It's great to see someone else using linen cartridges! I'll tell you a trick: Make your cartridges 1/10th of an inch shorter than you think they should be. First, everyone measures the depth of the chamber with ungreased bullets, and that adds some depth, and then the fouling becomes an issue, as you found. So making them 0.1 inches shorter will solve both issues. They don't need to come *right* to the edge of the chamber, they just need to be close. Also, make sure you're using very thin paper for the bases of the cartridges. It seemed as though you had cards at the end of yours. I use tissue paper (like you'd use to stuff into a bag with a present) that I cut into 1.5" ronds. I fold the paper over the narrower end of my mandrel (one end is the diameter of the base of the bullet, the other end is 0.5"), insert it into the linen shell most of the way, then paint glue onto the inside of the shell, then insert the paper the rest of the way and squeeze the end of the linen to secure it. the original linen was thinner than we can get today, so they wrapped it twice, but we can't do that (Brett's version notwithstanding), but they do need to be heavily starched. I think you have my Historical Shooting with Civil War Cavalry Arms book, so keep an eye out for the Sharps Infantry Rifle book coming soon, it will have a a lot more information!
@@INeverMetAGunIDidntLike That really doesn't make any sense. Maybe they used the wrong barrel from 50-70 leftovers that they no longer make because of new import laws into the USA. You should probably contact them and ask why the chamber is not the correct length, and how you can get a correct one. I have emailed them in the past and sent snail mail to them before, and they always reply. Tell them what the depth dimensions(inches/mm) are in your carbine. Also send them your video showing dimensions of the Paper Cartridges kit. They owe you a correctly assembled Carbine.
@@robertrobert7924 I got to thinking about what you said and I remembered that they sell brass cases that are to be used with their bullet mold, I wonder if that's why they made it that long? Anyways, I will try contacting them and see what they have to say.
@@INeverMetAGunIDidntLike I have seen brass cases that NSSA guys made on a lathe years ago, and I don't think those cases were as long as your chamber is. I doubt if Pedersoli cases are either. Hopefully when you get in touch with them this will get sorted out. I think there is definitely something fishy about your chamber.
I was having some of the same issues with mine. I talked to Charlie Hahn who is a Sharps carbine Guru and he suggested that my powder charge be 38gs with a wad to compress it. It's what he uses at NSSA matches. I also tried pushing the base out more to dome it little. It brings it in closer contact to the breach block. I haven't had any luck with any linen cartridges. What count linen are you using I'm having better luck with paper. Also I noticed that you Lube your bullet all the way out to the tip. Charlie told me to lightly lube it little bit around the lube ring and don't get any lube past the lube ring. It makes chambering the cartridge harder and can affect accuracy
It's great to see someone else using linen cartridges! I'll tell you a trick: Make your cartridges 1/10th of an inch shorter than you think they should be. First, everyone measures the depth of the chamber with ungreased bullets, and that adds some depth, and then the fouling becomes an issue, as you found. So making them 0.1 inches shorter will solve both issues. They don't need to come *right* to the edge of the chamber, they just need to be close. Also, make sure you're using very thin paper for the bases of the cartridges. It seemed as though you had cards at the end of yours. I use tissue paper (like you'd use to stuff into a bag with a present) that I cut into 1.5" ronds. I fold the paper over the narrower end of my mandrel (one end is the diameter of the base of the bullet, the other end is 0.5"), insert it into the linen shell most of the way, then paint glue onto the inside of the shell, then insert the paper the rest of the way and squeeze the end of the linen to secure it. the original linen was thinner than we can get today, so they wrapped it twice, but we can't do that (Brett's version notwithstanding), but they do need to be heavily starched. I think you have my Historical Shooting with Civil War Cavalry Arms book, so keep an eye out for the Sharps Infantry Rifle book coming soon, it will have a a lot more information!
Thank you for the tips and I will be on the look out for the Sharps book.
historicalshooting.blogspot.com/2022/10/loading-ammunition-for-1859-sharps-rifle.html @@INeverMetAGunIDidntLike
Definitely looks like you are getting there.
Brass cartridges are a lot easier, that's for sure.
@INeverMetAGunIDidntLike yeah I hope to give Linen cartridges and skin cartridges a try someday. But brass is very easy Compared to everything else
Maybe you should also reduce your load to 50 grains?
I think I'll try that. I don't know why Pedersoli made that chamber so darn long.
@@INeverMetAGunIDidntLike That really doesn't make any sense. Maybe they used the wrong barrel from 50-70 leftovers that they no longer make because of new import laws into the USA. You should probably contact them and ask why the chamber is not the correct length, and how you can get a correct one. I have emailed them in the past and sent snail mail to them before, and they always reply. Tell them what the depth dimensions(inches/mm) are in your carbine. Also send them your video showing dimensions of the Paper Cartridges kit. They owe you a correctly assembled Carbine.
@@robertrobert7924 I got to thinking about what you said and I remembered that they sell brass cases that are to be used with their bullet mold, I wonder if that's why they made it that long? Anyways, I will try contacting them and see what they have to say.
@@INeverMetAGunIDidntLike I have seen brass cases that NSSA guys made on a lathe years ago, and I don't think those cases were as long as your chamber is. I doubt if Pedersoli cases are either.
Hopefully when you get in touch with them
this will get sorted out. I think there is definitely something fishy about your chamber.
I was having some of the same issues with mine. I talked to Charlie Hahn who is a Sharps carbine Guru and he suggested that my powder charge be 38gs with a wad to compress it. It's what he uses at NSSA matches.
I also tried pushing the base out more to dome it little. It brings it in closer contact to the breach block.
I haven't had any luck with any linen cartridges. What count linen are you using I'm having better luck with paper.
Also I noticed that you Lube your bullet all the way out to the tip. Charlie told me to lightly lube it little bit around the lube ring and don't get any lube past the lube ring. It makes chambering the cartridge harder and can affect accuracy