My first outing with the 1874

[HammerMTB]

I got a Sharps replica recently. I've been mining info here and putting together a starting load. BP not that high on my list, I loaded up 11 gr of Unique behind some 340 gr Lees. My biggest concern was whether powder position would be important to the load.
I think it was....
I shot a string of 10 and most were ~ 1050 FPS. Enough strays high and low to make me think this is a plinking load, not any kind of serious load. Easy to shoot in a 10 lb rifle, tho! :mrgreen:
In the second string it occurred to me to experiment a bit to see what might happen if the powder were positioned differently. So rather than load from a boolit up position, I turned the boolit down and gave it a couple taps on the bench. Those 2 shots, instead of 1050 or so, were 1300 FPS!
That's not what I would have guessed, but it certainly correlated with my actions at the bench. I s'pose there may have been some other cause, but it seems unlikely. There's still a lot of work-up to do to get the gun shooting how I want, but this was interesting.
I'm going to have to dig into the lock works, too. The first 10 shots all worked fine. Then the hammer didn't want to engage the sear when I pulled it back. After some fiddling, I found if I pulled the set trigger FIRST, it would hold the hammer fine. Not so good for hunting, but OK at the bench, I guess. It either needs a bit more sear engagement, or a spring is broken.

[cajun shooter]

If your 1874 was made by Armi San Marco then you could very well have some internal parts problems. Not that the other makers don't break but the ASM ones are very prone to breakage. The double triggers also control the main spring. You should see a adjustment screw behind the front trigger. This could be your problem and it just needs adjustment. If the screw is turned in too far it will not allow the sear to contact the notch in the rear trigger. I don't know if you received any instruction type of books with your rifle. You should always move the hammer back to the first notch befoe opening the action. If not the firing pin can rake across a live round or fired round and cause it to break.

[Freightman]

My Shiloh 45/70 really doesn't shoot well until I use a 450/500 gr boolit running at about 1300fps., and not as good at 50 as at 200 go figure. The adjustment is easy just set the rear trigger and turn until it let go by its self then go the other way until what you want.

[montana_charlie]

I got a Sharps replica recently.

I'm going to have to dig into the lock works, too. The first 10 shots all worked fine. Then the hammer didn't want to engage the sear when I pulled it back. After some fiddling, I found if I pulled the set trigger FIRST, it would hold the hammer fine. Not so good for hunting, but OK at the bench, I guess. It either needs a bit more sear engagement, or a spring is broken.
Sharps replicas are made by two U.S. companies and (at least) three in Italy.
You didn't say which one you have.
If you don't have a Pedersoli or Uberti Sharps, disregard the rest of this post as it probably does not apply to your rifle.

The double set trigger assembly in the Pedersoli looks like this:

http://i684.photobucket.com/albums/vv203/montana_charlie/PedersoliSharpsDST.jpg

NOTICE screw #5. If you have that screw in your DST...and if it is tightened...you will destroy screw #1 while trying to make an adjustment. To loosen screw #5, you must remove the DST from the stock.


The instructions (in the manual) for adjusting the Pedersoli DST say:

DOUBLE SET TRIGGER
The rear adjusting screw (# 1) controls the tension on the main spring (# 2) by raising or lowering the main spring. Turn the screw (# 1) inwards until the hammer will stay cocked without having the rear trigger “set” (clicked).
If the screw (# 1) has been set inwards too far, the hammer will not fall when the front trigger is pulled strongly.
If the screw (# 1) is not set inwards enough, the hammer will fail to remain at full cock position unless the rear trigger is “set” (clicked) first. Therefore, if the hammer will not remain in full cock, the screw must be turned inwards further until the hammer will remain in full cock without first “setting” the rear trigger.
NOTE: when making adjustments on screw (# 1) always move the screw in ¼ to ½ turn increments and recheck your results before making more adjustments.
The front trigger will release the hammer even if the rear trigger has not been “set”. With the rear trigger NOT set, the pressure required to release the hammer will be much more that when the rear trigger has been “set” (clicked).
The front trigger adjustment screw (# 3) changes the amount of movement or travel, which the front trigger, will have before the hammer is released.
Turning the adjustment screw (# 3) inwards will reduce the front trigger movement required to release the hammer. Turning the screw outwards will increase the required front trigger movement.
If this screw (# 3) is turned inwards too far, it will not “hold” the setting against the rear trigger sear notch (# 4).
Proper adjustment should produce a very small trigger movement with light pressure required. Such a setting helps a good shooter to obtain better accuracy.
We recommend to periodically verifying the screws that may loosen due to the shot vibrations.
For some set triggers there is a side screw (# 5) to make sure that the screw (# 1) doesn’t loosen. This however does not happen too often and only to guns that have very strong recoil.

[HammerMTB]

Sharps replicas are made by two U.S. companies and (at least) three in Italy.
You didn't say which one you have.
If you don't have a Pedersoli or Uberti Sharps, disregard the rest of this post as it probably does not apply to your rifle.

The double set trigger assembly in the Pedersoli looks like this:

http://i684.photobucket.com/albums/vv203/montana_charlie/PedersoliSharpsDST.jpg

NOTICE screw #5. If you have that screw in your DST...and if it is tightened...you will destroy screw #1 while trying to make an adjustment. To loosen screw #5, you must remove the DST from the stock.


The instructions (in the manual) for adjusting the Pedersoli DST say:

DOUBLE SET TRIGGER
The rear adjusting screw (# 1) controls the tension on the main spring (# 2) by raising or lowering the main spring. Turn the screw (# 1) inwards until the hammer will stay cocked without having the rear trigger “set” (clicked).
If the screw (# 1) has been set inwards too far, the hammer will not fall when the front trigger is pulled strongly.
If the screw (# 1) is not set inwards enough, the hammer will fail to remain at full cock position unless the rear trigger is “set” (clicked) first. Therefore, if the hammer will not remain in full cock, the screw must be turned inwards further until the hammer will remain in full cock without first “setting” the rear trigger.
NOTE: when making adjustments on screw (# 1) always move the screw in ¼ to ½ turn increments and recheck your results before making more adjustments.
The front trigger will release the hammer even if the rear trigger has not been “set”. With the rear trigger NOT set, the pressure required to release the hammer will be much more that when the rear trigger has been “set” (clicked).
The front trigger adjustment screw (# 3) changes the amount of movement or travel, which the front trigger, will have before the hammer is released.
Turning the adjustment screw (# 3) inwards will reduce the front trigger movement required to release the hammer. Turning the screw outwards will increase the required front trigger movement.
If this screw (# 3) is turned inwards too far, it will not “hold” the setting against the rear trigger sear notch (# 4).
Proper adjustment should produce a very small trigger movement with light pressure required. Such a setting helps a good shooter to obtain better accuracy.
We recommend to periodically verifying the screws that may loosen due to the shot vibrations.
For some set triggers there is a side screw (# 5) to make sure that the screw (# 1) doesn’t loosen. This however does not happen too often and only to guns that have very strong recoil.

Thank you, Charlie, that helped, even tho my Sharps is a Pedretti.
The DST is similar, but does not have as many adjustments. It appears it is factory adjusted by grinding, filing, and honing the sears and perhaps the hammer too.
I managed to improve mine, but I am not convinced it is right yet. There's a screw hole but no screw inthe #3 of the pic. It seems that one came out. I'll haveta ID the thread and see if I can come up with something to put in there.

[montana_charlie]

There's a screw hole but no screw inthe #3 of the pic. It seems that one came out.
That screw is THE screw which is common to all Sharps DST's. If yours is gone, you can't adjust trigger travel...but that's (usually) all it does. With the screw missing, you just have the longest possible trigger travel before letoff.

The main spring in your DST is bound to be anchored by a screw like 'A' in the picture. Slightly reducing the tension on that spring might be about the same as adjusting screw #1 inward...which is supposed to allow the hammer to remain at full cock without setting the rear trigger.

If your DST was working correctly when you started shooting, but changed during the session, I wouldn't expect that anything needs to be ground, filed, or reshaped.
I would only make adjustments that can be undone...

CM

[HammerMTB]

It seems I was too breif in my reply.
Tho there are not as many adj screws in this DST, it does have the #1 screw. There is nothing to keep it in adjustment, so it seems to want to wander. The set trigger travel is slight even without the #3 screw, so I don't miss it much. I can see where it will be a bit better trigger when that is replaced and adjusted.
To clarify, tho the DST seems to have been originally made and adjusted by grinding/filing, I didn't see a need to fuss with it, other than a very obvious burr in one location. For the most part, the #1 screw had come out of its adjustment.
I shot it 20 more times today, and now it has no half-cock notch. I may have to take it all apart again and see what's going on...
A drill/threading of a #5 located screw may be the real answer....
Also worth noting: Velocitys were erratic when I positioned powder differently again. This time is was IMR 4227, and vels were lower with powder forward.
It may be time to eliminate that variable.




The main spring in your DST is bound to be anchored by a screw like 'A' in the picture. Slightly reducing the tension on that spring might be about the same as adjusting screw #1 inward...which is supposed to allow the hammer to remain at full cock without setting the rear trigger.

If your DST was working correctly when you started shooting, but changed during the session, I wouldn't expect that anything needs to be ground, filed, or reshaped.
I would only make adjustments that can be undone...

CM

[dcarlisle]

I just purchased an 1874 Sharps by Pedersoli. It is the Old West model in Curly Maple. I would like to remove the trigger plate ( DST ) and do a little cleaning up. Can this assembly be removed without disturbing an other part of the rifle ? I'd really appreciate some advice.

[montana_charlie]

Since there has been no activity in this thread since 2010, I don't suppose that anybody will complain about being 'hijacked'.
One question for you before I say anything ...

Have you already field stripped your Sharps at least once?
By that I mean, have you removed the lever and breechblock?



I would like to remove the trigger plate ( DST ) and do a little cleaning up. Can this assembly be removed without disturbing an other part of the rifle ? I'd really appreciate some advice.

I would say, no.

The trigger assembly is held up in it's recess by two screws in the (top) tang. Once those are loosened the barreled action wants to come away from the buttstock. It's best to break it all down to lock, stock, and barrel ... then pull out the triggers.

It's an easy job and, if done carefully, can be accomplished without messing up the wood around the inletting.

Field strip the rifle, and place the hammer at half cock.

Remove the forearm (pull the screws and use a wood block tapped with a mallet to coax it down off of the barrel).

Loosen the side screw a few turns and tap it with a plastic mallet to nudge the lock out of it's recess.

Pull the tang screws and the barreled action should come out smoothly. Judicious mallet taps - against steel surfaces - might help.

Remove the short screw in the front of the trigger assembly, and the wood screw at the rear.

Reinstall the tang screws and tap on them gently, alternating between front and back, to move the triggers down out of the stock.
Be careful not to bruise the wood on top of the stock ... where the tang was.

Reassembly is the reverse with one little precaution.
When the triggers are back in the buttstock and the barreled action is back on, it's time to replace the lock.

Be sure the rear trigger is pulled back and set while the lock is being pulled (with the side screw) and tapped down into the recess. If the trigger won't stay set with all of the activity, anchor it with tape, rubber bands, or whatever.
The object here is to make certain that the sear (sticking straight out sideways to the lock plate) goes in above the levers of the triggers ... not pressing against the side of either lever.
The front lever is 'down' when the trigger is held forward by it's spring, and the rear lever is 'down' when the back trigger is set.

Do you need anything more?

CM

[dcarlisle]

You told me exactly what I needed to know. Thanks so very much. I really appreciate the clear instructions.