Anyone ever had a percussion Sharps converted to cartridge?

[Killer Kanuck]

I have the option of picking up an original Sharps model 1859 barreled action (looks like just about all the pieces are there except the hammer and wood). Since all it will ever be at this point is a shooter, I was thinking that it might be interesting to have it converted to cartridge, if possible. Anybody here ever done that, or know anyone that has? I'm trying to think of what would be involved - at a bare minimum I'm thinking replacing the block and sleeving the barrel. An extractor would have to be fitted as well. Am I nuts, or would this be something that could be reasonably done (without costing an arm and a leg)?

[kimwcook]

Looks like a neat project. I suggest going here and asking, http://www.shilohrifle.com/forums/

Or call Shiloh and ask them about it.

Shiloh Rifle Manufacturing Company
PO Box 279, 201 Centennial Drive
Big Timber, Montana 59011
Tel: 406-932-4266 or 406-932-4454
Fax: 406-932-5627
info@shilohrifle.com

[Old Ironsights]

Something along the lines of a Snider breech?

Dunno...

[mouthpiece]

My great-great uncle's pal did that in 1888. Family lore says it worked out ok. But, they also say the guy was a drunk and voted Republican. :>)

[Booger Bill]

I had a original sharps 1862 carbine years ago that was converted from .52 caliber to 50-70. It had a liner that looked new. I guess they removed the capper box. I never shot it. Was a long story, wish I still had it.

[Malamute]

You'll need a hammer and to grind down the lock plate to clear the cartridge hammer. The cartridge hammers are lower profile and the nose is longer. Some recent imported copies of the cartridge guns had hideous looking hammers more like percussion hammers, but the original conversion guns I've seen all had the '74 type lower hammer on them.

I've seen a fair number of old conversions. The government did, or had done, a lot of Civil War percussion carbines to 50-70. Many of the buffalo guns were such gov or private gunsmiths converted guns, rebarreled with heavy barrels. I think the Sharps factory did them also, as most that I've seen I believe had factory marked barrels. I think Freund and Carlos Gove did sporter/buffalo gun conversions also, tho I get the names mixed up with some of the dealers the guns were shipped to. This was done before the '74 actions came out, and may well have been done after they came out also, which probably didnt help sales of the '74's. The way to tell conversion guns is look at the bottom of the lock plate for the screw that holds part of the pellet primer system in, the percussion guns had the screw, the cartridge guns also had a thinner lock plate I believe, and no screw. The patent dates also are all the earlier ones on percussion conversion guns. The sling ring bar was also cut off on conversion guns made as buffalo guns, the long oval metal plate on the left side shows, the later guns had a small escutcheon around the screw rather than the long oval. You can see the ground off front end of the sling bar on the reciever on conversion guns. You can also see where the lock plate was ground down to clean off all the junk for the pellet primer system and allow the cartridge hammer to work. Look at a conversion gun next to a cartridge made gun ('74) and it's apparent.

You could have your barrel relined, keeping it a carbine, or you could just rebarrel it with any sporter barrel you wanted. If your barrel is any good, you could sell it and recoup some of the money.

Maybe I'm weird, but I think if it was me, I'd do a conversion to cartridge, in a period style, and never think twice about it, either as a carbine with brazed in liner in 50-70, or as a sporter/buffalo gun with a medium weight octagon barrel in 50-70 or 45-something, either 2 1/10th" (45-70) or 2 3 or 4/10ths" (45-90). Set triggers would be nice also. Many that I've seen had set triggers.

The carbines didn't have cap/patch boxes in the stock. Most of the buffalo guns I've seen had the original military carbine stocks.

[Don McDowell]

You might want to contact these guys and visit with them about the project
http://www.wyomingarmory.com/

C Sharps could probably do the work also, but probably by the time it's all in and all done money wise you'ld be better off to have just restored this one and bought a new cartridge gun.

[Gary Norsk]

Most of the Paper cartridge guns were converted, Best to leave it as is and just buy a center fire type and would probably be cheaper also. Gary

[Killer Kanuck]

Thanks for all the input guys. I made the deal, and I now have the Sharps barreled receiver (as well as a Winchester 1895 carbine in 303 British) on the way. Once I get a first hand look at the Sharps I'll have a better idea of what I plan on doing with it. It's coming from the Northwest Territories - good chance it was a gold rush gun.