Slant breech Sharps question

[Steve Weems]

Watched a video on a firing of a slant breech Sharps and the amount of gas escape from the breech was impressive to say the least. curious if that was typical of this model and if
the various people who modify Sharps to get better gas seals have tried improving this model. Of course this model is mot reproduced so a valuable original would have to be used.
Allways thought this was the most attractive appearance of the Sharps models.

[mgmradio]

A buddy of mine just spent a large amount of range time with a couple of slanting breach Sharps for a series of articles he is doing. I filmed him shooting in slow motion a couple of times and on the two different Carbines, I believe a 51 and 54 there was minimal flash from the breach seal, about the Sam as from the cap. Out guns have tight breaches with between 1 & 2 thousandths clearance between the block and the bouching .

[Steve Weems]

Mgmradio? that should be an interesting video when it comes out. I suspect the sharps in the YouTube video must have been too worn to keep the breech sealed. Thanks for the reply.

[Hal]

I'm certainly no expert, but I have read that the slant breech models did not seal as well as the later 59 and 63 models. My wife shoots an original 59 and if it leaks, it's not enough to notice. Haven't tried slo-mo video.

[mgmradio]

Hal,
The breach blocks between the slanting breach and the new model are different. The new model uses the Conant plate in the breach block to greatly improve the sealing.

Steve,
Didn't make a long Youatube video, just short clips of the breach when firing to see how much leakage there actually was.

[John Holland]

Mgmradio - Where will the series of articles be available?

[mgmradio]

I?m not 100% certain, but I believe the first one came out recently in The Muzzle Blast . The second was just accepted. I?ll find out for sure the mag. They have also contacted him to continue with other articles.

[mgmradio]

John, I believe the first article came out a month or two ago in the Black powder cartridge news and the second on has been accepted. They want him to do a series on Civil War carbines.

[John Holland]

Thank you, but not a publication I get.

[Southron Sr.]

Well, the British Cavalry in India adopted the Slant Breech Sharps Carbine. Their #1 complaint was that the gas leakage from the breech would often set the coat sleeve of the arm supporting the forestock ON FIRE!!!!

Somehow, I have no desire to shoot a Slant Breech Sharps.

[Steve Weems]

This
Well, the British Cavalry in India adopted the Slant Breech Sharps Carbine. Their #1 complaint was that the gas leakage from the breech would often set the coat sleeve of the arm supporting the forestock ON FIRE!!!!

Somehow, I have no desire to shoot a Slant Breech Sharps.

maybe this is the source for the slant breech Sharps IMA got with the Nepal horde? IMA implies they May be from Confederate surplus.

[Southron Sr.]

Off and on, several years ago, I spent three months in the Georgia State Archives, going all thru the Ordnance Letter Books and every document in the archives of the state's Adjutant Generals office related to arms manufactured/or/purchased/or/ issued by the State of Georgia.

THE STATE OF GEORGIA NEVER MANUFACTURED OR PURCHASED ANY SLANT BREECH SHARPS RIFLES OR CARBINES.

Before Georgia seceded from the Union in January of 1861, the state ordered and received 1,200 Sharps New Model 1859 Carbines directly from the Sharps company.

Anyway, I communicated this fact directly to IMA that Georgia never made or purchased or issued any Slant Breech Sharps-however IMA still "theorize" in their ads that those Slant Breech Breech arms they have for sale are somehow "Confederate. BULL!!! In actuality, they were probably manufactured in Nepal.

End of story.