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.
Steve Sheldon
Commander
4th Louisiana Delta Rifles
NRA Certified Muzzleloading Instructor
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