1859 sharps

[jonk]

Been thinking about getting an 1859 Pedersoli sharps repro...

Question, how is the gas sealing on these? It would be unpleasant to shoot a gun and have a gallon of fire and gas belch in your face every time.

How do you load? Loose powder, paper, or the brass insert thingies? Will this impact the question above?

[docone31]

I had one.
They are simple. Make a paper tube. I got nitrated papers from Dixie Gun Works, fill with powder. That is your cartridge. I also got ringtailed castings from Dixie. I never could make those work. I just lubed, shoved the casting in the chamber, put the paper cartridge in behind the casting, shoved it in, closed the breech, put on a Musket cap, and fired.
I was a little concerned about the sealing part. However, it worked real well.
I got a reciever sight for it, actually a tang sight, and a forward globe.
I really had fun with it. Unless I drove the casting well into the chamber, It only took about 70gns of powder.
Easy to clean, simple in its design. Comfortable to shoot.
If you can get one, you will not regret it.
I never did the brass cartridge. Paper cartridge was simple enough. Never had to do the loose powder thing. I made my nitrated paper after the original pack I got was done. Again, simple enough.
The trick is getting a mold sufficient to work in that bore. Dixie Gun Works has one for the rifle. It is a Pedersoli mold.
Never could figuire out the ring tail thing though. Probably too simple. I overcomplicate everything.

[1874Sharps]

Jonk,

I picked up an 1859 Sharps carbine made by Pedersoli two months ago (my wife got it for me for a birthday present -- wahoo!) and it is great. I have shot it with boolit and loose powder, paper cartridges and the brass cartridges. All work just fine, but I found the brass cartridges to be the most convenient at the range. With the brass cases you can just pop out the fired case with a rod, refill it (I place a felt wad over the powder before the boolit and generous amounts of Bore Butter) and shoot again. The Bore Butter at the nose helps keep the gas sleeve and action lubed up and easy to open and close. I must say that it is a riot to shoot and it exhibits the legendary Sharps accuracy. I initially bought some cast ringtail boolits from Dixie while waiting for a backorder on a Pedersoli mold of my own. I got the mold just a couple of weeks later from Dixie and that Pedersoli mold is of very high quality! The boolits come out very easily are concentric and shoot exceedingly well! As you can tell, I am quite enthusiastic about it. The gas seal is certainly adequate, although my shooting buddy and I come back with little black specs on our faces. The only beef I have with the gun is that the front sight blade needs to be higher. At 100 yards with the sight at the lowest setting I have to aim 1.5 feet low to hit the bullseye. This gun takes a little time to clean up. It must be taken apart nearly completely. The forestock must be taken off so that the lever spring can be removed (crud develops between the spring and the barrel). Of course the lever and block must be removed, taken apart, cleaned, etc. I just view this as part of the total experience and have fun with it.

Many shooters of this rifle will have a little trouble getting the oil out of the spark passages and will often get a misfire on the first shot of the day. Cleaning the oil out helps prevent a misfire, of course, but adding a little loose BP in the musket cap will do the trick, too.

Making the paper cartridges is also part of the fun. I take watchmaker's paper (it is thin and comes in 4X4 sheets) and nitrate it by soaking it in a saturated potassium nitrate solution and then drying it. It is then rolled on a dowel and the seem glued, the end twisted and pushed into a little recess on the end of the dowel. The paper tube is then filled with BP and the boolit placed and tied on the ringtail using a double looped waxed thread. Wahoo, your paper cartridge is ready to shoot.


I will not speak poorly of the other brands and makers of this rifle, as I have only owned the Pedersoli, but I will say that I am very happy with mine and have had much fun on the range and in the wild with mine!

[Bullshop]

If you make the front sight blade higher your POI will be even lower.
What you need to do is shorten (file down) the front blade and that will raise your POI.
Maybe I am confused. Lets see it is shooting too high because you are having to aim low to hit. So lets see taller front blade will make it hit lower which is what you need so, WHAT WAS I THINKING !!!
BIC/BS

[1874Sharps]

Jonk,

Docone31 brings up a point which I did not: You can make rolled nitrated paper cartridges that look like little tubes and not tie them on the ringtail boolit, but rather put in the boolit first and then the paper cartridge. There really is quite alot of lattitude in loading these great guns. Also, there is a forum member by the name of 1859Sharps that could no doubt give you some ideas and opinions if you were to PM him, I will bet.

[Baron von Trollwhack]

Make a little short starter if you load the bullet first. This will let you seat consistently.

Powdered stumpkiller from the old fashioned hardware store is potassium nitrate. Make a saturated solution to soak your empty powder tubes or paper in. If you use thin paper folded so only one layer is between the powder charge and the center of the flame discharge, the flame will burn through. Look carefully to insure no glowing paper embers remain.

You may want to run a damp patch through between shots.

Want to see a musket cap fire? Pull out the breechblock, hold it, cap the nipple, point the flash outlet in a safe direction and tap the cap with a hammer. Rws caps give about 16" of fire Have a great shoot ! BvT

[Razor]

I will not speak poorly of the other brands and makers of this rifle,

I WILL !!
I have an IAB... a real ***...:takinWiz:
Fun but very disappointing..
Maybe after replacing all the innards, and the sights, I won't be so sour.
NAH !
IAB is still doo-doo.

I have other Pedersoli products and love 'em..