Sharps Carbine @ 100 yards

[Tom]

I have a Pedersoli Sharps Carbine. It shoots like a charm at 50 yards. A modified Lyman .54 Cal minie mold with a center pin and 35 g Goex, does fantastic. But the same powder and round only hits the target 3 out of 5 times at 100 yards. Where the other two go - is a mystery.

I have learned a lot the past 8 months. A "Christmas tree" round does the best, sized at .546 and 41 g 3F Old Eynsford. I can still hit the target 3 out of 5 times at 100 yards. But this time I can see where the other two make a hole. When the rounds are sized smaller, the group gets bigger. I've tested different rounds and powders - just out of ideas.

Any suggestions would be helpful. Thanks in advance.

[Lou Lou Lou]

Are the 3 out of 5 shots are offhand or from the bench.
if offhand, what does it do from the bench?

[Tom]

I'm shooting from the bench. I've thought about my hold and other things. Think I'll try a lower then a greater powder charge next time.

[Lou Lou Lou]

Dave Miller posted over on Cast Boolits about tecnique. Fella had a Kibler shooting 5 inch 50 yd groups. Dave shot basically a one hole group. Then coached the fella , he improved. Gun remained the same.
think about it. Maybe get someone to watch. See if you have a tell.

[Tom]

Thanks. I can shoot the Sharps carbine fine off hand and from the bench just fine at 50 yards. I shoot the Sharps rifle and musket fine at 50 & 100 yards from the bench and off hand no problem. There seems to be something I don't know about what it takes for the Sharps carbine to shoot at 100 yards.

[PoorJack]

Thanks. I can shoot the Sharps carbine fine off hand and from the bench just fine at 50 yards. I shoot the Sharps rifle and musket fine at 50 & 100 yards from the bench and off hand no problem. There seems to be something I don't know about what it takes for the Sharps carbine to shoot at 100 yards.

If you're benching the gun, where and how you rest the forearm can affect the point of impact. I proved that with the Kibler my buddy built. He couldn't get a 5in group at 50 and I shot the same load to a small cloverleaf and all that was changed was the shooter and how the gun was held.

Past that, many lube a Sharps bullet by dip lubing up to the paper. I've found that "painting" the lube into the grooves and keeping the ogive clean reduces flyers and tightens the group at 100yd.

[Eggman]

I've resolved in 2022 to not write any mean stuff. So guys, let me just offer my congratulations that you got those Sharps carbines to actually fire.

[Tom]

If you're benching the gun, where and how you rest the forearm can affect the point of impact. I proved that with the Kibler my buddy built. He couldn't get a 5in group at 50 and I shot the same load to a small cloverleaf and all that was changed was the shooter and how the gun was held.

Past that, many lube a Sharps bullet by dip lubing up to the paper. I've found that "painting" the lube into the grooves and keeping the ogive clean reduces flyers and tightens the group at 100yd.

Thank you. I've heard of "painting" the lube on to the round before. I'll try it the way you described.

[Maillemaker]

I have hesitated to reply in this thread because I have not done enough work with the new bullet to have anything conclusive to share, and I have not done any load workups at 100 yards yet.

But I am very optimistic about the new Larry Flees Sharps bullet. It is a "Christmas tree" design, with 3 progressively larger driving bands, but with a crucial difference from all others reproductions that I am aware of - the front driving band rides the bore.

Modern cartridge Sharps shooters use long, sometimes paper-patched bullets that insert quite a bit down the bore, held in place by the cartridge. These bullets take up the rifling not by impinging on the rifling, but by collapsing along their length, which causes them to swell ("bump up") to take up the rifling.

I believe part of the excellent accuracy the cartridge shooters enjoy is because the bullet is so carefully aligned with the axis of the bore prior to firing.

Mr. Michael Murray sent me a handful of original relic Sharps bullets of the Christmas tree variety, and on every one of them but one the front driving band fit into the bore of my Pedersoli 1859 Sharps. The last one probably would if I pushed it but I did not want to carve off any of the original patina on his bullets.

I now tend to believe that these bullets were intended to be "bore riding" bullets, with the front band being inserted into the bore, with the bullet stopping when the second band hits the rifling.

I have gotten some of the best groups I have ever gotten using this bullet and the Charlie Hahn cardboard tubes.

[Maillemaker]

I fashioned a dipper for lubing my Christmas tree bullets. It is made from a .45 ACP case that I belled out a bit larger. Perhaps a .50 case would work straight away.

Anyway, it works great to keep lube off the nose. However, you have to be sure to use a good, soft lube, because a hard lube, as I found to my chagrin at the Eva shoot last November, will make it so that you cannot fully chamber the round as you cannot get the front band into the bore!

Steve