Original Sharps carbine ammunition specs?

[OregonBill]

Quoting from John McAulay's book, "Carbines of the Civil War, 1861-1865," published in 1981:
"The .52 Caliber Sharps carbine used the linen cartridge. The bullet diamter was .54 and it weighed 450 grains. The amount of powder used was 60 grains with the overall length of the cartridge of 2.06 inches."
How many of you that shoot the various Sharps 1859 and 1863 reproductions shoot this same load? Whose 450-grain bullet mold are you using?
Many thanks.

[ms3635v]

I am shooting a Shilo (Farmingdale) with a Moose .54 caliber ringtail, 45 grains of 3F GOEX and Charlie Hahn tubes, no fillr.

[OregonBill]

Mike, is that the Moose 550-457 mold? This one: http://moosemoulds.wix.com/mm2013#!sharps-rt/c24at
Was wondering how the ring shank fits Charlie's tubes.

[moosette]

Allow me to answer that one - all of our ringtail moulds are designed specifically to fit Charlie's Tubes.

Moosette

[ms3635v]

Bill,

I am shooting the 544-480, and it is very accurate, and it fits Charlie's tubes like a glove.

[lmcmahon]

I share the same results with Mike's post. I shoot the same bullet, but with 43.5 grains of 2 f Swiss.

[OregonBill]

Thanks for the replies, folks. Moosette, you can disregard the e-mail I sent asking this very thing about your bullets and Charlie's tubes.

[Curt]

Hallo!

I thought I would just add some historical trivia reading...

Up until November 1859, Sharps had been using what was later referred to as the "Old Model' cartridge is what we call the "ringtail" where the paper cartridge was tied to the bullet. Bullets could vary (within normal variations) , say 468 grain .567 diameter or 516 grain .570 diameter for example.

For 1860, the cartridge was changed to the "New Model.' where the bullet had itself "glued' to the linen, skin, or paper cartridge. By 1864 linen was dominant due to complaints of fragile paper breaking. In April 1864 Old Model and paper New Model cartridges were ordered broken up and recycled.

A spot check by Ramsey in 1863 showed Sharps carbine rounds as (nominal) 458.4 grains and 63.6 powder.

In May of 1864, issues of powders charges were investigated. Cartridges made by Sharps Rifle Co, were found to be 'nearly 65 grains' of musket powder which matched Ordnance determinations that the carbine needed 65 grains to "hold up to the graduations of the sight.' Examination of other makers Sharps cartridges showed powder charges of 63 to 68 grains.

Side Note:

Sharps bullet sizes vary within an acceptable range., largely due to their being either cast, or pressed (swaged) and how tight or loose the mold or machinery was running at the time.
For example.. a smallish end at 414 grains, .536 diameter, .92" long. Versus up to a largish 527 grains, .547 diameter, 2.09" long.

Curt

[OregonBill]

Curt, thank you for sharing these insights on the original Sharps cartridges.
Might have to try my hand at making a few linen cartridges at some point, just to say I have.