Brand new Sharps, breach block does not open completely

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Hi,
I received my brand new Pedersoli Long Range sharps.

Lets say the Gun is already loaded and fired.

1)I put the hammer on half cock
2) Pull the lever down and the breach block comes down
3) If I push a bit more the breach block sinks down more and the ejector pulls the cartridge out

So far so good, now the problem

4) If I try to insert a new cartridge ...it will not fit :-(
5) I need to push the lever again like to eject a cartridge, keep it in the foremost position, then the new cartridge will fit

It seems the breach block does not retract far enough if I do not keep pressure on it.

This is my first Sharps , so I can only compare to what I have seen others do .
They do not need to push the lever forward to load a new cartridge.

Here is a picture showing the open action, you can see a little silver line which is the breach block extending a little .

IMG_0781.jpg

If I lower the breach block a touch more , the cartridge will slide in without trouble .
I estimate the difference to be less then 0.04 inch ( or less than 1 mm) maybe just half of it.
It is just a tad and the cartridge slides in easy.

Is there a way to adjust how far the breach block retracts?
 

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There is no built-in means of adjustment for the lowered position of the breechblock, though the tension to hold the lever, link and block in both the raised and the lowered positions is provided by a flat spring attached to the underside of the barrel. It is likely that the spring is in need of adjustment or alteration to change its geometry, and the pressure it places on the lever, in the lowered position.
As an aside, you must be one of only a few forum members who have ever heard of Karl May, the German author who wrote adventure stories of the American West and the Orient, without ever having been there. He did visit America, once, and got as far West as Albany, New York...

PRD1 - mhb - MIke
 
I already send Pedersoli pictures and a description . Waiting for they're reply .
I thought maybe someone has seen something like this before and could comment on it.

I checked out the gun a bit more and maybe the breach block spring is a tad too thick.

But I will wait on Pedersoli to give comments .
 
Update
Pedersoli replied and acknowledged the problem and confirmed my suspicion that there was a problem with the breach block lever fitting

there should be a picture here but for some reason it does not load up .
Sorry


So they suggest that I file down a bit of the area I have encircled above .
Which I did ( very carefully this is very soft material and just a few strokes take off a lot of metal)
I polished it and voila the breach block comes now down flush with the chamber and my cartridges go in smoothly .

I asked them if they do not do quality control on such vital things like chambering a dummy round .
Their reply :
Of course the quality control was made, as it is made for all the guns.
Small issues may be not detected testing the load and extraction of the fake cartridge, when the handling is made by an experienced gunsmith and the problem does not show up immediately.

I still think that a gun at that price range should be inspected thoroughly enough to ensure the basic function of the gun.
Anyhow I hope that was the only problem I will find on the gun.

BTW,
I have the impression that they use Google translate to get English into Italian and vice versa . So be careful to use plain English when communicating with them.
dummy -> fake and peak -> pick are some of the "lost in translation" I had with them :)
 
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As an aside, you must be one of only a few forum members who have ever heard of Karl May, the German author who wrote adventure stories of the American West and the Orient, without ever having been there. He did visit America, once, and got as far West as Albany, New York...

PRD1, you are right:)
As a boy I read a lot of his books, I am surprised you know him. He is usually only know to German speaking readers.
However those know the name Karl May quite well .
I drove my wife nuts when we where on a road trip and I was speculating where the Nugged Tsil or the Kiowa Indians would be :)

I am now living in Arizona , so plenty of environment to ignite my memories !

Hope you approve of my name. I am nothing like "Kara Ben Nemsi" but I tried and "Old Shatterhand" was still available.( I am more the "Old Wabble" or maybe "Sam Hawkins" type)

Hey, maybe I should name my new Sharps " Liddy"
Winnetou_and_the_Crossbreed-Liddy-Rifle-5.jpg
 
I first heard of Old Shatterhand and Winnetou in the 'Black Chamber' alternate history books as the German infiltrator tramped the Protectorate of Mexico in 1916(b) and reminisced over the May stories.
 
PRD1, you are right:)
As a boy I read a lot of his books, I am surprised you know him. He is usually only know to German speaking readers.
However those know the name Karl May quite well .
I drove my wife nuts when we where on a road trip and I was speculating where the Nugged Tsil or the Kiowa Indians would be :)

I am now living in Arizona , so plenty of environment to ignite my memories !

Hope you approve of my name. I am nothing like "Kara Ben Nemsi" but I tried and "Old Shatterhand" was still available.( I am more the "Old Wabble" or maybe "Sam Hawkins" type)

Hey, maybe I should name my new Sharps " Liddy"
View attachment 992371

I learned of Karl May's books from my oldest and best German friend when I was stationed in Germany. He was older than I, and talked about his youth and experiences during the war years and afterward. He sponsored me for membership in the Schuetzengilde Kornwestheim (I was the only American member). He was very fond of Karl May's work, and was the first person I knew to mention Winnetou, Old Shatterhand, etc. I always found the 'Old Shatterhand' nickname odd, for an American protagonist - I learned how the name was bestowed on the character, but thought something like 'Iron Hand', or 'Iron Fist' would have been more authentic. But, perhaps old Goetz von Berlichingen, the 'Iron Hand', had a German copyright on it.... Although... James Fenimore Cooper did name his most famous frontiersman ' Natty Bumppo', and, if I had a name like that, I'd much prefer to be known as Leatherstocking, etc. ;)
Whereabouts in Arizona do you pitch your tent, pardner?

mhb - MIke
 
I’m surprised that you had a problem like that. I’ve had several Pedersoli Sharps rifles and all were museum quality works of functional art. Maybe I’ve just been lucky. I still have one.
So I bet you’re satisfied with it now that the problem is resolved!
 
PRD1 (Mike),
my job brought me to Phoenix .
Actually a good friend in Tucson talked me into it.
Now we both have retired and I am bouncing between Phoenix and Tucson a bit .
 
Jimster,

as everyone who owns guns, I had to pick up some gun smithing skills over time .
The fix was easy to made and actually I bet I have the breach block "timing" fine tuned to a level which is now on pair with a shilo sharps :)

I agree that the overall quality of the Pedersoli is quite good for the price you pay .

That is why I opted for the Pedersoli .

Yes, the handcrafted Shilo Sharps I inspected was above what I saw from the Pedersoli .
I am speaking about nitpicking here but at the price of a Shilo Sharps that is what I expect from it.

To be honest I am more of a shooter than a collector and that made my decision .
I get all the equipment and ammunition I will need for the price difference .

I owned a couple of Italian sports cars in my past and I see a similarity .

"Bella Machina" , which means the engine and everything propelling you with it is prime, the quality of the interior is a second .

So what I see from the Pedersoli or Uberti guns I own is that the guns shoot on pair with everything much more expensive but the fitting of the stock is less important.

However do not get me wrong , the quality and fitting of the Pedersoli Sharps Long Range rifle is not bad at all but it is not hand fitted to a detail which a custom build Shilo is.

For some the extra $ for the Shilo is worth it .

For me it is more important that the Pedersoli can deliver the same shooting performance as the Shilo .

Just to clarify , I do not want any argument about who is better or who holds it's value better.
I would take a Shilo Sharps over a Pedersoli any day of the week but it is not worth the extra price to me .
 
PRD1 (Mike),
my job brought me to Phoenix .
Actually a good friend in Tucson talked me into it.
Now we both have retired and I am bouncing between Phoenix and Tucson a bit .

Roger. Be aware that we have a very active group of blackpowder shooters here in Sierra Vista, and a good range facility. We shoot both muzzleloaders and historical breechloaders in several monthly matches both on the Sierra Vista range and at Hog Canyon, weather permitting. Should you wish to join us, PM me for details.

PRD1 - mhb - MIke
 
Pedersoli is surely the best of the Italian copies. There is a very nice German Sharps, too, but it is even more expensive than Shiloh.

If you want to buy American, the C. Sharps 1875 "box lock" is a Deal... if you can stay off the option list.
 
PRD1, are you a member of Montezuma Muzzleloaders? I am moving back to the area by mid June and would like to reconnect with that bunch of hooligans.
 
PRD1, are you a member of Montezuma Muzzleloaders? I am moving back to the area by mid June and would like to reconnect with that bunch of hooligans.

'rabbit: Yes, I am one of the hooligans. You can look up POC's for the various clubs and activities at the web page for the Sierra Vista Shooting Range. Bill Mapoles is listed for MML. Look forward to seeing you at the shoots...

PRD1 - mhb - MIke
 
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