Sharps as a muzzleloader?

[jek279]

Is there any record or alternate use of the sharps as being used as a Muzzleloader by civil war soldiers?

[Eggman]

Not that I'm aware of. Post war, however, it is recorded that many Sharps were converted into fence posts.

[RaiderANV]

ONLY,,,,,,because they ran out of starr's!

[John Holland]

I have never read, nor heard, of any historic record of such a use of a Sharps. It would be very difficult for a Civil War soldier to use a Sharps Rifle or Carbine as a muzzle loader because the Sharps bullet is quite a bit oversize for the bore diameter. Finding an alternate cartridge and bullet to fit would be nearly impossible. Even if that were possible, then the soldier would have to acquire a ram rod from somewhere with a head small enough to fit the bore of the Sharps, and carry it loose because of the Sharps having no provision for a ram rod. An interesting question!

[Southron Sr.]

There used to be a fairly large gun shop about three miles from my house. The gun shop was owned by a retired airline pilot and the building covered something like 3,000 square feet. The gun racks were well stocked with a wide variety of modern firearms and even a few modern and traditional muzzleloaders. Plus the shop had a lot of "shooting accessories" like hunting clothes, clay pigeons, etc.

Well, about 5 years ago I stopped by the place to pick up a couple of boxes of clay pigeons. The retired airline pilot owner was not there but a character in his mid-20's was running the shop and operating the cash register.

As I was paying for the clay pigeons I observed that in a few days it would be the beginning of Georgia's Muzzleloading Deer Season. The clerk who was taking my money proudly announced he was the shop's recently hired "Gunsmith" and he already had a "muzzleloader" to use for the upcoming Muzzleloading Deer Season.. I kinda figured he would be using a modern inline M/L, but he disappeared into the back room and re-appeared with a Shiloh Sharps "Berdan Model" Sharps Rifle in what appeared (from a distance) to be in "mint" condition.

I tried to explain to him that in Georgia "Muzzleloading Deer Season" required the use of "muzzleloaders and NOT breech loaders." His explanation to me was: "Oh, (and pointing to the Sharps) This is a nuzzleloader!!!"

He explained to me that he had used that Sharps ONLY ONE TIME as a breech loader, and that was the day he had bought it. The next time he wanted to shoot it was 6 months later, by then rust had "frozen" the breechblock shut!! THAT IS WHY HE USED IT AS A MUZZLELOADER!!!

On closer examination I could see a line of bright red rust sealing the breechblock into the receiver. It contrasted with the light coat of rust over running the color casehardening of the receiver.

I asked him if he knew how to clean that Sharps. He gave me that "all knowing" reply: "Modern replica muzzleloaders and Sharps DO NOT NEED TO BE CLEANED AFTER YOU SHOOT THEM." They are made out of modern steels.

What is the old saying: "You can't fix stupid." When I tried to tell him that muzzleloaders needed to be cleaned ASAP after they were shot using black powder or Pyrodex, he flat out told me I was WRONG.

I only saw that "Gunsmith" one other time. I visited the shop to pick up some cleaning patches and he was busy trying to epoxy a front sight on to the barrel of an Italian replica of a Colt Peacemaker for a Cowboy Action Shooter. When I tactfully suggested he silver solder that front sight on, I was treated like an idiot step child by that "Gunsmith."

Several months later that gun shop went bankrupt. I don't know what happened to that "Gunsmith," maybe he is working at another gun shop somewhere else.
I also guess that that Shiloh Sharps Rifle of his is probably in "relic condition" by now.

[Ron The Old Reb]

" Life is tough, it's tougher if your stupid. " John Wayne

[Gary Van Kauwenbergh, 101]

I've never heard of a Sharps being used as a muzzle-loader by Civil War soldiers. But post-War folks were doing lots of weird things. Here's a photo of a Smith Carbine, whose breach was welded shut, barrel extended, and ramrod added so it could be used as a muzzle-loading shotgun. This is from the Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum in Decorah, Iowa. There was also a Spencer and I think a Maynard altered like this.

Of course it sound ridiculous to do something like that today, but I can remember as a kid seeing a Sears catalog selling a barrel full of 45-70 trapdoors for $49.99. My reaction at the time was "Who in their right mind would spend $49.99 on a barrel of junk?" I'd like a do-over on passing up that buying opportunity..

5633

[Dave Fox]

In the for what it's worth department, the M.1819 Hall flintlock breechloader had the muzzle relieved from the factory so it could be used as a muzzleloader, I guess with standard diameter balls, though after starting one it must have taken some heroic hammering to seat. In the 1950s at the Porter County Long Rifles (Indiana) range there was a member shooting an M.1863 Maynard as a muzzleloader using a shortened cartridge case as a breech seal. These breech seals were obtainable from Dixie Gun Works.

[Kevin Tinny]

Hello:

A CW era firearms historian told me that at one point all Federal CW era single shot breech loaders had to be capable of functioning as muzzle loaders if self contained cartridges were not available. He mentioned that at least the Maynard and the nipple equipped Ballards were that way. The early Maynard's half length case was for this purpose and also served as a breech filler to help its rigidity when carried unloaded. Not so for repeaters such as the Spencer or Henry.

Respectfully,
Kevin Tinny
42 NY

[Muley Gil]

Don't try this at home kiddos!

As a teenager I bought a .43 Spanish Remington rolling block carbine at the Baltimore antique gunshow. I also bought some vintage ammo. Some of it went off; some didn't. Of course, my brass was Berdan primed. So, I deprimed my brass, chambered the cartridge and laid a large rifle primer on the Berdan anvil. I closed the breach block and placed the hammer on half cock. I used a powder measure to pour about 36 grains of FFFg down the barrel, then I loaded a roundball. It was accurate enough to hit coke cans at 25 yards.

When I finally wore out the anvil in my Berdan brass, I reamed out the brass and used 209 shot shell primers. I would seat a primer, fill the case with FFFg and press .451 round ball into the mouth. It shot fine.

[Bruce Cobb 1723V]

Gil, where can I find a 209 primer pocket reamer?? Maybe this should be in another thread?

[Muley Gil]

I used a common drill bit and just drilled the vintage brass so that I could press a 209 primer into place.