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Roundballs in a Sharps

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Does anyone have experience shooting roundballs out of a sharps?
Mine calls for .544 and there are .545 balls.
Maybe make paper cartridges, would save on lead for plinking.
Thanks
 
You'll need a lubed cushion wad or an over powder card wad and grease cookie behind the ball to prevent leading. Kind of messy in a paper cartridge. Not worth the trouble IMHO.
 
Never shot a Sharps.
With patched round ball can you add enough powder to get a muzzleloaded patched round ball still in the rifling and not falling into the chamber?
 
If the paper cartridges are anything like those made for cap and ball revolvers, why not. With paper cartridges for revolvers the ball/conical is glued to the paper. The cartridges are then dipped in melted lube up to the paper line. Works fine in that situation.
I also use that method in the Burnside breech loader as well as black powder loaded 45Colt.
 
You'll need a lubed cushion wad or an over powder card wad and grease cookie behind the ball to prevent leading. Kind of messy in a paper cartridge. Not worth the trouble IMHO.
I see your point. How about paper cartridge and just dunk the ball in lube before shooting?
 
Never shot a Sharps.
With patched round ball can you add enough powder to get a muzzleloaded patched round ball still in the rifling and not falling into the chamber?
Placing the ball in a paper cartridge. My IAB chamber allows for 80 grains which is overboard. Recommended load is 60 grains. You can fudge the amount of powder by adding filler.
 
If the paper cartridges are anything like those made for cap and ball revolvers, why not. With paper cartridges for revolvers the ball/conical is glued to the paper. The cartridges are then dipped in melted lube up to the paper line. Works fine in that situation.
I also use that method in the Burnside breech loader as well as black powder loaded 45Colt.
That's what I was thinking too.
 
Does anyone have experience shooting roundballs out of a sharps?
Mine calls for .544 and there are .545 balls.
Maybe make paper cartridges, would save on lead for plinking.
Thanks
Never did, but the idea is good. I don't see why a Sharps don't could shoot paper cartridges with round balls...
I use three types of bullets and the "Christmas Tree" are the best of them. I'm doing this way only because the Christmas Tree is the original profile of bullet and I like to make all my cartridges with flax or paper with the link and the knot, not because it can works better or not than with a round ball, but just because I like it...
I really think that you never get any problem with round balls apart, that the good mold in .45 caliber can be easier to find than the .54...
At the reflection, the round ball could be superior at a different profile needing smaller loads of BP and lead...
Normally that must be good and may be better than other bullets...
The different types I make :
les_ba10.jpg
sharps15.jpg
 
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Never did, but the idea is good. I don't see why a Sharps don't could shoot paper cartridges with round balls...
I use three types of bullets and the "Christmas Tree" are the best of them. I'm doing this way only because the Christmas Tree is the original profile of bullet and I like to make all my cartridges with flax or paper with the link and the knot, not because it can works better or not than with a round ball, but just because I like it...
I really think that you never get any problem with round balls apart, that the good mould in .45 caliber can be easier to find than the .54...
At the reflection, the round ball could be superior at an other profile with loads needing smaller charges of BP and lead...
Normally that must be good and may be better than other bullets...
The types I make :
View attachment 93735View attachment 93736

View attachment 93735View attachment 93736View attachment 93735View attachment 93736
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I use the .544/475grain christmas tree from DGW and I got a LEE REAL .540/415 grain hollow base mold. Would like to find the .544 mold and .545 round ball mold.
 
Does anyone have experience shooting roundballs out of a sharps?
Mine calls for .544 and there are .545 balls.
Maybe make paper cartridges, would save on lead for plinking.
Thanks
Round balls with patch work with 1/66 or 1/48 riffling. The patched ball won't strip the riffling and be inaccurate. What is the twist in your Sharps?
 
That loads with Firefox...
Your attachments won't load.
I use the .544/475grain christmas tree from DGW and I got a LEE REAL .540/415 grain hollow base mold. Would like to find the .544 mold and .545 round ball mold.
That'why I was talkin 'about .45 cal. which is easier to find, I have never seen round ball mold in .544" cal....

les_ba10.jpg

sharps15.jpg
 
Round balls with patch work with 1/66 or 1/48 riffling. The patched ball won't strip the riffling and be inaccurate. What is the twist in your Sharps?
I have no idea what the twist rate is, but it's an 1863 IAB .54 cal.
It loads from the breach, so no patch is used.
 
Round balls with patch work with 1/66 or 1/48 riffling. The patched ball won't strip the riffling and be inaccurate. What is the twist in your Sharps?
Never seen Sharps carbine in 1:66 twist. Did you see that ?
The twist rate for IAB Sharps carbine is 1:48, and you can't use it with patches, never seen too...
 
Yep, .545 : I have .543 out of the mold and 0.002 is peanuts (I just look on the desk with a micrometer)...
And if you cast w/ wheel weights it will bump it up hair on the diameter.
MY REAL .540 mold spits out the bullet a hair larger in diameter than the soft lead so it's tighter in the chamber.. Making the cartridge the paper also acts to fill the voids.
 
I have 2 IAB Sharps. Both barrels measure .555. I have yet to see an IAB with a .540 barrel. You best slug it to be sure.
 
Not a Sharps but I shoot a .577 Snider with round ball. Just push a .600 soft round ball in the top of a 28ga shotgun case 9fire forms on ignition). It shoots well, Think the rifling is 1-48 twist.
 

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