First off, thank you guys for help with the shop air build! Huge help! I downgraded to a 60gal tank from a 300. Everything runs great.

Ok, I'm looking to build myself a Sharps Rifle or some other type of dropblock.

This will be my first build so I'm wicked excited.

Lots of plans on the net; google up single shot rifle blueprints and you will find them. Didn't see any sharps though.

I think a couple of guys built sharps rifles on the home gunsmith forum and posted some photos and maybe drawings. Ask AW45 on that forum. I think he built one.


http://www.homegunsmith.com/

Try here. http://www.assra.com/Archivelibrary.htm

Detailed dimensional rifle drawings. All of these were reverse engineered for casting kits the screw sizes are modern. The following are available. Winchester Single Shot, Ballard, Farrow, Sharps 1874, Remington No. 1 rolling block (including SST, OST, and side lever conversion), Remington Hep­burn, and Ballard & Soule tang sights, 8-1/2x11” sets for $10 each pdd .

A good starting point would be Frank DeHaas' book "Mr. Single Shot's Book Of Rifle Plans," which is available from Midway, Brownell's, or Track-of-the-Wolf. No Sharps plans there, but four others.

I am also on a quest to build a falling block rifle. A few days ago I got the book mentioned by loud-n-boomer. Two of the actions are extremely awkward looking, IMHO. Check 'em out:

http://www.bevfitchett.us/rifle-plans/info-ifc.html
The plans in that book are vague. Not all dimensions are given. There are also plans for a .22rf. It is welded up, which may or may not appeal to you. The forth does have a more conventional look.

I also got this book in the mail:

I think it is a much better source of plans. The action also just looks better. The book is reprints of a how-to series from the magazine The Home Shop Machinist from 1994-95. This book gives all dimensions, tells what alloys to use, and gives heat treating info. There are a few pictures of the finished rifle. The author does mention that you can alter the side profile of the action, the lever, and design your own stock. His looks like a modern-day falling block build with a flat fore end like a bench gun. The action, as built, has a side profile reminiscent of a Remington 870. Somewhat unusual for a rifle, but not awkward like the De Haas "Vault Lock" actions.

I have read that De Haas did design a more conventional falling block, with plans published in the book "Single Shot Actions; Their design and Construction". It was called the Miller De Haas and was later bought out by Dakota. It was the falling block that they offered. I just ordered that book. I'll let you know what I find when it arrives.

The book arrived. It does not have plans for the Miller de Haas action. I misunderstood a post from another forum. Apparently, plans were never published for that action.