Author Topic: Sharps or Smith Carbine? (Read 1195 times)

wile326 · « **on:** October 20, 2005, 06:35:51 PM »

Does anyone have any experiance with either a Smith Cavalry Carbine or a Pedersoli Confederate Sharps Carbine? It is time for me to buy a new rifle and I have narrowed it to these 2. I have always wanted a BP breachloader. These 2 are very similar, they are both breachloaders, The sharps uses a paper cartridge and is 54. The smith doesnt take the paper cartridge but uses a brass tube to seal the gap between the breach and the barrel and it is in 50. They both use musket caps and are priced the same. I saw both rifles at Dixie gun works and have fired a friends smith and was really impressed with both. I was hoping some people here might own one of them and be able to relate their experiances with them.

I wasn't sure where to post this because these models are the ones that came about during the transition period between loose powder and cartridge weapons.

Stuffy25thIA · « **Reply #1 on:** October 23, 2005, 02:18:58 PM »

I've owned both, still have the Smith. Alot easier to load and shoot, than the Sharps. Thou I use the black rubber cartridges, they work just as well and cost alot less than the brass one's. Some people really like the Sharps, but it just takes longer to get the hang of loading and shooting it well. You can shoot the Sharps without using the paper cartridges thou, just place the bullet in the chamber, and put the powder in behind it. Close the breech, cap and shoot. I shoot with the CWSA, and you have to stay on the line and load, so you must have the paper rounds made in advance.

wile326 · « **Reply #2 on:** October 23, 2005, 07:26:08 PM »

I think I am going to go with the Smith. Have you ever used yours for hunting?

Stuffy25thIA · « **Reply #3 on:** October 24, 2005, 01:42:57 AM »

No never used it to hunt with, depends on what your hunting with it I guess. You are limited on how much powder you can put in one of the cartridge cases, about 35 gr. of fff. Might not be enough to kill a large animal like a deer at a long range.

wile326 · « **Reply #4 on:** October 25, 2005, 06:35:34 AM »

Thanks for the info, I never thought about the capacity, that will be a problem. I think I will go back and take a closer look at the sharps.

kjg · « **Reply #5 on:** October 26, 2005, 05:40:07 AM »

wile I had a smith carbine and loaded it real hotused a ruber tube that stuffy mentioned and loaded it with 38grains of swiss 3fg and put the bullet in (the bullet will be engageing the rifleing)and closed the action and benched the carbine and plased a chornograph in front and shot at 992 fps, it was a hot load and accurate I was using a rapine bullet I think it was around 460 or 500 grain bullet if you were to hit anything with in 60 yrds it would kill it stone dead, lee also makes a mould it is a 515 diam bullet I believe it was 400 + grain bullet that you can put 42 grains in the black tube and also accurate. kjg

gazz · « **Reply #6 on:** October 28, 2005, 11:21:45 PM »

I used to have a Sharps, but found that it fouled up so bad after about 5 shots I had to strip it down and clean it.
I really think it came out before it's time. The Sharps came into it's own with the advent of metalic cartridges.
I've never fired a Smiths but I think that it's simpler action would be more reliable with regards to being able to tolerate a bit of fouling.
It was a very interesting era, the time of the capping breechloaders.
cheers,
gazz.

Stuffy25thIA · « **Reply #7 on:** October 29, 2005, 10:35:02 AM »

The smith doesn't foul that much, have shoot more than 50 rds before having to stop and clean it, and then it wasn't because of fouling, just time to break for lunch.
I think the Swiss powder would be just the ticket for more power in the smith loading tube.