Got a Marstar Pedersoli Sharps (pics now up!)

Claven2

Claven2

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Picked up a Pedersoli Sharps carbine yesterday in .45-70 from Marstar.

First impressions:

This thing is HEAVY! Yes, the carbine length is deceiving. The 22" barrel is bigger than a Wilson No.5 contour and as soon as you pick it up you feel it.

Lockup is very tight and the wood is well inletted, if not particularly figured.

These carbines are faitful reproductions of 1870's era military carbines complete with the saddle ring and bar arrangement also found on Trapdoor cavalry carbines. While this is nice for horseback riding and re-enactments, it rattles quite alot and I'll have to isolate it with tape or remove the ring for deer hunting.

Also am a bit disappointed in the fit and finish of the receiver and receiver parts. The parts are not well polished, more like wire brushed and casenit hardened. Also on a few areas, including the hammer, you can still see areas where the casting was not well cleaned up.

The Pedersoli is NOT up to Creedmore or Shiloh finish quality. That being said, it seems to be the equal of those guns functionally and mechanically.

More to follow after I spend a little more time with this new acquisition.
 
I've been interested in a 45-70 repo for a future purchase. Same as Gibbs I'd really like to see some pics and and hear about a range report. I did take a look at marstars website a little while ago. Any impressions by you might put them on or take them off my list.

osborne
 
OK, here are the piccys ;)

carbine.jpg

receiver.jpg

sring.jpg

breech.jpg

sight.jpg


And here you can see that the rifle's bore is dirty as it seems it was not cleaned after proof firing back in Italy. I'll clean it tomorrow, but it's smokeless (no BP odor) and does not look to have had any ill effect.

muzzle.jpg


Overall, it is a quality piece, but I do with the metal finish was smoother and that they had not missed a few small casting surfaces when they polished or sanded the metal. I imagine if I had shelled out for one of the more premium models (carbine is 2nd cheapest), it likely would have been fit and finished a little bit better. I think these are only finished to "military replica" grade ;)
 
Allright, well I finally got the bore clean! I don't know how many rounds Pedersoli proof fires through these, but the bore was pretty leaded. Took me around 45 minutes of alternating a bore brush and patches with Hoppes No.9 to get the tube clean. I suspect the proof load they fire in these generates a fair bit of atomized lead.

Looking down the bore, the lands are sharp and shiny, but the grooves are dull. I don't think this barrel was factory lapped and could benefit from some JB bore paste and elbow grease. Anyone know where to get JB these days???

The bore is not bad and would shoot fine, but for utmost accuracy it ought to be a little better smoothed IMHO.
 
Should also mention I made up some test loads for this weekend. Went with wheelweight lead cast 405gr bullets from Lee mould No. 457-405-F, water quenched.

457405f.gif


Seated them over top of 40 grains of H4895, the starting load recommended in the Hodgdon manual under Cowboy data and also in the Lee manual.

Should push to around 1400 fps at the muzzle which ought to keep leading down.

Tried to keep it simple for the first outing. Can worry about paper patching and/or black powder/jacketed/higher velocities, etc. later on down the road.

Will try to get pics of targets when I get a chance.
 
Don't they have some neat heavy bullets called "Postal" or something like that for these rifles? I think I saw it on Midway USA's website.
 
Postal? Dunno. Either way, you can't order from midawy :)

Lee sells this mould for Sharps and Trapdoor reloaders, along with two or three others. I might try their 500gr GC next.
 
Nice gun. Nothing like pushing those 400+ gr cast bullets out at the low teens. Big bore, heavy cast bullets, low velocity - after that the small bore "zippers" lose all their attraction. Smokeless for now, but might try 777 soon.

I have the mold you're interested in (C457-500-F). It's all I shoot using wheelweights and without a GC (at 1300 fps you don't need it). I'll drop some bullets for you if you wish, but at the price Higginson's sells it for, and on my recommendation, why not just buy it?
 
I plan to order it next time I get stuff from Andrew. Also there are a couple other molds I need at the same time for other rifles.

As long as I don't push past 1400 or 1500 fps, I shouldn't need gas checks anyhow. And from what I've read, if I do gas check I can't push much faster before I get heavy leading along the leads of the rifling lands.

I'm considering also getting a .451" sizing collet and paper patching some of these 405's. Would be fun, but I need to break the rifling in a little before I switch to paper.

Have you got a sharps Andy?
 
I love it!
I just traded back my 45/110 Sharps to Hornhead for a .477 Snider, 'but I have keept my 45/70 Highwall. Between a buddy and I we have about 5 different molds for the 45/70, but like the bullets on the lighter side and round or flat nosed for hunting.
We save the big guys (485, 500 grains) for sillhouettes and targets.
That little 24" barrel is gonna be fun to hunt with I'll bet!
Cat
 
I have a Lee 451 sizer I might let go. :wink:

I shoot the Mauser 71 and 71/84. The M71 uses 45/70 or 45/90 brass to make 43 Mauser which is essentially a "fat" 45/70. Bore in my M71 is 0.454". Without getting into irrelevant details, the M71/84 is the same, but shoots a 0.446" slug. Both give me the "45/70 experience".
 
Yeah, as soon as I get the right load worked out, this is going to be my close-in (100 yard) DEER DEVASTATOR. :twisted:

The 405gr hard casts are going to put a big hurt on a white-tail as soon as I can arrange it.
 
I've owned a Pedersoli 1874 no.3 Sporting in 45/70 for a bout 6 years now , it's a great rifle , it has a 32" barrel with vernier rear and globe front sights. I 've used it for long range shooting out to 600 yards with 500 gr bullets and 4198 powder. I had trouble with leading in the begining because I was using a alloy that was too hard ( water quenched) is was getting blow by . The base was too hard and would not expand enough. I was told to cast with a 1:16 or 1:20 ratio and it solved my problem. That's not to say that you will have this problem...just that I did . By the way if you really want accurate loads try Black powder...messy but accurate!!
Bob
 
Hitzy - yes, I've shot it a few times now. Still not getting consistent burn using 40gr H4895 pushing a 405gr cast bullet. Lots of unburnt powder left over.

Thinking of trying magnum primers with a reduced load or someone suggested trying 13gr Unique with std. primers. Also might break down and start shooting Triple-7 2FG BP substitute in her. We shall see...
 
The bullet that "1899" was refering to is Lyman Postell 535gr bullet...which should be a good long range bullet...but watch out for the recoil. That's why I shoot reduced loads of 4198 with these heavy bullets in my 45-70 Lee's 340 gr is very accurate bullets also and easier on the shooter!!!
 
bobv said:
The bullet that "1899" was refering to is Lyman Postell 535gr bullet...which should be a good long range bullet...but watch out for the recoil. That's why I shoot reduced loads of 4198 with these heavy bullets in my 45-70 Lee's 340 gr is very accurate bullets also and easier on the shooter!!!
Click to expand...

I may try 4198 next, I'm hearing good things about complete and consistent burn in the .45-70.
 
Claven2 said:
Hitzy - yes, I've shot it a few times now. Still not getting consistent burn using 40gr H4895 pushing a 405gr cast bullet. Lots of unburnt powder left over.

Thinking of trying magnum primers with a reduced load or someone suggested trying 13gr Unique with std. primers. Also might break down and start shooting Triple-7 2FG BP substitute in her. We shall see...
Click to expand...

Checking my manuals that's 20% below max(48g) even for the cowboy action loads. Mabey work it up a bit before you try soemthing else. If you want a really reduced load, you will need to look at some of the pistol powders.
 
Claven2 said:
Looking down the bore, the lands are sharp and shiny, but the grooves are dull. I don't think this barrel was factory lapped and could benefit from some JB bore paste and elbow grease. Anyone know where to get JB these days???

The bore is not bad and would shoot fine, but for utmost accuracy it ought to be a little better smoothed IMHO.
Click to expand...

Wholesale Sports lists JB in their 2006 catalog.
 
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