I have a 1862 Sharps & Hankins Navy Carbine, handed down from my father who passed many years ago. Ive restored it to working order, and checked for cracks and signs that it is unsafe to fire, which I have deemed it is safe to fire. I have been reloading many years and many calibers, as well as dealing with black powder firearms, damascus shotguns (I have a 1874 Parker 12 guage... but will NOT be shooting that without sleeves!) so I understand much of firearm/load mechanics.
I also understand that it is rare, it is collectable, and Im sure that someone would post "never shoot it" but I will be very honest, there is no value in this arm for me to let it sit in my safe, nor do I have any value in selling it... ever. Its from my father and means a lot to me, I have no desire to part with it. Also, I love history and for me, there is far more value in shooting a few rounds from it than anything else as well as sharing with my son. Ive replaced the leather cover that was falling off, and so to me, it is brand new old stock! Thats where the value is for me.
So on, down the road of research I go, looking for answers to what these firearms used to eat for lunch! Ive come to find that these particular arms are rare, and have found that they were chambered for a 52 Sharps Rimfire.
But let me back up a little. Previous to this discovery, I had taken some measurements because I had seen conflicting information. I dont have the details right at the moment, but I had read somewhere that these were chambered in 56/50 or 56/52 Spencer. Seems to be a lot of different info out there! So I measured every detail (I did not slug the bore however, just used micrometers) and came up with the 56/50 Spencer would in fact chamber in the 1862 Sharps. So I figured I had found a solution. Dixie sells a 56/50, 56/52 Spencer rimfire conversion cartridge, in which you place a 22 blank in a primer hole at the edge of the shell, fill with powder ( in this case, 30 gr fffg, a compressed load - not trying to kill myself either!) load a bullet (I have the "54 sharps", 475 grain, christmas triee/post lead bullet, lubed with plenty of moly!) and off to the races.
Well, it fires, it fires well and safe! And for also apparently using the wrong cartridge!
After more research to ensure I wasnt unnecessarily endangering myself, I have discovered that the 52 sharps cartridge appears a little longer, and seems to use a lighter bullet and almost twice as much powder!
This is why I am posting this because I need some fellas more educated than I in the subject to lend a helping hand. Is there a cartridge that I can use that is the right length and will get the bullet closer to the rifling, while maintaining the rimfire firing pin, keeping the rifle original? As I said before, I have replaced the leather so its technecally not original... but I think you know what I mean. The rimfire system works great, I dont see the need to modify the rifle when I can use a rimfire conversion cartridge.
I could also have a machinist friend of mine run a small run of brass cartridges in 52 sharps rimfire with the same conversion method, using the same 22 blank method...
Thanks for any information you guys can provide!
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