Originally Posted by
Peter
The sleeve is frozen in place. The plate on the breech block is free and in good shape.
Hang on a second, Peter. I'm no expert, but in the original Sharps, the chamber sleeve was designed to float against the breech block so as to create a sort of seal to prevent leakage. Troopers would reset the sleeve to reduce the gas blow by, which can be pretty unpleasant. If your sleeve is frozen in place, you have no idea how large a gap will exist between the sleeve and gas check plate. We have experts in the N-SSA who have engineered a couple of different ways to keep that seal tight and your Sharps safe to shoot.
I suggest you make contact with Larry Flees (ljflees@hotmail.com or call him at 231-342-0821) and arrange to bring your Sharps to Fort Shenandoah during the Fall Nationals, October 5, 6 & 7. Larry can advise you on the best way to make sure your Sharps is safe enough for those few shots or, I believe, can set it up so you can enjoy it as much as you'd like. If I'm not mistaken, he can do that without ruining the collectibility of your great old Sharps.
I'll defer to Mr. Holland on this, but I'm almost positive that a frozen sleeve makes for a potentially dangerous gas leak situation.
Bob Anderson
Ordnance Sergeant
Company C, 1st Michigan Volunteer Infantry
Small Arms Committee
"I won't be wronged. I won't be insulted. I won't be laid a hand on.
I don't do these things to other people, and I require the same from them."
- John Wayne in "The Shootist", 1976
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