'59 Sharps

[paul_h50]

I can not get this thing to fire.

I have used CCI caps and RWS 1081's=nothing

Cleaned the flash channel with compress air=nothing

Tried FFFg, FFg, Pyrodex=nada

Tried paper cartridges and dumping the charge=nothing.

Any ideas out there?

It's a Pedersoli '59 Infantry rifle

[mooman76]

Will not fire meaning the cap goes off but the charge doesn't? Make sure you have a clear flash channel first. second pop a couple caps(empty gun) before you load. This dries out the breech area of any oil residue. Then load. Also when you say FF and FFF are you meaning real black?

[koger]

You are using nitride paper that fires easy, right?

[paul_h50]

Will not fire meaning the cap goes off but the charge doesn't? Make sure you have a clear flash channel first. second pop a couple caps(empty gun) before you load. This dries out the breech area of any oil residue. Then load. Also when you say FF and FFF are you meaning real black?

Yes, cap goes off, charge does not.

Goes real black.


Cleaned the channel real good. Popped a couple caps before loading and nada. Cap goes off charge does not. Till I get this thing to fire, I'm seating the bullet and dumping a charge that fills the chamber.

[n.h.schmidt]

Is the little hole in the nipple open? You could cap the empty gun and fire it at a mirror in a dark room. You should see the fire in the barrel. I have a Sharps carbine it will fire pyrodex but always a hangfire. Right fast with real black powder though.
n.h.schmidt

[paul_h50]

Is the little hole in the nipple open? You could cap the empty gun and fire it at a mirror in a dark room. You should see the fire in the barrel. I have a Sharps carbine it will fire pyrodex but always a hangfire. Right fast with real black powder though.
n.h.schmidt

Nipple and channel is clear. I have removed the block, the screw on the side of it and cleaned and dried. Nothing blocking. Compress air shot through the nipple exits like it's supposed to at the breech block.

A round has not been sent down the barrel of this rifle.

[paul_h50]

You could cap the empty gun and fire it at a mirror in a dark room. You should see the fire in the barrel.
n.h.schmidt

Yip fire in the barrel

[bob208]

all the sharps I have dealt with all used a musket cap.

[johnson1942]

put a magspark nipple on it and it will fire every time. i know shooters with this gun and the magspark nipple solves the problem.

[paul_h50]

put a magspark nipple on it and it will fire every time. i know shooters with this gun and the magspark nipple solves the problem.

Interesting. Ill check them out.

[johnson1942]

the reason i said mag spark nipple a shooter from iowa has been talking to me by phone a lot lately about shooting paperpatched bullets and he has a sharps like yours. he said he cured the ignition problem with a magspark nipple 100 percent.

[mooman76]

They (Magspark) often help in regular MLs that have ignition problems and so do Uncle Mikes Hot Shot nipples. They also make a Magnum #11 cap but I have never had a need so I have never tried them.

[rond]

Have you tried removing the nipple and putting a little powder under it, then load. If that works it would seem your cap is not hot enough.

[carbine]

Go to a musket nipple, problem solved.

[varsity07840]

Go to a musket nipple, problem solved.

Sharps rifles have musket nipples.

[54bore]

Sharps rifles have musket nipples.

The Magnum 11 caps are HOT, German RWS 1075 being the Hottest i know of but kinda spendy at 10 bucks a 100, i have read a TON and talked to guys that use both the Magnum RWS and the CCI Magnum caps, both in 11 and they swear there is ZERO gain by going to a Musket Cap, other than the Musket Cap being easier to handle. These Magnum Version 11s are HOT, You gotta be careful as they sell both, make sure you are getting the MAGNUM caps and not the standards
The 1075 German caps stand for 10 3/4, suppose to fit the 11 nipple a bit tighter, i cant tell the difference, i use both the CCI and RWS 1075 Magnum caps

[n.h.schmidt]

The Sharps rifle uses musket caps. He did say he used RWS1081 caps. They are musket caps.
n.h.schmidt

[paul_h50]

put a magspark nipple on it and it will fire every time. i know shooters with this gun and the magspark nipple solves the problem.

Seated the bullet, dumped in 65 grains of Goex 2f, capped with 209/Magspark........and BANG.


Ill try the paper cartridges this weekend. Thanks for the solution.

[johnson1942]

now keep us posted on how it shoots, loads and bullets and accuracy.

[paul_h50]

Will do