I recall that about 1995/6 there was an article in the annual issue of the much maligned publication 'Guns and Ammo' where a number of expert shots with reproduction (and I believe some originals) Sharps rifles, experimented with the apparent ballistic occurences portrayed in 'Quigley' event. You will have to obtain a copy (you may find the article on their website) for the definitive answers but I am sure that the steel plate bucket silhouette that they used was several time oversized for the very practical reasons that it is dificult to see past the blind spot subtended by the foresight.
In an earlier article Elmer Kieth described how a marksman, on a National Park buffalo kull, claimed thet his Sharps would hit a buffalo if he could see it. At something over 800 yards the cross hairs on his telescopic sight all but covered the big animal. He made good his claim but only hit the animal in a back leg.
The 200 yard mid range tragectories of all the 45 sharps caalibers is around the 12" to 14" mark which means that at extreme range the bullet is dropping fairly sharply. If you enter .47/70 in your computor search engine you will find a welter of information both historic and regarding modern club results shooting historic breech loaders.
Major J.S. Hatchers 1935 on Firearms Investigation book gives the maximum range(distance only) of a .30 M1 cartridge 172 grain bullet and 2640 fps muzzle velocity, over water, as about 5600 yards, three miles (if you can see that far).
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