Pedersoli Sharps Lever Spring

[Db1200]

Hello to all. I have a Pedersoli sharps and I love the gun I just can't stand how the lever feels. I have cleaned and lubed it but it still feels extremely stiff and just not smooth. I thought of trying to polish it but don't want to mess around and take to much or not have a good lock up. Anyone ever smooth this out on there pedersoli?

[Walks]

There is often a bit of stiffness when I crank mine down. I guess you could all it hesitation.
But after that very tiny hitch,
Smooth as glass.
But then mine is 25yrs old.
Just keep working it and it will smooth up over time.

[country gent]

How many rounds does the rifle have thru it. In time it may smooth out some from use. Keep it well oiled or a light grease and see if that helps.Open and close it 10-15 times a night for a couple weeks and see what that does to help smooth it up.

A lot of the old guns smoothness came from use and the parts wearing together over time.

[Db1200]

Thanks, I have not really kept track of round count but it has to be over 1k rounds down range. The rifle is 4 years old. Maybe it will smooth out at some point.

[Bent Ramrod]

My Pedersoli sharps lever retention spring is way too stiff, too. The lever is like a mousetrap when I start to close it.

The spring for the Pedersoli Berdan linen cartridge model is much less heavy, but holds the lever of that model up just fine. You might call the lady at VTI Gun Parts and see if that spring might fit.

Alternately (and what I’ve done) is to leave the spring screw loose 1/2-3/4 of a turn or so. The spring still holds the lever up tight, and it snaps open, but at least the lever is less of a mousetrap.

[Db1200]

Yeah, it has a hard snap to it. I let my friends shoot it and they let it snap back and I cringe and grit my teeth. Its an elegant looking rifle, just wish I could get the lever to feel the same.

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[country gent]

Thats a very nice rifle. Is that a MVA scope?

You might try a thin washer or shim under the spring to lesson torque if the action dosnt smooth up. This is reversible if you dont like it. Thinning the spring would also work but if you go to far then it requires a new spring. Working slow and easy with a small fine file thinning it but you need to check it often.

[Db1200]

Yeah, thats an idea also. I might try some buffing compound and see if it at least gets smoother and will look into a washer. No its not a mva. It the hilux long malcomb scope.

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[country gent]

Okay I was curious.
A polish on the working surfaces might do the trick. Look at my knife sharpening post in our town for ideas. A piece of thin brass or aluminum flat with a couple layers of paper and the compound worked into it would make a nice fine polishing stick to do this.

[Db1200]

Thanks. Ill look that up and sounds like a plan for a rainy day. Yeah the mva scope was out of price range at the time, buying a house and all. So I got the hi-lux. People talk bad about the mounts and everything and they could not be more correct. I have had some issues. I have canned all the original screws and tapped the mounts and used some hardened screws. After I did that and did some odds and ends to the mounts, its a great setup. The tube glass is clear and great.

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[GregLaROCHE]

A good quality gun will be tight when it is new, so parts wear in not out. Some polishing may help, but don’t go too far.

[Dan Cash]

Have you put some grease on the contact points? A beer can shim or two will lighten up the tension.

[Db1200]

Yes I have put some good quality synthetic grease on the contact points

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[Boz330]

I put a thin cardboard shim under mine, works like a charm.

Bob

[samari46]

Have a Pedersoli sharps 1874 infantry rifle. Can best describe the lever as a mouse trap spring. Have shot it so I just move the hammer to half cock, move the lever slowly then reload and take my time with the lever on the closing cycle. Funny thing is that my Peabody carbine which is probably roughly 150 years old has the same snap to the lever when closing. And a buddy who was into BPCR shooting had an even dozen sharps mostly by Pedersoli, C.Sharps and the older Farmingdale sharps all showed the same snap when closing. Frank

[doc1876]

The thin washer is an idea, however make it out of leather. This is an old saa trick.

[samari46]

That same thread regarding the lever spring must making the rounds of various forums lately. My Pedersoli Sharps does the same timg. Go to a shoe maker and get enough leather to cover the tang where the lever keeps hitting.And use the old style leather boot laces to tie everything together. And does not look out of place for a period arm. This way you'll have sort of a safety in place. Frank