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Author Topic: Question on original Sharps bullet design .  (Read 4340 times)

mgmradio

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Question on original Sharps bullet design .
« on: June 02, 2018, 09:51:43 AM »
A buddy of mine had the privilege of visiting one of the premier Sharps collectors recently and viewing his collection. Among his collection are a number of bullet moulds. He showed my buddy a mould that he says is the first style Sharps mould and is going to include it in the book he is writing. I haven't seen the mould, but the description of it and my buddy's impression is it's a mould for a Starr carbine. Basically a picket bullet with a raised ring at the base and no tie ring.
  I'm pretty shure the slanting breach Sharps always used the Christmas tree tie ring style bullet. Any info would be appreciated. Also when did the multi-ring bullets Gomez and Mills start being manufactured? These seem to come from 1850's Dragoon sites frequently.
   Thanks in advance.
 

mgmradio

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Re: Question on original Sharps bullet design .
« Reply #1 on: June 29, 2018, 09:34:55 AM »
I can't believe that none of the leadheads here can't help on this.

speedenforcer

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Re: Question on original Sharps bullet design .
« Reply #2 on: June 29, 2018, 08:41:46 PM »
Well us Iron lovers have kinda taken over the forum it seems.
It's not always "Survival of the fitest" sometimes the idiots get through.

emike123

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Re: Question on original Sharps bullet design .
« Reply #3 on: July 06, 2018, 06:15:28 PM »
I texted our foremost leadhead, Jim T, to respond to this thread.  I know he has the information on the Gomez multi ring bullets, but he has been busy of late.  I have been too, but will respond with my much less information if Jim T cannot.

mgmradio

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Re: Question on original Sharps bullet design .
« Reply #4 on: July 07, 2018, 10:34:01 AM »
Thanks Mike, I would like to get the correct information as I think this fellow is working on a book. Would hate to see the wrong information published .

emike123

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Re: Question on original Sharps bullet design .
« Reply #5 on: July 12, 2018, 11:15:25 AM »
OK, Jim T must want your friend to buy his brother's book, Round Ball to Rimfire Part Two.  The Gomez and Mills multi ring cartridges are covered on pages 223 to 225.  There is a copy of patent # 18,199 dated Sept. 15, 1857.

Information and lots of pictures on the Starr carbine cartridges are found on pages 247-257.  The patent for this was issued Sept 14, 1858.

If your friend is writing a book, he should read these reference books.  He may well have them.  The patents can be looked up online for free:

https://patents.google.com/patent/US18199A/en?oq=patent+#18199

mgmradio

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Re: Question on original Sharps bullet design .
« Reply #6 on: July 13, 2018, 03:46:01 PM »
Mike ,
  I know about the Gomez and Mills bullet. What my Question is is what was the first style or type of bullet used by sharps in the first riffles - 1849-52. In the site that I've been hunting which dates from 57-62 there is a mix of ringtails and G&M's coming out. But I'm not sure if there was an earlier design. The "expert" in question whom has a collection of Sharps that numbers in the hundreds seems to think the earliest design was similar to the Star design.

emike123

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Re: Question on original Sharps bullet design .
« Reply #7 on: July 13, 2018, 09:57:45 PM »
Quote
Also when did the multi-ring bullets Gomez and Mills start being manufactured? These seem to come from 1850's Dragoon sites frequently.
  ???

The Sharps section of RBTR Part 2 starts on page 180 and continues for many pages through the part I referenced about the Gomez and Mills cartridges.  There are pictures of "old" pattern Sharps bullets and dozens of others, but none have a single ring like a Starr.  I suppose some early, low production number ones could be missing from this reference book, but unless the mold has a stamp on it assigning it to one of the firms (listed in the book) that made Sharps early on and barring any other factbase to make the Starr looking bullet a Sharps other than someone said so at some point in time, I'd think there probably isn't enough support to put it in a book and call it a Sharps.

This is pretty esoteric stuff, at least to me, which may explain why nobody else jumped on this thread earlier.  Perhaps your friend should speak with Dean Thomas and see where that goes.