Original primer feed lock plates

[Chief Beck]

For those of you who wish to have the original lock plate with the disk primer feed you need to look at "Lodgewood Mfg. Ltd." They still have two or three available, they are reasonably priced. Shiloh will fit them to your rifle (yes, they have a stop on building 1863's but they will resume once they get a handle on the 77's).


Dennis

[George Babits]

Yes, and Lodgewood also has lots of original parts for these locks. A couple of years ago I bought a Model 1863 original that was missing most of the pellet primer parts. Lodgewood had them all.

George

[Todd Birch]

Thanks for the tip! I could really dress up one of my Shiloh 63's with an original lock plate. I've purchased brass cases from Lodgewood for my Gallagher carbine, but didn't bother to check out anything else.

[Chief Beck]

Looking on page 239 in Seller's book there is a fascinating Sharps percussion sporting rifle well within the 74 serial # range (159,401 perhaps 1877) purposely built as a percussion rifle at the request of the unknown buyer. Fitted with a sporting tang & globe front, fancy butt stock wood, double set triggers with what appears to be a 14 pound barrel, caliber is unknown as well but possibly .52 cal. Makes you wonder what the original owner was thinking of, possibly a old hand who did not trust fixed cartridges of the day or someone who planned to go deep into the wild where fixed ammo could be a problem in obtaining especially the big Sharps house rounds, who knows?
I have always been really interested in the percussion Sharps, but have shied away from them because the lack of a historically correct primer feed mechanism on current production rifles. Now that I have purchased one of these original lock plates by Lodgewood mfg. a percussion Sharps is now a reality!


Dennis

[Todd Birch]

On my '63's, I've never missed the primer feed mechanisms. I told people that asked about the hump that the rifle was assembled from parts that were not fully finished ... :>)

[Chief Beck]

Todd,

If I cannot have something the way that I want it (historically correct) then I am not going to use my money on it, it will always stick in my craw and I will know!


Dennis

[Tomklinger]

Is anyone manufacturing the percussion pellets for the pellet feed on the perc. Sharps?

Tom

[Todd Birch]

So I take it that your brass cartridge Sharps have the original rates of twist for the calibres and you are a paper patch user?

I've been an historical re-enactor for decades and the bane of that has always been the sticklers for "historically correct" in all things, defarbing guns, etc. My attitude was that I was offering an impression from the era, not an historically correct re-creation. I also got to the venue in an air conditioned 4x4 as opposed to a freight wagon and perishable food was kept in a battery powered ice chest under canvas.


[quote="Chief Beck"]Todd, If I cannot have something the way that I want it (historically correct) then I am not going to use my money on it, it will always stick in my craw and I will know!
Dennis[/quote]

[Todd Birch]

I've seen original packs of them offered on the net for a ridiculous price. You'd be taking a chance on misfires and burning up history.

[quote="Tomklinger"]Is anyone manufacturing the percussion pellets for the pellet feed on the perc. Sharps?

Tom[/quote]

[Chief Beck]

So I take it that your brass cartridge Sharps have the original rates of twist for the calibres and you are a paper patch user?

I've been an historical re-enactor for decades and the bane of that has always been the sticklers for "historically correct" in all things, defarbing guns, etc. My attitude was that I was offering an impression from the era, not an historically correct re-creation. I also got to the venue in an air conditioned 4x4 as opposed to a freight wagon and perishable food was kept in a battery powered ice chest under canvas.

Todd, If I cannot have something the way that I want it (historically correct) then I am not going to use my money on it, it will always stick in my craw and I will know!
Dennis

Hi Todd,

I should have stated "I like to have my guns to be historically correct when possible". In this case the historically correct lock plates are available, so why not! I was not knocking "your choice" of doing things, after all it is my money and it is what I wanted. You also were wanting to dress up one of your 63's with an original lock plate??!!

Yes, both of my Shiloh's 74's have what I think are historically correct rates of rifling in them: .45 @ 1/20 & .44 @ 1/19 and yes, I paper patch. Original Sharps rifling pitches according to Sellers book were 1/20", but based on what has been actually measured over the years clearly shows that Sharps played with different pitches: .45's have been measured @ 1/18, 1/19 & 1/20, the .50's have been pretty much set @ 1/34" (.50-70 could probably be found with both 1/34" or slower 1/42"?). The .44's have been measured @ 1/20", however, I do think that Sharps played with the rifling pitch with this caliber as well depending on when the .44 was manufactured, early or late gun and possibly it's intended use. In the end though I am not going to worry about the difference between 1/19 verses 1/20.
And yes, I drive a 4X4 p/u, with a/c as well.

Dennis

[Todd Birch]

No offence intended, mate! Just joshing you.

I thought about one of those lock plates years ago when I first heard about them, but didn't have the cash to justify one at the time. Sending the rifle to Shiloh for fitting would be out of the question - about $200 each way for import/export permits plus S&H. That buys me a lot of powder and primers or another MVA tang sight.

BTW - I got my '63 MR for cheap at a time when we just got saddled with our now defunct long gun registry. The owner refused to register it on principle and put it in a gun shop. The proprietor said - "Hey, you're into the old guns. Wanna look at one?" I said OK and got it for $500 under the counter! There wasn't so much as a ding on it anywhere. Paid three times that for my 50-70 MR a few years later, still a good price.

BTW - I didn't register it either as it seemed patently ridiculous. Didn't keep me awake at night for one minute. Had no choice with the 50-70 as it was registered by the previous owner.

[Chief Beck]

No problem Todd!

I could only hope (and right now that's all there is) to find a Shiloh 63 for $500.00! But sometimes the unexpected does come up! I have looked off & on over these years for a lock plate with zero luck until now and jumped on it!
You know Todd, the original lock plate maybe a drop-in replacement on the Shilohs, maybe Kirk or someone on this sight may know?


Dennis

[George Babits]

I hate to say this on the Shiloh forum, but I bought my original 1863 Sharps precussion 2 years ago for considerably less than used Shiloh ones were selling for. Admittedly, it was missing a few parts. With the help of Lodgewood and S&S Firearms I was able to replace all the missing pieces. That included all the pellet primer feeding mechanism. Ending up cost was still less than a used Shiloh, but pretty close. This carbine has an excellent bore and very clean breech. I just haven't had time to try it yet. Have bullets cast and ready to go with loose powder. Maybe I should start out the new year with this one instead of the flintlock I've been shooting since 1973.

George

[Todd Birch]

George

Shooting a '63 with loose powder is said to accelerate "cavitation" of the gas plate. Take the time to roll some paper cartridges and go back to the roots of Sharps rifles! You might get hooked ....

[Chief Beck]

George,

I was in Norfolk, Virginia back in 1985 at a gun show and I still kick myself for not buying a 1863 percussion carbine that was in very nice condition for $400.00. At the same show they had a converted 1859 for $300.00 that was spray painted completely black! Back in 1978 I ran across a pristine Business rifle in .45 2-4/10th case length for $900.00 (I had no money at the time). My how prices have changed!


Dennis