Rapine for the Sharps Carbine

[Tom]

Most of the time I just read the posts.

In the past, I have seen a thread about the Lee mold that casts a round for the Sharps. I was fortunate to find one and it casts a round that weighs between 504-507 grains. I recently shot it with Olde Eynsford 2F with 41.5 grains weighed. At 50 yards there was a ragged 4, the 5th shot was 3/4 of an inch away.

I was also fortunate to find a Rapine mold for the Sharps. It weighs around 411 grains. There is no ring or place to glue on a paper cartridge like the Lee or Pedersoli rounds. I have glued the paper cartridges on the bottom ring which means the paper cartridges are .544 in diameter. They are bigger than other paper cartridges I've prepared. I'm experimenting with powder charges between 30-37 grains which means the filler is between 40-45 grains. That seems like a lot of filler. For those who shoot this round in their Sharps, is that about right?

Thanks in advance.

[Charlie Hahn]

Filler is not needed with the Sharps. If your cartridge is not full place a card wad over the powder to hold it toward the back, and against the breech block. That with round can be explained as result of the filler and how it mixes with the burning powder and changes your pressure.

Charlie Hahn

[PoorJack]

I'll have to hand it to Charlie- the card wad idea worked in both my Sharps. Filler is not needed at all. I was using wadded haircurler paper to keep the charge to the rear of the tube but a card wad pressed onto the powder and glued into place with a couple dots of glue made a measurable change in group size for me.