Some information for those interested in buying the 1859 Sharps (Be it from Chiappa or Pedersoli)

[F.G. Ford]

I shoot the .544/475 gr. christmas tree bullet by DGW made into a paper cartridge or with loose powder.
This bullet goes into the breach cone and does not slide thru.
I shoot a .540/415gr. hollow base from a LEE mold which I cast. I make these as a paper cartridge and then they do not slide thru, but will slide thru w/o paper.
I had started a thread before on MLF asking about experiences w/a round ball ( to save lead) in Sharps without too much success.
I'll slug the barrel to see what I get.
I pretty much just plink and for me hitting a paper plate size target is all I need.
Thanks for your input

You will like the .562 round ball, as it loads easily, and is very accurate.
I don't know how well it will do with a harder bullet. Perhaps a little bit of wheel weight would help, if anything, help stop leading if that should occur.
I have not had any issues as I swab between shots, if that makes a difference.

 

[rickystl]

Not a problem if you have the Hahn or Flees mod done. Both work.

Can you use brass tubes in a Pedersoli after a Hahn mod ?

 

[dave951]

Can you use brass tubes in a Pedersoli after a Hahn mod ?

Yes but why?

 

[rickystl]

Yes but why?

Thanks. Just wanted to know all the options.

Rick

 

[rickystl]

By the way, great informative Thread.

 

[LeadShark]

Can you use brass tubes in a Pedersoli after a Hahn mod ?

I once again advocate against using brass tubes for the mentioned reasons.

 

[Packrat]

It has been a number of years since I made paper cartridges for the Sharps, at 75 my hands are a little shakier and I can understand why some would like the ease of using the brass tube for powder
These are a couple of mine, Dixie bullet, 65 grains of powder, excess cut off in the breech, the paper is not nitrated, where i used to work we had a carbon paper and I got a bunch of it, it consumes and leaves no residue. shoot as fast as you can load, no sparks, but I don't shoot fast anymore

 

[Desperado]

I would avoid the Pedersoli Sharps paper case sporting rifle in .45 caliber especially. The much higher pressure of the .45 gas cuts the block and the stainless steel floating chamber so badly the resulting crevasse fills with fouling and the block begins to stick solidly after a few shots. I returned my badly gas cut breech check to the manufacturer, received a new one for the .54 model that fit and performed even worse. This beautiful, extremely accurate sporting rifle is now a non-shooting safe queen pending a complete conversion to a proprietary centerfire or possibly Milbank primed cartridge. The original Sharps company tried and discarded the floating chamber, why Pedersoli ever used it is beyond me. The insert is too long to remove for cleaning in the .45 model requiring complete barrel removal to access it. Just a bad design all the way. A good friend had a Shiloh cavalry carbine in .54 that worked as well as a real one with nitrated paper cartridges. I absolutely drooled over the 1859 Berdan infantry rifle model with the double set trigger, but because of the negative experiences with the .45, I never ordered one.

People who know stuff about this, I summon thee;
I’m very sad to hear this as I was just about to send mine off to Mr. Flees to have him work his magic. This had occurred to me and Now I am concerned that having him do this would be a fools errand.
I’m surprised the gas pressure is so much higher in the .45.

 

[Whughett]

Three weeks ago I bought a Garrett Sharps thru Gunbroker.
One shot locks the block up solid. I have to use a plastic mallet to start it down enough to use the lever. Dropped the load to 40 grains, better but still have to hammer the block down a fraction. Applied Mobile one synthetic to the keyways, no help.I’m trying a bullet cast from an accurate mold. .558 at 350 grains with end papers (ladies hair curling papers). CCI Musket caps won’t fire the charge unless I dribble a few grains of 3F into the nipple opening.

Mr Flees answered my email inquiry for his services today with a telephone number to call him for specifics. After watching a video by Mike Beliveau on the Garrett I’m inclined to send it off, cost be danged. The carbines a wall hanger otherwise.

 

[Bunk]

Not a problem if you have the Hahn or Flees mod done. Both work.

I have a carbine with the Hahn conversion and a sporting Rifle with the Flees conversion. Both work perfectly and I could not recommend one over the other. Both are set up to use the Hahn tube .and a Moose ring tail bullet. Both are sufficiently accurate to suit me and are easy to clean.
for what it is worth
Bunk

 

[Desperado]

Three weeks ago I bought a Garrett Sharps thru Gunbroker.
One shot locks the block up solid. I have to use a plastic mallet to start it down enough to use the lever. Dropped the load to 40 grains, better but still have to hammer the block down a fraction. Applied Mobile one synthetic to the keyways, no help.I’m trying a bullet cast from an accurate mold. .558 at 350 grains with end papers (ladies hair curling papers). CCI Musket caps won’t fire the charge unless I dribble a few grains of 3F into the nipple opening.

Mr Flees answered my email inquiry for his services today with a telephone number to call him for specifics. After watching a video by Mike Beliveau on the Garrett I’m inclined to send it off, cost be danged. The carbines a wall hanger otherwise.

What is a garret sharps? I know I could just google it but I’d like to hear it from you.

 

[Bunk]

People who know stuff about this, I summon thee;
I’m very sad to hear this as I was just about to send mine off to Mr. Flees to have him work his magic. This had occurred to me and Now I am concerned that having him do this would be a fools errand.
I’m surprised the gas pressure is so much higher in

Not a problem if you have the Hahn or Flees mod done. Both work.

Yes I do have a carbine done by Hahn and a Sporting rifle done by Flees. Both work perfectly 40+ rounds of 45 grains FFg and a Moose ring tail bullet Hahn papee tube through either one and still going strong.
Both work, are easy to clean, and I cannot recommend one over the other.
Respectfully
Bunk

 

[Whughett]

What is a garret sharps? I know I could just google it but I’d like to hear it from you.

Haven’t full researched it my self. Back in the 70’s It seems an American gentleman by the name of Garret started a rifle company. The guns he offered for sale were made in Italy. For some reason he had the Sharps made with a functional Lawrence pellet primer system.
My copy has a 1970 date and a 3xx serial number. I just set it off to have the breech modified to reduce gas leakage.

 

[Desperado]

People who know stuff about this, I summon thee;
I’m very sad to hear this as I was just about to send mine off to Mr. Flees to have him work his magic. This had occurred to me and Now I am concerned that having him do this would be a fools errand.
I’m surprised the gas pressure is so much higher in the .45.

I just spoke to mr flees and he re

Haven’t full researched it my self. Back in the 70’s It seems an American gentleman by the name of Garret started a rifle company. The guns he offered for sale were made in Italy. For some reason he had the Sharps made with a functional Lawrence pellet primer system.
My copy has a 1970 date and a 3xx serial number. I just set it off to have the breech modified to reduce gas leakage.

Hot damn that’s cool! I’m sure Larry will get a kick out of that, knowing him! How much you get it for on gumbroken?

 

[Whughett]

I just spoke to mr flees and he re

Hot damn that’s cool! I’m sure Larry will get a kick out of that, knowing him! How much you get it for on gumbroken?

$925.

 

[Bunk]

It has been a number of years since I made paper cartridges for the Sharps, at 75 my hands are a little shakier and I can understand why some would like the ease of using the brass tube for powder
These are a couple of mine, Dixie bullet, 65 grains of powder, excess cut off in the breech, the paper is not nitrated, where i used to work we had a carbon paper and I got a bunch of it, it consumes and leaves no residue. shoot as fast as you can load, no sparks, but I don't shoot fast anymore

don't worry Packrat at 90 I went to Hahn tubes for both my Sharps carbine and Sporting rifle and never looked back.
Bunk

 

[Whughett]

You will like the .562 round ball, as it loads easily, and is very accurate.
I don't know how well it will do with a harder bullet. Perhaps a little bit of wheel weight would help, if anything, help stop leading if that should occur.
I have not had any issues as I swab between shots, if that makes a difference.

I use the .562 in my Burnside Carbine. Also a 54 caliber that has a .558 bore.

 

[Eras Gone]

Three weeks ago I bought a Garrett Sharps thru Gunbroker.
One shot locks the block up solid. I have to use a plastic mallet to start it down enough to use the lever. Dropped the load to 40 grains, better but still have to hammer the block down a fraction. Applied Mobile one synthetic to the keyways, no help.I’m trying a bullet cast from an accurate mold. .558 at 350 grains with end papers (ladies hair curling papers). CCI Musket caps won’t fire the charge unless I dribble a few grains of 3F into the nipple opening.

Mr Flees answered my email inquiry for his services today with a telephone number to call him for specifics. After watching a video by Mike Beliveau on the Garrett I’m inclined to send it off, cost be danged. The carbines a wall hanger otherwise.

I have a Garrett also and had the same experiance. It was good for about 4 shots before siezing up. Larry Flees fixed it for me and now It will shoot longer than I can. Garrett wins the prize for most authentic Sharps, but loses on the live fire ticket.

 

[Whughett]

I have a Garrett also and had the same experiance. It was good for about 4 shots before siezing up. Larry Flees fixed it for me and now It will shoot longer than I can. Garrett wins the prize for most authentic Sharps, but loses on the live fire ticket.

Thank you sir, it’s on the way out to him.
Next I need to decide on a bullet. Just paper punching tween 50 out to 100 yards. The bore looks to be under .560, closer to .557 or 558. Any suggestions. I’ve made a paper cartridges former and dowel that produces a nice fitting cartridge using a Burnside .558 bullet cast from an Accurate mold. The cartridge will hold 65 grains of 2F. Too much powder actually for my use.

 

[Desperado]

I have a Garrett also and had the same experiance. It was good for about 4 shots before siezing up. Larry Flees fixed it for me and now It will shoot longer than I can. Garrett wins the prize for most authentic Sharps, but loses on the live fire ticket.

Howdy Mr. Eras, I have the .45 ‘63 Sharps and I don’t know which bullet to use. Any recommendations?