IAB Sharps and caps

[BLakatos]

I?m fairly new to shooting sharps. In the past I was able to snap a cap, with sometimes a second hammer fall. Yesterday, I got off about 8 shots then nothing. I came home and tried working on it. It will still snap a CCI cap but not a Schuetzen, at least with any type of reliability. My son also has and IAB sharps, which is only 26 digits off, so I swapped out the locks, but not a whole lot of difference. Both sharps have wear consistent with heavy re-enactment use. (Saddle & Calvary sling)
Here?s my questions;
1). Has anyone had this problem and fixed it?
2). Is the current production CCI caps hot enough for a sharps
3). Would a stronger mainspring help?
Thanks, Brian

[Flatlander35]

While I do not own a Sharps, from what I have read, correct or incorrect, the inner diameter of the caps are different and the Schutezen caps are much tighter, and often will not fit completely on the nipple giving inconsistent ignition. You may need to either find a way to flair the caps slightly so they sit flush right on the nipple or use something to seat them tightly so the hammer has the maximum amount of force to set it off. Again, just what I have read and very well be incorrect but it may be something to chew on.

[hawkeye2]

I'll bet your trouble is not with the lock or the mainspring. The Schuetzen caps are steel rather than brass as are most other brands of caps. That would make them harder to seat specially if the inside diameter is less than the CCI caps. Take a few CCI or other brand caps and try them on the nipple to get a feel and then try some Schuetzen. Do they go as easily and fully seat on the nipple? If they don't modify the nipple (the cheapest thing on the gun) to accept them. Wrap the threads with tape or slip some soft tubing over them to protect them while you chuck the nipple by the threaded area in a drill. With a file gently reduce the diameter of the nipple while constantly checking the fit of the Schuetzen caps. When you feel the cap fully seat with only a slight resistance put it back in the gun and snap a few. There's a very good chance that will cure the problem.

[BLakatos]

I failed to mention that I?ve modified the nipple to the inside dimensions of the schuetzen cap. I put a very light coating of candle soot on the nipple. Each place where the soot was missing (high spot) I took a needle file and slowly removed the metal. The nipple now has an almost exact fit to the cap.
What I find strange is that last time I was at the range, it was firing. Sometimes it would take a second hammer fall to ignite the cap. Which is what leads me to believe that it?s a mainspring issue.
However, I?m using ampco nipples. Would a steel nipple make a difference? With sourcing caps, I need to find a way to make the schuetzen cap work. When the schuetzen?s ignite, it?s goes off each time

[Carolina Reb]

One other thing to check. If the lever is slightly bent the breechblock will sit low in the frame, which leads to light hammer strikes no matter how strong the mainspring is because the tumbler hits the bridle before the hammer hits the cap. This is a common Sharps problem caused by people leaning on the leaver to open a fouled breech.

[BLakatos]

Thanks for the reply. The block is setting fine. When I lower the block, with the hammer on the nipple, the hammer will lower about 1/16 or so.

[Maillemaker]

The problem is the Shuetzen caps. I have had the same problem with my Sharps.

Shuetzen caps are made of brass-plated steel. You can convince yourself of this by picking them up with a magnet. I suspect the steel is not as malleable as pure brass. The steel is probably a cost-savings measure. So, what I think happens is that the caps, not being as malleable, do not always conform to the nipple on the first hammer strike. It just seats the cap really well. Then the second strike sets if off.

I tried to fix this by chucking the nipple in my drill press and dressing the cap-end with a file so that it was slightly smaller. This did not help.

I replaced the nipple from one out of my spares box and now it works fine.

Another possible problem that just occurred to me when I went and got the carbine and some caps is that the wings of the caps tend to rest on the top lip of the receiver. It's possible that if the nipple was very slightly shorter that the cap would not be bottoming out on the nipple but rather the wings would be acting like a stand-off against the receiver. With softer brass caps (like RWS) the wings probably "fold up" and everything goes bang just fine. But the harder steel wings may resist the hammer blow enough to prevent consistent ignition.

As for CCI musket caps, I have not tried them in years. They were weakened after a lawsuit. For a while the tins had a sticker "FOR REENACTMENT USE" on them. Later this sticker was covered up with a new sticker that said "MULTIPLE USE" or something like that. I found that the CCI caps worked OK in guns with straight-in fire channels like the M1842 or Enfield, but not so good in guns with multi-drill fire channel like the 1861 Springfield or Richmond Carbine. I'd be concerned about CCI caps with the long and convoluted Sharps fire channel but you can try it.

https://i.imgur.com/bROlyhZl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/nO16Bhll.jpg

Steve

[BLakatos]

The problem is the Shuetzen caps. I have had the same problem with my Sharps.

Shuetzen caps are made of brass-plated steel. You can convince yourself of this by picking them up with a magnet. I suspect the steel is not as malleable as pure brass. The steel is probably a cost-savings measure. So, what I think happens is that the caps, not being as malleable, do not always conform to the nipple on the first hammer strike. It just seats the cap really well. Then the second strike sets if off.

I tried to fix this by chucking the nipple in my drill press and dressing the cap-end with a file so that it was slightly smaller. This did not help.

I replaced the nipple from one out of my spares box and now it works fine.

Another possible problem that just occurred to me when I went and got the carbine and some caps is that the wings of the caps tend to rest on the top lip of the receiver. It's possible that if the nipple was very slightly shorter that the cap would not be bottoming out on the nipple but rather the wings would be acting like a stand-off against the receiver. With softer brass caps (like RWS) the wings probably "fold up" and everything goes bang just fine. But the harder steel wings may resist the hammer blow enough to prevent consistent ignition.

As for CCI musket caps, I have not tried them in years. They were weakened after a lawsuit. For a while the tins had a sticker "FOR REENACTMENT USE" on them. Later this sticker was covered up with a new sticker that said "MULTIPLE USE" or something like that. I found that the CCI caps worked OK in guns with straight-in fire channels like the M1842 or Enfield, but not so good in guns with multi-drill fire channel like the 1861 Springfield or Richmond Carbine. I'd be concerned about CCI caps with the long and convoluted Sharps fire channel but you can try it.

https://i.imgur.com/bROlyhZl.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/nO16Bhll.jpg

Steve
So a replacement nipple fixed the problem? Is the replacement nipple steel or ampco? Also, any way to post a picture of the nipple? With the only available caps on the market being schuetzen, I?m sure lots of people will have similar problems this year.
Thanks, Brian

[Maillemaker]

Appears to be steel.

I think I bought it from Lodgewood. I am pretty sure this is what I first got when I ordered a Smith Carbine nipple. I kept it and stuck it in my spare parts bin. I had actually ordered a Pedersoli Shaprs Rifle nipple from Track of the Wolf thinking it would be the same one as the Carbine. It did not fit. So I rummaged around in my parts bin and found this unused nipple. Pretty sure it came from Lodgewood.

Steve

[BLakatos]

Thanks to all that replied. I have determined that it is a weak mainspring. I was able to track down some RWS caps. While the RWS cap does ignite about half the time the hammer falls, it is now starting to catch in the halfcock position.
Now the search begins for a new mainspring!
Brian

[John Bly]

The mainspring has nothing to do with hanging up on the half cock notch. You've got other problems.