The largest commercially produced Sharps .45 caliber cartridge; loaded with 120 grains of black powder it remains popular with Sharps replica and silhouette shooters.
Type: Rifle
Introduced: 1878, United States
Parent case: .45 Sharps family (longest case)
Standardization: Proprietary
Bullet diameter: 0.458" (11.63 mm)
Rim type: Rimmed
Primer: Berdan Large Rifle
Production status: Limited Production
Also known as: .45-120 · 3 1/4 inch .45 Sharps · .45-120 Sharps Silhouette
History: The most powerful of the commercial Sharps .45 caliber cartridges, the .45-120 used a 3.25-inch case — the longest in the Sharps lineup. Originally developed for extreme long-range use, it remains available today from specialty manufacturers for Shiloh, C. Sharps Arms, and other Sharps replica shooters who compete in long-range silhouette and black powder matches.