Picking up a new hobby

[Melmelhunter]

I recently have been introduced to black powder myself. Back in March @EPS and I went to the mountain man show. And he got me this Traditions 50 Cal.
Also had the pleasure of meeting @Andy54Hawken while at the show. Hi Andy.
I have a lot to learn but let me tell ya...there's just something about the kaboom as opposed to pew pew I love it!

 

[KKG]

Always a lot of fun. As long as you are not in a rush. Too many people are just that "In a Rush" but if you ask them, most, have no idea Why!!!

 

[Andy54Hawken]

Hiya @Melmelhunter
When we get back to "normal"...you and EPS and I outta get together and make some "Boom! "...
Andy

 

[Melmelhunter]

Hiya @Melmelhunter
When we get back to "normal"...you and EPS and I outta get together and make some "Boom! "...
Andy

That would be great!

 

[Spad]

I would have it checked out by a gunsmith, maybe not shoot it and keep it a collector piece. Check out places like Dixie Gun works for rifle kits. I think if you look at Gunbroker.com you find something. I wouldn't try and find something in the same caliber as your piece, find a 50 call or smaller and build it and have fun shooting and learning about black powder. Spad

 

[XoXSciFiGuy]

One Tough Quaker says in part:

"I'd like to get her checked out. I won't have her here until March.
The million dollar (or more like $500) question is how much to clean her.
You can see she's missing the tang screws. And there is a chunk of wood knocked out there too. I see I can get the screws from a place called s&s
Where are you? I'm at the coast but get around. I defiantly want it looked at. See it it's shootable and what should be done to maintain.
Thanks.."

Okay...I am NOT the Big Black Powder Expert by any means. I had a couple of the BP rifles, but that was MANY years ago. (Recently I picked up a revolver from Cabelas, though)

No one has mentioned this yet, so I will: I would ask the advice of the gunsmith on whether this rifle is still safe to shoot, or...if it can be restored to shooting capability...or if it has to become a wall-hanger. Just saying. And like I said, I'm no expert on these things. You should have the expert's opinion on this.

In the pictures below, they were originally posted to a non-gun website I hang with sometimes. That's why the 'obvious' stuff is captioned. If I had made these pictures for NW Firearms, I wouldn't have bothered. All of you guys already know what the stuff in the pictures are. And you know I will be getting a better flask, or at least wrapping THAT one with black duct tape. It was part of the Cabelas 36 caliber starter kit. The measure and the capper seem okay, but the flask is a bit cheap. It works. But it's cheaply made, you can tell.

NOTE: I think I posted earlier that I bought a Remington. Well...I get this thing home and decide I don't like it. So...because all the Cabelas in WA state are currently closed...I made ANOTHER trip to the Portland-area (Tualitin) Cabelas and returned it. Got the Colt Navy instead. I like it much better. Two long drives because of Covid-19. Oh, brother. Oregon and Idaho Cabelas are still open, if you're wondering.

 

[tac]

You're right, there is a TON of knowledge on this forum about shooting BP - just between Andy and me we have around a hundred years of experience, although in the USA you can hunt real with a BP firearm and that is something that I've never done. OTOH, long-range BP muzzleloading is something I enjoyed for years, using an open-sighted three-ban military match rifle out to 800 -900 yards, and a tang-sighted Whitworth rifle out to 1200 yards. I might not hit the target very often at that range, but you really wouldn't want to stand there and find out.

As for using BP muzzleloaders over here in Western Europe, we CAN shoot lofting/flying birds [and clays, of course], and in Hungary you CAN shoot THEIR larger game with a muzzle-loader - but not in the rest of Europe or yUK. Revered Hungarian shooter capandball on youtube show how this is done in gloriously tasteful and artistic manner, with great respect paid to the fallen game. The reason for the lack of hunting deer here in yUK - we call it deer-stalking - is our game laws. Either the bullet or ball is not going fast enough, or the muzzle energy isn't high enough. Although you COULD shoot game here in UK with a smoothbore - classed as a shotgun even if you were shooting a ball - but you are restricted to small stuff like skwerls or rabbits - never encountered anybody who does it, mind. I'm not saying that some folks just MAY have shot deer with a rifled muzzleloading rifle, just that here in yUK the only reason you can have in law to possess such a gun is for target use, not deer-stalking/game-shooting.

BTW, FYI, not for me to be a smarta$$ - the scene on the cylinders are put there by rolling, not engraving - hence the term 'naval-scene roll marks' often encountered. Flasks are not too pricey for a good quality item - mine came from the 1986 world championships in Madrid - the Spanish one, that is - and has served me well. From experience, your .36cal will like a load of 'that stuff' of around 18 -20gr - experimentation shooting for groups off a rest is the way to find out, Same for the .44cal - loads around 25gr are good there.

So don't be coy about asking questions - everybody starts knowing nothing, remember.

PS - T7 is fine, but it isn't the real thing, right? See if you can offload it onto somebody who can't tell the difference. Black IS Best. [In your case, 3Fg].

 

[JSJPDX]

I'd like to get her checked out. I won't have her here until March.

The million dollar (or more like $500) question is how much to clean her.

You can see she's missing the tang screws. And there is a chunk of wood knocked out there too. I see I can get the screws from a place called s&s

Where are you? I'm at the coast but get around. I defiantly want it looked at. See it it's shootable and what should be done to maintain.
Thanks,

Velzey is in Estacada, 30ish minutes east of Clackamas Town Center (I205).

 

[OneToughQuaker]

I've written him. But I also did get it checked out by a guy out East. It need a little repaire to the tumbler but it is now ready to shoot. Just need to have the spare change to order some ammo.

 

[Member 38805]

Your 1863 Sharps carbine is a conversion from percussion to cartridge rifle, and these conversions were almost all done at arsenals when the Army changed over to the later 1869 Sharps cartridge rifles.
Most of the stuff used in muzzleloader shooting wont apply to your 1863 Sharps. Maybe cleaning rods, and brushes, or solvents, but beyond that not much.
Reloading is a fun way to shoot cheaply, and once you've learned reloading, you should be able to shoot the Sharps safely if it's in good working order. If you don't have the knowledge to check it yourself, you should have it checked by a gunsmith first. One thing to be careful with on any Sharps design is making sure you pull the hammer to half cock after firing, and BEFORE you open the lever. If you don't there's a good chance you'll break the tip off the firing pin, which is a common occurrance on the Sharps if people forget to go to half cock before opening.
That's a very nice inheritance! A lot of history in the Sharps rifles, and a gun many wold love to own and shoot.