Sharps chamber too long, What next?

[stobey]

My reproduction Sharps model 1874's 45-70 chamber measures in at just short of 2.30". So, in reality, it is neither a 45-70 or a 45-90. I see my options as:

1. Forget it, it shoots OK as it is with 45-70 rounds

2. Rechamber to 45-90

3. Shorten 45-90 cases to match the chamber.

Does anyone see any other options?

If I shorten the 45-90 cases what about loads? I presently keep my loads at or under 20,000 cup.

Would appreciate suggestions or solutions

Thanks

Steve

[geargnasher]

Depending on the shape of the chamber, i.e. actual dimensions at the 2.3 inch mark, you can get 45/90 Winchester brass, or .45 Basic brass and trim it to fit your gun, which would then be a 45/80.

A picture of a chamber cast with accurate dimensions sketched out would help.

Gear

[Don McDowell]

I have an Italian made sharps with the same problem. Couldn't get the leading to stop until I by accident found out how long that chamber is.
So now I trim 45-90 brass back to 2.25 for greasegroove bullets.
I trim Norma basic back to the same length, but it is to thick at that point to let a greasegroove bullet chamber, but works great for paper patch.

In hindsight I wish I would of just reamed the chamber on out for the 2.4 and been done with it.

[Gtek]

Sorry for your luck. I would chamber cast before heading in any direction. Do not know how you measured but them things are real and easy to read. I cut a junk case down, flared, tap in and close action, cerosafe from muzzle straight up. I filled a 1885 Hi-Wall from back end one time, filled extractor area just a little. I hope you never have that much fun! Good luck with mental volleyball.
Gtek

[stobey]

At the moment I have some 45-90 brass and sizer comming and am leaning for the moment to shortening a few pieces of that brass and seeing what happens. I won't do anything with the rifle until after hunting season. It has brought down 5 deer, so it really isn't all that bad of a situation.

And by the way, I have experienced zero leading after a couple thousand rounds of cast boolits. Accuracy isn't really all that bad. So I am not panicking.

Thanks for the input and if anyone else has any input feel free to chime in.

Steve

[Arnie]

Cutting back 45/90 brass is the best bet for you. Most all rifles have too long of chambers because of Lawyers and law suits .Brass is made too short for the same reason.45/70 is supposed to be 2.100 long and the chamber also but you will never find 45/70 brass that long and always will find the rifles chambers longer .Mine is 2.118 long .I bought a machine that will stretch the 45/0 brass and then i trim them back to 2.118 or cut back 45/90 cases . Arnie

[shovel80]

If leading is a problem, You can always seat the bullet out with one grease groove showing if there is room in the lead, The Grease will fill in the chamber at that void....and lessen the leading...
Cutting down the 45-90 Brass is likely the best answer...

Terry

[Dan Cash]

There is a stock maker down south that makes a stretching tool that fits a FL sizing die. He specifies RCBS but I adapted my Redding. It cost about $45.00 and will make brass longer pretty quick. I will have to look at the die tomorrow to get the name.

[waksupi]

I had one like that. I seated the bullet out, until is was almost to interference. It shot well with contact, but a couple shots would create enough fouling, to make chambering a bit stiff. So I seated them a few thousandths deeper. Turned out to be a great shooter as a .45-70.

[TXGunNut]

I have a Pedretti & Sons Sharps that is marked 45-70 but I discovered it has a 45-90 chamber. Apparently a previous owner was in the same situation you are in now and had it rechambered. Appears to be good workmanship and a tight chamber. It shoots 45-70 OK but I have to size the brass more than I want to bring it back down to hold a boolit. I'm using 45-90 brass now, still looking for a load it likes but the potential is clearly there.
One quick trimming method would be to shorten a Lee case length gage made for the 45-90 but they don't seem to make it. A stretching die would be more cost-effective considering the higher price and spotty availability of 45-90 brass.

[montana_charlie]

I would chamber cast before heading in any direction.

I agree. There are a number of ways to get a feel for how deep a chamber is, but little details can make you believe something which is a little wrong.
A cast (or an impact impression) gives you a clear look at what is going on.

There is a stock maker down south that makes a stretching tool that fits a FL sizing die.

Tim's die-type stretcher will not lengthen a case as much as the Kal-Max which Rick Kalynuik and I designed. But, even ours won't do two tenths of an inch unless it is modified.

My choice in your situation would be to deepen the chamber.
Then you have the chance to tell the gunsmith to make sure the new chamber is exactly 2.4 inches deep. Most chambers are longer than specified, and most brass is shorter. That's why the Kal-Max was born ...

CM

[Char-Gar]

I hold the conviction if you need to modify something, modify the cheapest part. In this case it would be the brass case. Trim them cases.

[montana_charlie]

My view is that, if modifications are needed ... modifications that shouldn't be needed ... correct the major malfunction.

CM

[67bear]

If there is enough material at the breach end of the barrel, you could have the barrel set back and properly chambered to 45-70.

[John Taylor]

If there is enough material at the breach end of the barrel, you could have the barrel set back and properly chambered to 45-70.

Sounds like an easy fix but the sharps barrel going back .2" will not have much of the "tulip" or round portion of the barrel. Also the spring hanger on the bottom would need to be a custom one to hold the spring and rear forearm screw.. It is very easy to run a 45-90 reamer in the chamber to fix the problem. On some guns the barrel does not need to come off the action.

[montana_charlie]

Sounds like an easy fix but ...

I don't think 67bear has been around a Sharps enough to be aware of the configuration on the bottom of the barrel, and the shortness of the 'stub' which holds the threads.

By the time you pay a gunsmith to do all of that work ... and cut a new chamber ... you could nearly buy a new barrel.

I just saw a guy ask for a price on shortening his Sharps barrel.
Price to cut it off, cut a new dovetail for the front sight, and reblue ... $275.

Lee Shaver deepened my 45/70 chamber to 45/90 for a hundred bucks, a few years ago.

CM

[Don McDowell]

whether a person reams the chamber to 45-90 or just buys the 2.4 brass and shortens them up it's about 6 of one half dozen of the other.

[67bear]

Does anyone see any other options?

Would appreciate suggestions or solutions

Thanks

Steve

Sorry guys, I was just trying to offer another possible solution to stobey's problem. I didn't think I implied that it would be the easiest or least expensive thing to do, just an option if the barrel is large enough in diameter.

[John Taylor]

I don't think 67bear has been around a Sharps enough to be aware of the configuration on the bottom of the barrel, and the shortness of the 'stub' which holds the threads.

By the time you pay a gunsmith to do all of that work ... and cut a new chamber ... you could nearly buy a new barrel.

I just saw a guy ask for a price on shortening his Sharps barrel.
Price to cut it off, cut a new dovetail for the front sight, and reblue ... $275.

Lee Shaver deepened my 45/70 chamber to 45/90 for a hundred bucks, a few years ago.

CM

Boy I'm way behind the times. I would probably be charging $40 to cut and crown with a new dovetail, plus $25 to R&R the barrel. To run the chamber deeper for 45-90 would be $25 if I didn't need to remove the barrel. I don't do blue so that would run the price up.

[stobey]

I want to thank everyone for their input, it is truly appreciated!!

I got a true and accurate measurement for the length of the chamber up to the neck of the throat, that is the point where the chamber narrows down to reach the bore. It measure .062 less than the standard (depends on the standard you look at I realize) of 2.405. So this gun is essentially a 45-90 already.

I am sure that the brass comming in will only need slight trimming and I should be able to use publicised 45-90 loads.

Any comments?

Steve