Gas seal in pre-cartridge Sharps

[klw]

Shiloh makes one as does Pedersoli. Try as I might I can not find pictures of the breech blocks for either. I'm told that they use vasty different means to seal the breech. Shiloh is made like the originals. Pedersoli has tried a number of designs trying to improve the seal. If you own one or both of these, could you take pictures of the front of the breech block showing how these mechanisms work and how they are disassembled?

[Boerrancher]

I have never owned one but I had a friend of mine who did for a while, and his was one of the originals. It was in great shape to be 150+ years old. I only shot it once and that was quite enough. The reason why Pedersoli keeps trying to improve on the breech block is because they don't seal. The nice thing is all of the powder residue is forced straight up or down. If you are shooting into the wind, the residue is in your face. It was a great shooter if you could get use to the cloud of smoke being blown up in front of your face. Sorry I didn't pay enough attention to it when I was shooting it to get a grip on the mechanics of it. I never could get use to the smoke cloud in front of my nose.

Best wishes from the Boer Ranch,

Joe

[EDK]

SHOOT! magazine, volume 29, July/August 2004 has an article comparing a SHILOH SHARPS New Model 1863 with an original. They don't show a lot of detail on the gas system.


:cbpour: :redneck: :Fire:

[Buckshot]

................If you don't get an answer here you might try the N-SSA forum.

................Buckshot

[klw]

................If you don't get an answer here you might try the N-SSA forum.

................Buckshot


Tried that. This seems to be a very hard question to get a straight answer too.

[Bigjohn]

The last two PEDERSOLI rifle I bought came with a video tape of their products including a short section on the paper cartridge SHARPS.

Many years prior to getting this tape, I use to own a ARMI JAGER version of this rifle. I used to shoot this rifle not understanding the complete operation of the gas seal system.

Basically, it is a two part system; one part is in the breech block and the other is part of the chamber.
In the chamber is a sleeve which is meant to slide backwards upon ignition to contact the breech face. In the breech block is a platewith a rearward projecting sleeve. This fits into a hollow in the face of the breech block. The flash hole comes through the centre of a tapered post in the centre of this hollow. The plate has a reverse taper on the inside of the sleeve which holds it onto the breech block.

The explosion of gas is meant to act on this and push the plate forward to contact the chamber sleeve and form a seal.

I have an article published here in Australia at about the time I bought mine which I think explains the operation better than I can. I am willing to scan it and email if you wish.
P.M. the details.

Best wishes,
John.

P.S. It would be good if I could copy out that section of the video but I am not that tech minded. See if the local importer has a copy he would sell or lend? J.

[klw]

I have an article published here in Australia at about the time I bought mine which I think explains the operation better than I can. I am willing to scan it and email if you wish.

That would be much appreciated. klw@npgcable.com

[Bigjohn]

klw
I started a search of my extensive files yesterday to locate the article I mentioned. It was published in the Australian Shooter's Journal somewhere between 1980 and early 1987. I had a photocopy of it on file as I was using the information in it to make the cartridges for the rifle (which is the one held by the shorter chap in my avatar c11/16/1984).

At this time it is proving rather elusive to locate; I did however locate to other articles I didn't realise I had.
These I have scanned and emailed to you under three covers as the entire file was to big to send as one.

I will finish searching my files to locate the other and forward it on; if it is AWOL, I do have another option to locate an original for scanning. I will keep your details and forward as soon as possible.

John.