Sharps .54 chamber sleeve: stuck

[opusnight]

Rule#1: never let your brother borrow your Sharps. Rule#2: if he does, make sure he cleans it!

The chamber sleeve is stuck, jammed up with fowling residue from his last shoot at the range, and won't budge. Won't slide back at all; suggestion on how to solve this? I tried the sleeve-removal tool, that two-piece brass tool that compresses so you can tap it out - but no go. I'm wide open to suggestions... Thanks all.

 

[Columbus]

breech down in a bucket of kerosene for a few days. Then go to Auto Zone, Napa, etc. and get this. Less than $20 - it's called a valve lifter tool. Worked for me every time.

 

[BrownBear]

Soaking is good. A bud experienced this and found an easy fix. He borrowed my little brick of Cerrosafe, plugged the bore just above the insert with a wad of aluminum foil, melted a little of the Cerrosafe and poured it into the chamber. One tap with a cleaning rod popped it out. I didn't see the work, but that's his account, and he had my Cerrosafe back to me within the hour.

 

[opusnight]

Thanks for the tips, guys!

 

[Rfp10000]

breech down in a bucket of kerosene for a few days. Then go to Auto Zone, Napa, etc. and get this. Less than $20 - it's called a valve lifter tool. Worked for me every time.

Columbus ,
I saw this post .... it’s a little old so I wanted to know if you still like this tool to loosen the sleeve.
I see it has flange around the end . Does this fit into a groove ? Did you notice any scratching inside the chamber sleeve ?

thanks , Ron

 

[Columbus]

Columbus ,
I saw this post .... it’s a little old so I wanted to know if you still like this tool to loosen the sleeve.
I see it has flange around the end . Does this fit into a groove ? Did you notice any scratching inside the chamber sleeve ?

thanks , Ron

The Pedersoli tool is absolutely useless. The valve lifter tool works every time and does no damage. When pushed through the sleeve the flange is what catches on the muzzle end of the sleeve and gives you the leverage to pull it out. But if you do the Flees or Hahn mod you won't be needing it.

 

[wb78963]

The Hahn or Flees conversion is the answer. I had so much trouble with fouling I almost sold my carbine. Sent it to Hahn Machine Works, Charlie fixed it and now I just shoot and never look back.
Last fall I tried to foul the breech block out. After 45 shots I just gave up. The breech was just beginning to get a little tight and the powder was some old very dirty Du Pont FFFg.
Don't hesitate either way go on and spend the cash it is a good investment.
Hold Center
Bunk

 

[Rfp10000]

Thanks guys ... for definitive answers !

 

[wb78963]

OR send the whole thing to Hahn or Flees and let them work their magic on the gun. End of trouble.
Bunk

 

[Dude]

I just got a Pedersoli 1859 Confederate Carbine, built in '97. It's a beautiful gun and I love it, but have a bazillion questions. Well, only two at the moment...

1. What's the purpose of the loading lever/trigger guard lock? Why is it a good idea to lock the loading lever?

2. I'm pretty sure it's got the Chamber Sleeve, but haven't spotted it in the diagrams. Is it supposed to be removable? I can't get it to budge.

3. What's the cost of this Hahn conversion? Does the complete gun need to be shipped to him or just the barrel and breech block?

 

[hawkeye2]

Carrying the gun specially on horseback.

Contact Charlie: Contact Me

 

[Dude]

Hi Charlie -

I'm just trying to figure out what the problem is if the lever opens. I guess if it does, it's possible the powder and bullet could come out. But it takes enough force to open the breech I can't imagine it popping open easily.

Got the sleeve out, wasn't much of a problem and only took a few minutes. Put some penetrating oil in the joint, heated the threads a little with the propane torch, wedged a dowel into it and it popped right out.

Found a diagram for a Pedersoli Sharps that showed the sleeve, but nothing behind it. The sleeve on this gun doesn't sit tightly up against the breech block. Is there supposed to be a spring washer or spacers behind it ?

 

[hawkeye2]

If you look at these Winchesters (cartridge guns) you see a lever lock: Henry, 66, 73, 76. Having the action come open, specially on horseback, and jamming the gun was not something you wanted to happen. In the case of the Sharps if the action opens loose powder will get into the cavity in the forearm and If you recharge with powder it can blow the forearm off when you fire it. Of course having the action come open reduces your single shot rifle to a 0 shot rifle. I expect you'll find a well used Sharps will open far easier than your nearly new one.

 

[wb78963]

Realizing I repeat my self, but sent the breech block and barreled action to Charlie, and you will never regret the reasonable cost of the conversion. Simple, easy, and your Sharps will be good for 40 or more shots with no problems.
He did mine and it went from a problem to a joy.
Bunk

 

[Dude]

Ok, Hawkeye, that makes sense.

Bunk - Charlie has two fixes - his preferred (and probably more expensive) which permanently mates the gas plate to the breech block (not sure how that works), and the lesser one that makes the gas plate removable from the breech block with an o-ring behind it to press the plate against the barrel. Which one did you go with?

 

[wb78963]

Ok, Hawkeye, that makes sense.

Bunk - Charlie has two fixes - his preferred (and probably more expensive) which permanently mates the gas plate to the breech block (not sure how that works), and the lesser one that makes the gas plate removable from the breech block with an o-ring behind it to press the plate against the barrel. Which one did you go with?

I went with the first option. The breech block is modified with the gas plate fixed, and there is a small steel ring and "O" ring in the barrel that seals the whole breech gas tight.
I did that system and I am completely satisfied with it. The gas plate cuts paper cartridge and also works well with tubes..
I don't think you will be disappointed.
Hold Center
Bunk

 

[Dude]

You know, I tried separating the gas plate from the block with no success. It looks like they should separate, but I couldn't make that happen with only mild, non-damaging, force applied. Now that I mention this, I'm wondering if the nipple on the block (chamber) side is holding it together. I'll research that a little more.

The descriptions of your modification sound very similar to the way my gun already is, except for whatever is missing that would apply pressure to the sealing sleeve. I'm not saying my gun has been modified because I don't believe it has, but it seems it should work pretty well if I can figure out what's missing behind the sleeve. I've read somewhere of someone having a wavy spring washer in there, and others having o-rings. But the Pedersoli diagram doesn't show anything. Obviously I need to do some more research.

 

[Throwdown58]

Thankyou for the references here. I have a sharps that sat with the stuck case for years. The pedersoli tool is useless. I'm going to get the valve lifter tool, and send a gun out to Charlie.

 

[Zonie]

I may be wrong but I seem to remember that I read the sealing plug on the originals was gas operated and it was meant for the pressure from the exploding powder would get behind the seal and drive it forward against the breech of the barrel. This was supposed to seal the breech.
That would explain why the Pedersoli drawings don't show anything behind the plug.

 

[Throwdown58]

With with 2f bp that sounds like a plan for a disaster no surprise they would not try to duplicate it.