Garret sharps carbine

[Scott Harris]

One of my guys just picked up a Garret that looks like it might be unfired. I have been told they are the next best thing to an original. Which bullet do they like?

[RaiderANV]

They are as good as an original and best yet they have a ,,,,,,,,,,!!!wait for it,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,working MAYNARD priming system ta boot

[Jim Wimbish, 10395]

The Maynard priming system used a roll of caps. The Lawrence Pellet Primer utilized on the Sharps used pellets and was a completely different system developed by Lawrence, not Dr. Maynard.

[R. McAuley 3014V]

Doesn't really matter. But if your buddy paid more than $300 for it, he got hosed! They didn't cost that much new-in-the-box. Sold mine in 1991 for $250 and thought I was doing good just to get rid of it. Looked great but shot like a hose pipe.

[Scott Harris]

Hey RICHARD - thanks for the nice words. They seem to be going for around a $1000. I am pretty sure that Tim Thorne shoots one so there is at least one out there that shoots.

[Charlie Hahn]

Hi Scotty,

As for bullets I like them is this order, all .544, Brooks, Lyman, Tennessee, Moose, Rapine. I just set one up using the Tennessee, 38 grains 2f Swiss. Paper tube 1.2 long, with soft lube. Ten shots 100 yards off hand 4 inch group, (customer does not like a bench).

Check the Sharps to see how many grooves it has, right or left hand twist. Check the twist rate, it will be either 1/2 turn, or 1/3 turn, the second needs 2 more grains.

Hope this helps.

Charlie Hahn

[RaiderANV]

The Maynard priming system used a roll of caps. The Lawrence Pellet Primer utilized on the Sharps used pellets and was a completely different system developed by Lawrence, not Dr. Maynard.

Only meant as an ongoing Maynard joke to further confuse Scotty. =)

[Scott Harris]

thanks Charlie and to PJ - no confusion you said maynard that's the joke

[Jim Wimbish, 10395]

There was actually one Sharps model, the 1855, that used the Maynard tape priming system. Robbins & Lawrence was apparently having some financial problems around that time. So Sharps bought Robbins & Lawrence and the rest of the Sharps that used a priming system used the Lawrence pellet primer. The earliest gun that I have with the Maynard priming system is a Remington Jenks carbine made around 1847. Does anyone know of an earlier gun using the Maynard priming system?

[R. McAuley 3014V]

Hey RICHARD - thanks for the nice words. They seem to be going for around a $1000. I am pretty sure that Tim Thorne shoots one so there is at least one out there that shoots.

Thanks Scott, I stick with my M1860 Spencer Rifle for the moment. They go for between $4,000 to $6,000, and mine prints in the 10-ring at 50 yards.