Shiloh Percussion Sharps

[stevejones]

I have recently acquired a Shiloh percussion Sharps. Its a very nice firearm. Quality through and through. I have been shooting it and its very accurate. Still experimenting with loading though. I have tried various types of paper to make cartridges and have not had satisfactory results yet. My problem is finding paper that shears cleanly as it tends to fold and cover the powder charge. Also lately a lot of miss fires which I think i have resolved by a more diligent cleaning of the breech block internals, namely the channel from the nipple. I was hoping to compare notes with those of you out there who have experience with these guns. I will post a picture of my "Old Reliable" on this thread soon.

Cheers. SJ

 

[A-zone]

Try not shearing off the back of your paper cartridge.

Instead, take a 0.5" x 6" wooden dowel with a wood screw (ground to a uniform point) or nail centred in the end and use this to seat your paper cartridge against the base of the bullet and against the (forward) end of the chamber. You will simultaneously punch a small hole in the base of the paper cartridge for the flame to more easily ignite the charge. (For a better visual, you may want to imagine the old WWII film clips of artillerymen placing a bagged powder charge when loading an artillery piece and using a wooden plunger to seat the charge against the base of the projectile).

In your rifle, the screw/nail point - protruding no more than 4 or 5 mm - serves to punch a small hole in the end of the paper cartridge. Close the breach block without catching or cutting the paper.

The percussion cap will ignite the charge reliably, since the powder is a bit exposed.

(Worked very well in my '63 Sharps).

 

[stevejones]

I will give that a try. What do you use to clean the internals of your breech block? I have been using pipe cleaners but i suspect that they are leaving bits of material thus causing my miss fire problem. I used a heavy piece of fishing line to run through and I think its clear now.

SJ