Armi Sport Sharps [Archive]

Knarley

12-08-2018, 05:08 PM

Ran across an Armi Sport "Sharps" .54 cal. Paper cartridge today. Am curious what it would be worth, and am curious about paper cartridge. Never done the paper gig.....yet anyway.
I am not a newcomer to Black tho. What can ya tell me?
Thanks
KB

RustyReel

12-08-2018, 09:17 PM

I picked up an Armsport/IAB version about a yr or so ago at a gunshow for $350. Haven't had a chance to shoot it yet. Looks to be in excellent condition. As I understand it these can be shot without using the paper cartridges. I can't seem to find any musket caps locally.

bob208

12-09-2018, 12:27 AM

you mite be able to get a nipple that takes number 11 caps. I have one I use on my 1841 rifle. [Mississippi]

curator

12-12-2018, 02:27 PM

$300 is not a bad price. They often go for more to the uninformed, but they have a reputation (confirmed by personal experience) to be made with very soft lock internal parts. "IAB" probably stands for "its always broke." The flash channel inside the breech block is quite long, narrow, and has two 90 degree turns making ignition problematic with all but the hottest musket caps. (I use RWS successfully) Also , the "gas seal" inside the breech block requires thoughtful maintenance and care otherwise it leaks hot gas quite badly. Mine has a very slow twist rifling and a slightly oversize bore making accuracy with the standard "ring-tail" bullets nonexistent. The chamber holds way more powder than you want to shoot. I can get it to shoot reasonably well out to about 50 yards by loading a 570 round ball, followed by a 60 grain measure of cream of wheat, cereal then 60 grains of FFg black powder. With this load I can keep most shots on a 9" pie plate using the primitive sights on the gun. Having fired both Shiloh and Pedersoli "paper-cutter" Sharps replicas, I realize that my ArmiSport/IAB is the "Yugo" of the Sharps replicas.

RustyReel

12-12-2018, 05:34 PM

I, along with everyone who has ever owned one, has heard and read the references to It's Always Broke, Yugo, and It's a ***. They are as useful now as they have always been. Never seen an IAB anything that went for $300