50-70 sharps carbine

[Celto]

Hi all not sure if im in the right place here but can use all the direction i can get:shock:I have a 50-70 conversion carbine that I have had for 25 years......had not been able to shoot it as i figured the chamber had been reamed for possibly a 28 gauge shot shell..... shipped it to Charlie Hahn and he discovered the sleeve was missing ! met him at a skirmish and got it back... ordered some starline brass resized it and fits perfect i had some old dixie brass which appears to have been anealed the starline no after resizing the starline brass neck diameter was .510 the Dixie which was much harder to resize was .505 ordered a lyman mold today in .512 I was an old high power shooter for years and have done lots of reloading but this is all new and fascinating got some .060 wads......all input gratefully accepted thanks

[Geezer in NH]

Slug the bore you will need a bullet that fits. The Lyman may not be big enough.

Second use a good BP lube like SPG.

Third have fun!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

[Celto]

Thank you I am:popcorn:

[Celto]

i am an old NH boy been in va 40 years where are you?

[Geezer in NH]

Just north of Golden pond foot of the mountains.

[StrawHat]

If your carbine has 3 lands and grooves it was lined by the Arsenal. If more than three, it is the original barrel and in specification (under .52) for the Government.

Welcome to higher power, sloower boolits! Forget all you know about high power shooting.

Check out the black powder section and maybe the black powder cartridge rifle area. Also the he BP paper patch area.

I load for an 1866 Trapdoor short rifle. I use a hollow based boolit, 3f, and homemade lube.

Good luck and have fun.

http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/index.php?cPath=44&osCsid=1t017f9g4rgk0qgmplq6le8kh5

Kevin

[Wayne Smith]

Not necessarily lined by the arsenal. Sharps got a boxcar load of those barrels to reline to Govt specifications, or so I have read.

[Celto]

hi there thanks so much all....... the barrel is 6 groove.....and guess im lucky the bore is bright and no pitts very nice shape,,,,,,cast a few boolits with an old dixie scissor mold i had ,,,,they mike to .512 was able to tap one in used my bench rest .50 cal short starter and ramrod with a guide to push it thru,,,,,,,boolit mikes to .5075 and seemed to have the same resistance the entire length

[missionary5155]

Good afternoon and Welcome !
We shoot several caliber 50 BP rifles and carbines. You are headed in the right direction with knowing the diameters you must deal with.
A bright bore sounds like it was either well cared for or a more recent liner job. But no matter cast your slugs with soft lead (we use 40-1) and if using Goex try 3F as it does not foul as bad and you can get to the old military velocity (balloon head cases that held more) with it in the newer solid head cases.
We make our own BP lube with beeswax / olive oil at about 55% beeswax.
Mike in LLama Land

[Celto]

thanks so much i have a big roll of pure lead flashing that i make my 50 balls out of and have secured .060 wads and will give that lube a try

[Celto]

ah and one more thing have read on primers i have LR Match and magnum appreciate your thoughts

[StrawHat]

Not necessarily lined by the arsenal. Sharps got a boxcar load of those barrels to reline to Govt specifications, or so I have read.

My mistake, Sharps did the lining. I got it confused with the 1866 Allin conversion.

Kevin

[StrawHat]

ah and one more thing have read on primers i have LR Match and magnum appreciate your thoughts

I have better accuracy with non-magnum primers. Try them and see what your Sharps likes.

Kevin

[Celto]

Thanks got my lyman mold waiting for handles will be casting this weekend just got to sort the lube .......gettin a hankerin to shoot this!!!

[Celto]

gooday all got my handles seasoned the mold and im CASTING boolits are coming out .512 my brass has an id of .510 and length measures .005 short expect that to change when i fireform it..... planning on 65 of GOEX fff and a .0.60 wad OAL suggestions? going to try both magnum and match primers will prep the primer pocket to match specs oh and going to pan lube with SPG whew what have i forgotten thanks all!!!!~!

[StrawHat]

Just consider it a work in progress and learn from your mistakes.

Kevin

[Wayne Smith]

One thing you didn't mention, once you start, only change one thing at a time! If you change lubes, only change the lube, if you change primers, only change the primer, etc. That way you truly know the cause of the result.

[Celto]

thanks

[Celto]

hello all finally shot the sharps!! at 50 yards had a two shot group 1 o clock about 10'' out insane trigger pull after i locked down it shot a 2" group spot on.....question is has anyone reduced the trigger pull on one of these it must be 20 plus pounds now thanks ' ''

[samari46]

Since most of the lock parts were case hardened any stoning will cut through the case hardening. try looking for a spare mainspring for the lock leaving the issue one alone. Also try some of the moly lubes comes in a grease form and should be able to get it at your local auto supply store. Main spring can be thinned slightly and then polish it well to avoid stress points like deep scratches. you can use various silicon carbide paper in different grits. Frank

[varsity07840]

hi there thanks so much all....... the barrel is 6 groove.....and guess im lucky the bore is bright and no pitts very nice shape,,,,,,cast a few boolits with an old dixie scissor mold i had ,,,,they mike to .512 was able to tap one in used my bench rest .50 cal short starter and ramrod with a guide to push it thru,,,,,,,boolit mikes to .5075 and seemed to have the same resistance the entire length

That's a rather interesting bore size for a 6 groove barrel. Original 6 groove barrels were around .52. You may have commercially relined barrel.