Sharps falling block and paper cartridges

[Cortland]

I've recently acquired a Garrett .56 cal falling block Sharps in quite nice condition. I've ordered a Rapine .557 Sharps Spitzer mould and a paper cartridge kit from Dixie Gun Works, and would love to hear from someone who has experience with these paper cartridges.

Do you cast pure lead bullets a la muzzleloader or use an alloy?

Also, has anyone here made their own nitrated paper? The pre-made and pre-cut stuff is kinda pricey.

 

[Old Fuff]

I played with an original Sharps years ago.

1. Use pure lead to make the bullets.

2. Model airplane builders use a paper material called "silkspan" to cover their models. Make a saturated solution of potassium nitrate and distilled water. A quart will last forever. Pour the solution into a shallow pan, dip in a piece of silkspan, and then hang it up to dry. When its dry cut out your cartridge blanks.

Also, Dixie Gun Works says that “roll your own†gummed cigarette paper can be used, and that it is pre-nitrated.

3. Wear eye protection. The breech will leak some gas when you fire.

 

[Jim K]

I have used cigarette paper with smaller calibers in revolvers and it worked OK. I never tried it in a Sharps.

Jim

 

[redneck2]

Odds 'n ends

I got interested in paper patch for my .45-90 BPCR. Found an article from several years ago in Handloader that pretty much gives all the details

There is quite a bit of info on the BPCR website in the Technical section. They also have several books listed that cover PP in detail

Seems a shame to have a .45-90 and only use 40 grains of smokeless. Might as well stick with the .45-70

Be advised that "grains" of black and "grains" of smokeless are not the same. You have to use a black powder measurer (volume) and not a scale.

You may have to do something different with the bullets. Remember that, when you patch, you add .010-.012 to the diameter. Since I have a .458 groove diameter I need a pre-patched bullet of .446. When you shoot, the pure lead bullet smashes out into the rifling and makes a "custom fit" bullet

 

[Cortland]

I'm talking about paper cartridges with conventional bullets, not paper patched bullets in conventional cartridges...

Apparently you make a cylinder out of nitrated paper, tie it onto a Sharps bullet (which is a conventional lubed bullet but has a rebated area at the rear of the bullet for tying to), fill the paper cartridge with BP, and fold or tie up the end. That's a paper cartridge.