1859 paper cartridge sharps

[spelunkerrn]

Hello everbody,
I have a Pedersoli 1859 infantry paper cartridge Sharps rifle. Real beautiful rifle.
Anyway I picked it up used for a good price. So who knows how it was maintained in the past. The problem is that the sliding gas check that lines the breech wont move. So it won't move back to the gas plate and seal off the escaping gases. I read on another forum that removing the barrel would be the only way to get at it and fully remove it and the crud that is making it stick. How hard would this be to do at home with a stout workbench and pipe wrench? I 'm guessing that upon replacing it all I would have to do is line up the index lines on barrel and receiver. No headspacing issues because it is not a cartridge rifle. Any thoughts?

[docone31]

I had an 1863 Pedersoli Sharps. It also had that sleeve.
They make a tool for it. Mine never did seem to move, but, it did seal. Apparently, the pressure of firing pushes the sleeve backwards enough to seal things off.
Others with better experience will chime in. Meantime, I never got it out, and later the rifle was stolen.
Such is life.
I can just imagine a gang banger makeing a paper cartridge.
Yo-Yo. Was Uh?

[DIRT Farmer]

On my Pedesoli 54 Sharps I have a choke tool on a brass rod. Screw it tight, spray some "bear solution" (1/3 acohol, 1/3 oil soap, 1/3 peroxide) and twist the seal ring. Some times it is fairly tight and takes some soaking. Clean wipe and rotate till it is clean.

[hickstick_10]

keep bench vises and pipe wrenches AWAY from guns

[NickSS]

Actually the Pedersoli has two gas seals the primary one is the one on the face of the breach block. You need to pri this one off with a knife edge the first time. After you get it off take a dremel tool and grind a slight depression on the back of the plate on both sides about midway. The depression should be sufficient to allow a small screwdriver blade to be pushed in to allow for easier removal each time you clean the rifle. By the way lightly coat the back of the plate with copper never seize before reinstalling it. In fact I use never seize on all screws and nipples on the breach block as it makes life so much easier. As for the chamber sleeve, they should be loose but if yours is frozen in place try libberally soaking it with a good penetrating oil like kroil and get a removal tool from either pedersoli or I believe dixie gun works has a tool too. The sleeve will not come completly out but once loose clean it as well as inside the chamber with a good black powder cleaner or hot water works too. Once clean coat it as much as possible with never seize other wise it will seize up after a few shots again. If you can not get it loose do not worry overly about it as at least 90 % of the sealing is done by the plate on the breach face. Remember never seize is your friend! I stuggled for two years to find this out and now I have no more problems with parts that will not come loose for cleaning.

[jon skorepa]

i have a 45 paper pedersoli and i have their tool to loosen the gas check sleeve ha i wish you good luck!! you mite try a product called Cyclo break-away. perhaps a dowel split on the end with a long narrow wedge insert dowel from muzzle and wedge in split at breech turn to loosen tap lightly to push out. 0nce it moves you are in their. go slowly soak it well and please no h2o2peroxide. you mite try eds red cleaner to soak the sleeve. good luck jon

[montana_charlie]

And give that pipewrench back to Joe The Plumber...

[1874Sharps]

I shoot a Pedersoli 1859 Sharps and enjoy it very much. As I understand, Pedersoli has modified the design of the sliding sleeve that seals against the breach block face a time or two. Some of the sleeves are removable, some (like mine) are not. All of them, however, should be loose enough to move a bit. The above posters have outlined some good ideas and procedures to get the sleeve moving again. I would sure try and retry the penetrating oil before thinking about doing anything like removing the barrel. I might ad that Pedersoli not only makes a good rifle but they make good molds and accessories as well. I found the ringtail boolit mold they make was just the thing I needed for shooting my rifle and making paper cartridges.

[dualsport]

I've always wanted one of those paper cartridge breech loaders, but had the impression the accuracy wasn't too good. If you guys like yours so much maybe they shoot ok?

[1874Sharps]

Dualsport,

The Pedersoli 1859 Sharps carbine I have shoots quite well. The front sight could stand to be a bit taller, as it shoots a bit high, but it shoots to the same spot every time. Before I got the Pedersoli mold made for this rifle I tried using some other 54 caliber slugs and they did not shoot all that great. But with the proper boolits from the Pedersoli mold it shoots great! Fouling sort of goes everywhere and the gun has to be completely taken apart after shooting, unlike a 1874 Sharps. In fact, after shooting the carbine it looks like I have the worst case of blackheads you ever did see because of the specks of fouling. But it is all part of the experience and is fun!

[spelunkerrn]

Thanks everybody for your suggestions I will give them a try and stay away from the pipe wrench.