.22 short ammo

[Battis]

Yesterday, I was looking at a Sharps pepperbox .22, made in the early 1860s. It's a four barrel handgun with a rotating firing pin. There's videos online of people shooting .22 short ammo. My question is, how do modern .22 shorts compare to the old BP .22 shorts?

Maybe this should be in the Rimfire area.

[nhithaca]

I'm not sure I would shoot a 1860's gun with modern powder shells, even 22 shorts, but if you must give it a go try 22 CB shorts. I think they only have a primer for the propellant.

[Traffer]

Ditto nhithaca on this one:
I would definitely NOT shoot modern 22 short ammo in this gun. Use CB or BB caps. When Flobert came out with the caliber in the late 1840's it was a non-powdered cap pistol. I am not sure if by the 1860's they were using powder in them or not. But either way they were not of the power of the modern 22 shorts. Some modern 22 shorts are as powerful as the original 22lr black powder rounds.
It may take a while to find 22 CB or BB caps but they are out there.

[gwpercle]

Do not shoot modern 22 shorts in any 1860 pepper box chambered for black powder 22's .
The steel is over 100 years old and black powder is very low pressure .
If you must ...maybe 22 BB or CB caps but I would be leary of those .
Modern reproductions of these pistols can be had and safely shot .
U-Tube is full of idiots and fools ... My advice , avoid them .

Original 4 barrel sharps handguns are much to valuable to be shooting, I would bet money they were shooting a modern reproduction and didn't know the difference ...some of those guys are clueless !
Gary

[Battis]

I never thought about reproductions of that Sharps. That makes sense, unless they were stupid and shooting originals in the videos.
The gun I looked at is cool, but kinda pricey.

[gwpercle]

I never thought about reproductions of that Sharps. That makes sense, unless they were stupid and shooting originals in the videos.
The gun I looked at is cool, but kinda pricey.

Modern Italian reproduction pricey of $200.00 or ....
....real antique $1,500.00 pricey ?
Gary

[Battis]

They're asking $550. It's in great shape and has an old holster. Tempting.

[35remington]

CBs have a small powder charge. They are not primer only. FWIW.