Converting 50 cal Shiloh Sharps 1863 to .357

[cjensen]

I have an early 1863 Farmingdale Sharps carbine SN 2XX with a patchbox and double set trigger in 50 cal (NO saddle ring).
Dovetailed front sight. The Sharps 1863's are percussion rifles, that I am filling the powder chamber with loose black powder instead of using paper cartridges.
After having my shoulder replaced I am not too excited about the recoil of the 50 carbine. I just started shooting my .45 1863 Sharps and have had to order a new mold as my 540 grainers are too stiff.
I ordered a TJ liner in .357. It has an OD of .500".
I have never heard of anyone using a liner in a 1863.
The 1/2" OD liner slides right into the 50 cal barrel. If I decide to undo this I can heat the barrel and remove the liner, at least in theory.
I ordered a .359 LFN 220 grain mold from LBT with black powder grease grooves.
Once I have the mold and cast some bullets I will need to figure out a way to ream the liner for the bullet.
Have thought of several options but have not decided yet on the reaming method.
Anyone heard of anyone doing this?
Carl

[country gent]

On the sharps and other BPCRs 22 liners are available commercially to shoot .22 rimfires thru them.They use a case head and orings to supposrt the liner in the barrel making them easily removeable and the rifle interchangable. I think the chamber is offset .125 to put the original firing pin on the rim instead of centered. The original extractor times this also. Your barrel liner should work, Im assuming its going to continue to be a paper cartridge type set up. I would try to find a means to lock it in place so it dosnt move around with recoil and firing pressures working on it. That is my concern that with no "rim recess" or step to lock it in place it may walk forward under recoil if not glued soldered or locktited in place.

[cjensen]

On the sharps and other BPCRs 22 liners are available commercially to shoot .22 rimfires thru them.They use a case head and orings to supposrt the liner in the barrel making them easily removeable and the rifle interchangable. I think the chamber is offset .125 to put the original firing pin on the rim instead of centered. The original extractor times this also. Your barrel liner should work, Im assuming its going to continue to be a paper cartridge type set up. I would try to find a means to lock it in place so it dosnt move around with recoil and firing pressures working on it. That is my concern that with no "rim recess" or step to lock it in place it may walk forward under recoil if not glued soldered or locktited in place.
This is an 1863, not a BPCR.

[Bent Ramrod]

Am I right in understanding that you want to continue using the gun as a capping breechloader, only in .357 caliber, rather than .50?

If so, I don't see anything against it in principle. I've heard of reline jobs where the liner was sweated into the original rifled bore, and on heating and brushing out the original barrel could be recovered.

You might also have to put some kind of sleeve in the Conant gas check to bring the diameter of the open space down to that of the chamber. This may or may not be necessary; just seems to me that all that empty space in the original cavity might cause variable ignition.

I suppose running a .38 Special or a 357 Magnum reamer in short of the rim would work. Or maybe a .38 Super reamer all the way in.

Turning the 63 into a cartridge gun would be more trouble than it is worth.

[cjensen]

I do not intend to use any cartridge. Just shoot .357 220 grain bullets instead of the current .510" 450 grain. I am thinking that using a 35 whelen or 358 winchester reamer would ream out the bullet throat, as most 357 or 38 special reamers are made to ream out the cylinder of a revolver, not the barrel of a rifle. The 1863 powder chamber diameter is the same for the different calibers. My .458 1863's powder chamber is the same as my 510. I know of .375 1863's and they too use the same diameter powder chamber. I will be using Loctite 271 to hold the liner in.

[cjensen]

After thinking on this, the 35 Whelen and 358 Win reamers will not work. They will start reaming out for the neck of the case before the rifling is reamed out for just the bullet. I think I will need just a throating reamer. Basically I will need to remove the rifling for the length of the bullet.

[W.R.Buchanan]

Why not just use a strait .358 dia. reamer ?

Randy

[rockrat]

HOw about a 357max reamer?

[Nobade]

Why not just use a 35 cal. throater?

-Nobade