paper cartridge Sharps

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Ring-tail

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Looking for information on the proper bullet and it's availability ( in this country ?? ) for a Farmingdale Sharps .54 cal; recommended powder charges would be appreciated also.....Ring-tail.
 
I have a Farmingdale Shiloh in 54 cal and sporter model. I have 2 ring tail bullet molds. A pedersoli and a Rapine mold. It seems to like the pedersoli bullet more as it is a bit heavier but they both shoot really well. I shove the bullet in intil it stops in the chamber using a wooden dowel. I top it off with 110 gr of FFg powder. If I back off on powder charge it seems to loose acuracy. I use a blow tube between shots and will hit most anything I intend on hitting. I would part with the Rapine is you had need.

Rex
 
rwnblack said:
I have a Farmingdale Shiloh in 54 cal and sporter model. I have 2 ring tail bullet molds. A pedersoli and a Rapine mold. It seems to like the pedersoli bullet more as it is a bit heavier but they both shoot really well. I shove the bullet in intil it stops in the chamber using a wooden dowel. I top it off with 110 gr of FFg powder. If I back off on powder charge it seems to loose acuracy. I use a blow tube between shots and will hit most anything I intend on hitting. I would part with the Rapine is you had need.

Rex
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Have you ever tried to roll a paper cartridge on any of those ringtail bullets? I have the mould that originally came with the gun. It casts a big wad cutter type bullet......I think It's probably what is known as the garbage can bullet. What did you need out of the Rapine mould?
 
I shot the 54 Cal. Sharps many years ago. We used to be able to buy nitrous paper which was a flash burn paper. This was wrapped around the base of the bullet forming a tube. Into the tube went your powder charge. The base of the tube was then twisted and the bullet were the paper was wrapped had a thin coating of wax to hold it together.
This paper cartridge was shoved all the way into the chamber, when the action was closed it snipped the tail off of the paper cartridge exposing the powder. Add a cap and fire away. This method worked extremly well
Regards
 
delta1 said:
I shot the 54 Cal. Sharps many years ago. We used to be able to buy nitrous paper which was a flash burn paper. This was wrapped around the base of the bullet forming a tube. Into the tube went your powder charge. The base of the tube was then twisted and the bullet were the paper was wrapped had a thin coating of wax to hold it together.
This paper cartridge was shoved all the way into the chamber, when the action was closed it snipped the tail off of the paper cartridge exposing the powder. Add a cap and fire away. This method worked extremly well
Regards
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You don't happen to remember what bullet and powder charge you were using? Also I'd like to shoot Triple 7 in this gun, any recommendations?
 
Ring-tail said:
You don't happen to remember what bullet and powder charge you were using? Also I'd like to shoot Triple 7 in this gun, any recommendations?
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Shot a 500 grain round nose with 60 grains of FFG Curtis and Harvey black powder. Never used anything but real black powder in any firearms originally built or modern built black powder rifles. Clean up is easy 2 wet patches 2 dry patches then oil the bore, what could be easier. Takes longer to clean a modern rifle than black powder. Just remember to clean the face of the block also as you want the best seal possible.
 
delta1 said:
Shot a 500 grain round nose with 60 grains of FFG Curtis and Harvey black powder. Never used anything but real black powder in any firearms originally built or modern built black powder rifles. Clean up is easy 2 wet patches 2 dry patches then oil the bore, what could be easier. Takes longer to clean a modern rifle than black powder. Just remember to clean the face of the block also as you want the best seal possible.
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...oh, it's not quite that simple to clean them up. You have to disassemble the block and clean out the internal flash channel, plus clean up the block face plate and it's cavity. There is a screw to remove and pipe cleaners and air to use etc.

On the rifle I had the clean out screw was broken off, so the channnel hadn't been cleaned out for a long time. I got the original screw out and also got a new one from Shiloh, but it didn't quite fit.

Quite a lag time between cap and main charge going off...but man that thing was accurate.

I never bothered with paper cartridge rigamarole...just pushed the bullet in till it hit rifling, poured in the correct powder charge, then closed it up and shook/blew off any extra powder that was visible.
 
One more reason for the use of the nitrous paper cartridge, keeps things a little cleaner when touching the round off. The loose load of powder is messy the nitrous paper cartridge held it all together untill the sharp upper edge of the block cut the tail off. That was the way the block was designed.
 
delta1 said:
Shot a 500 grain round nose with 60 grains of FFG Curtis and Harvey black powder. Never used anything but real black powder in any firearms originally built or modern built black powder rifles. Clean up is easy 2 wet patches 2 dry patches then oil the bore, what could be easier. Takes longer to clean a modern rifle than black powder. Just remember to clean the face of the block also as you want the best seal possible.
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Thanks Delta....that seems very reasonable. I bet you can tell I don't have alot of blackpowder experience, LOL.
 
delta1 said:
One more reason for the use of the nitrous paper cartridge, keeps things a little cleaner when touching the round off. The loose load of powder is messy the nitrous paper cartridge held it all together untill the sharp upper edge of the block cut the tail off. That was the way the block was designed.
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Is there a source for the nitrous paper in this country??
 
Ring-tail said:
Is there a source for the nitrous paper in this country??
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Not sure now it has been awhile for me. If you Google up Nitrated paper you should find some information. The last I bought was from Connecticut Valley Arms but that was before all of the U.S. restrictions came into force.
I wonder though if the flash paper you can buy at some shops if you have one in your area which I don't, would work.
 
delta1 said:
Not sure now it has been awhile for me. If you Google up Nitrated paper you should find some information. The last I bought was from Connecticut Valley Arms but that was before all of the U.S. restrictions came into force.
I wonder though if the flash paper you can buy at some shops if you have one in your area which I don't, would work.
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I've been trying to pick the brains of guy's from the local black powder club with little success. I was surprised that more people aren't into this especially from a Civil War historical perspective.
 
Ring-tail said:
I've been trying to pick the brains of guy's from the local black powder club with little success. I was surprised that more people aren't into this especially from a Civil War historical perspective.
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There are very few people using 1863's in my experience. Most everyone shoots 45-70 Cartridge Sharps and reloads at home.

There's just a few of us here on the fringe. :HR:
 
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