Maillemaker
12-11-2016, 09:59 PM
So a few months ago I traded a fellow my like-new Pedersoli P1853 for his like-new Pedersoli Sharps Carbine.
I took it to the range for a load workup session, only to discover that you can only get off about 10 shots or so before the action starts to gum up to the point where it is unusable - I was having to dribble Ballistol into the action between the breech face and the breech block face to loosen it up to keep running.
This is in spite of Pedersoli's latest attempt having their own rendition of the "Sam Dobbins modification", where they have an O-ring behind the gas check plate to try and keep it pressed up against the chamber bushing.
So I gave Larry Flees a call, and after a short discussion I decided to bite the bullet and send it to him to see if it would work as well as people claimed - that you could shoot an entire skirmish without having to stop and clean the breech block.
Larry did very fast work. I sent it out on 11/16/2016, and it was done on 11/27/2016. I sent him the check for the work, and received my gun back on 12/5/2016. So basically a two-and-a-half week turnaround.
What Larry does, in brief, is he removes the stock sliding chamber bushing and replaces it with a fixed sleeve that protrudes away from the breech face by a specific amount. He then replaces the stock gas check plate with an AMPCO Bronze replacement that is precision machined to match the new chamber sleeve. Like the stock gun, Larry's gas check plate is backed up with an o-ring in a recessed pocket in the breech block, though Larry uses a thinner o-ring than what Pedersoli uses. I suspect that is because Pedersoli is trying (and failing) to overcome sloppier tolerances with the thicker o-ring, and Larry's mod is so precise there is no need for so much slop in the o-ring.
http://i.imgur.com/5u1HBwol.png
For this, Larry charges $250. It cost about $55 to ship it insured to him, and about $55 to ship it insured back to me. So the total price was about $360.
In addition to the above, Larry machined the vent to shape it into a hexagon so that it can be removed with a standard socket rather than the special Pedersoli tool. He also very slightly turned down the end of the nipple as it was dragging on the breech block raceway. He also lightened up the lever spring. Larry did not charge anything for these things.
Larry also includes a personalized instruction manual detailing what exactly he did to the gun and operating instructions to keep it running well.
Today I took the carbine to the range to do a full load workup again. I made up 89 cartridges:
10 25 grain
10 30 grain
10 35 grain
10 40 grain
10 45 grain
10 50 grain
10 55 grain
10 60 grain
These were all made up using nitrated 20-pound computer printer paper, using the Pedersoli 315-541 bullet. Bullets were dip-lubed in a 50/50 beeswax/Crisco mix.
I also made up 9 (ruined one) cartridges made with 17 pound un-nitrated vellum as a test.
As Larry had advised, I lubricated the breech block bearing surfaces with white lithium grease.
I was able to fire all 89 cartridges consecutively with no change in the feel of the action and no degradation in performance.
The action worked the same from the first shot until the last.
So Larry's Sharps job appears to live up to the claim, and I'm very pleased with it. Examining the gas plate face after shooting showed no deterioration or evidence of gas cutting:
http://i.imgur.com/I8m0weal.jpg
My only negative comment is that in removing the barrel from the breech the vice or wrench dug into the barrel and marred the finish:
http://i.imgur.com/aRt7grzl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/nnuZofJl.jpg
I'm not terribly upset by this - it's kind of like when you get a new car you know you're going to get a door ding eventually but it still smarts when you finally do. I've always babied my firearms but I have come to terms with the fact that my skirmish guns are "working" firearms and consequently they see a lot of wear and tear and try as you might you still get dings and scratches and scorched wood, etc. It also may be that there is nothing for it because the barrel is reefed in so tight at the factory that that is simply what it takes to get it out. I frequently pad my vice jaws with thick leather to prevent marring things I am working on but perhaps this is not possible with these barrels.
So, in summary, I'd highly recommend Larry Flees' Sharps modification. You will end up with a Sharps carbine that can run an entire skirmish without having to worry about the breech block seizing up. The price is good and the speed of service is fantastic. Be aware there may be some cosmetic blemishes caused by removing the barrel from the receiver.
Steve
I took it to the range for a load workup session, only to discover that you can only get off about 10 shots or so before the action starts to gum up to the point where it is unusable - I was having to dribble Ballistol into the action between the breech face and the breech block face to loosen it up to keep running.
This is in spite of Pedersoli's latest attempt having their own rendition of the "Sam Dobbins modification", where they have an O-ring behind the gas check plate to try and keep it pressed up against the chamber bushing.
So I gave Larry Flees a call, and after a short discussion I decided to bite the bullet and send it to him to see if it would work as well as people claimed - that you could shoot an entire skirmish without having to stop and clean the breech block.
Larry did very fast work. I sent it out on 11/16/2016, and it was done on 11/27/2016. I sent him the check for the work, and received my gun back on 12/5/2016. So basically a two-and-a-half week turnaround.
What Larry does, in brief, is he removes the stock sliding chamber bushing and replaces it with a fixed sleeve that protrudes away from the breech face by a specific amount. He then replaces the stock gas check plate with an AMPCO Bronze replacement that is precision machined to match the new chamber sleeve. Like the stock gun, Larry's gas check plate is backed up with an o-ring in a recessed pocket in the breech block, though Larry uses a thinner o-ring than what Pedersoli uses. I suspect that is because Pedersoli is trying (and failing) to overcome sloppier tolerances with the thicker o-ring, and Larry's mod is so precise there is no need for so much slop in the o-ring.
http://i.imgur.com/5u1HBwol.png
For this, Larry charges $250. It cost about $55 to ship it insured to him, and about $55 to ship it insured back to me. So the total price was about $360.
In addition to the above, Larry machined the vent to shape it into a hexagon so that it can be removed with a standard socket rather than the special Pedersoli tool. He also very slightly turned down the end of the nipple as it was dragging on the breech block raceway. He also lightened up the lever spring. Larry did not charge anything for these things.
Larry also includes a personalized instruction manual detailing what exactly he did to the gun and operating instructions to keep it running well.
Today I took the carbine to the range to do a full load workup again. I made up 89 cartridges:
10 25 grain
10 30 grain
10 35 grain
10 40 grain
10 45 grain
10 50 grain
10 55 grain
10 60 grain
These were all made up using nitrated 20-pound computer printer paper, using the Pedersoli 315-541 bullet. Bullets were dip-lubed in a 50/50 beeswax/Crisco mix.
I also made up 9 (ruined one) cartridges made with 17 pound un-nitrated vellum as a test.
As Larry had advised, I lubricated the breech block bearing surfaces with white lithium grease.
I was able to fire all 89 cartridges consecutively with no change in the feel of the action and no degradation in performance.
The action worked the same from the first shot until the last.
So Larry's Sharps job appears to live up to the claim, and I'm very pleased with it. Examining the gas plate face after shooting showed no deterioration or evidence of gas cutting:
http://i.imgur.com/I8m0weal.jpg
My only negative comment is that in removing the barrel from the breech the vice or wrench dug into the barrel and marred the finish:
http://i.imgur.com/aRt7grzl.jpg
http://i.imgur.com/nnuZofJl.jpg
I'm not terribly upset by this - it's kind of like when you get a new car you know you're going to get a door ding eventually but it still smarts when you finally do. I've always babied my firearms but I have come to terms with the fact that my skirmish guns are "working" firearms and consequently they see a lot of wear and tear and try as you might you still get dings and scratches and scorched wood, etc. It also may be that there is nothing for it because the barrel is reefed in so tight at the factory that that is simply what it takes to get it out. I frequently pad my vice jaws with thick leather to prevent marring things I am working on but perhaps this is not possible with these barrels.
So, in summary, I'd highly recommend Larry Flees' Sharps modification. You will end up with a Sharps carbine that can run an entire skirmish without having to worry about the breech block seizing up. The price is good and the speed of service is fantastic. Be aware there may be some cosmetic blemishes caused by removing the barrel from the receiver.
Steve