory rounds are also warranted for use with factory smokeless-powder ammunition, including .30-40 Krag, .38-55, and .45-70, subject to the applicable product specifications and safety requirements. This broad chambering selection allows the company to address both historical interest and practical target-shooting applications while retaining the visual and mechanical character of the original rifles. The Sharps 1874 has a notable place in popular culture because a rifle of that pattern was prominently featured in the 1990 Western film Quigley Down Under, starring Tom Selleck. The film helped make the long-barreled Sharps rifle recognizable to a wider audience and contributed to the design's continuing cultural association with Western marksmanship. Shiloh's significance, however, is primarily industrial and enthusiast-oriented: it maintains modern production of historically important rifle patterns for collectors and shooters who value traditional construction, customization, and black-powder firearms heritage.

• 1990

  Sharps 1874 gains film visibility

  [1]Shiloh Rifle Manufacturing Companyen.wikipedia.org

  The Sharps 1874 pattern was prominently associated with the Western film Quigley Down Under, increasing public recognition of the rifle design.

• 1983

  Shiloh Sharps production begins

  [1]Shiloh Rifle Manufacturing Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Production of Shiloh Sharps rifles began under the Shiloh Rifle Manufacturing name, continuing the modern revival of historic Sharps designs.

• 1976

  Shiloh Products begins Sharps reproduction work

  [1]Shiloh Rifle Manufacturing Companyen.wikipedia.org

  Shiloh Products Inc. began producing reproductions of Sharps rifles through a partnership involving Len Mulé and Wolfgang Droge of Drovel Tool Company.

Specialist, high-end manufacturer of handcrafted historical rifle reproductions for collectors, traditional target shooters, and firearms enthusiasts.

• Percussion rifle

  Sharps 1863

  A reproduction of the 1863 Sharps percussion rifle. Shiloh offers the model in .50 and .54 caliber configurations. As with the company's other rifles, customers can specify features such as trigger arrangement, stock wood, finish, and barrel configuration, allowing the rifle to serve both historical-reproduction and traditional shooting purposes.

• Black-powder cartridge rifle

  Sharps 1874

  Shiloh's principal black-powder cartridge rifle reproduction, based on the historic Sharps 1874 design. It is offered in numerous chamberings, including .30-40 Krag, .38-55 Winchester, .40-65 Winchester, .44-77, .45-70, .45-90, .45-110, .45-120, and .50-70 variants. Configuration choices include barrel length and profile, trigger setup, wood grade, and finish.

1. 1Shiloh Rifle Manufacturing Companyen.wikipedia.org