I just recieved my first sharps rifle. The breech block opens and closes with a great deal of spring pressure, snaps shut quite forcefully. Is this normal or is there an adjustment I should make?

If it is not normal if it is doing this with an empty chamber. When I first got mine I seated the bullet a wee bit to far out on a couple handloads, and it acted like that.

Not sure what to be done about it...Look at the Pedersoli site for links to warranty work in the states.

Dave G,

I have owened several Pedersoli sharps rifles and they all do this,its perfectly normal.On the bottom front of the action is a large camming area where the lever, which swings on a link cams against and at end of its stroke locks the breech block into position this stops breech block falling open.
The mechanics of this can be described as the same as a toggle clamp.

Centre Punch.

Guess it depends on what really is a "great deal of spring pressure." Yes, I feel some camming action/tension on mine but don't feel it is a "great deal" of pressure. It shouldn't take much effort at all to operate it.

Thanks for the replies! It isn't hard to open the breech at all, It's just a little hard to hold on to the lever as it cams over upon closing the action! Got a finger caught between the lever and the set triggers when it snapped shut!

Dave G,
Sorry to hear you trapped your finger, i pierced my thumbnail on my rifles first outing, as you can imagine it cocked up my whole day. Every range session to which i take my sharps, it generates a lot of interest with many shooters having go. The first thing i tell them after i have demonstrated the loading process, is to keep all fingers out of the inside of the lever and and snap it shut using all four fingures on the bottom of the lever with the thumb pointing away as if hitch hiking.

They sure are a beautiful firearm. I just got done loading some rounds. Hope to get out as soon as the weather warms up.

If you ever get your hands on a "real" C. Sharps 1874 (origional or new) you will notice the lever operates very smoothly throughout it's range of motion with almost no hard spots and it does not "snap" closed. The reason for this is a carefully fitted cam area on the lever which Pedersoli omits, I'm sure due to the cost of the skilled hand work involved.
I corrected this on my Pedersoli 1874 Sharps replica by milling a dovetail in the area where the cam should be, inserting a piece of metal, and hand fitting it (filing, stoneing, etc.) until it operated like a Sharps lever is supposed to...smooth, even pressure throughout it's range of motion.
Also, most Pedersoli 1874's (mine anyway) allow the breech block to drop too far when the action is all the way open. I also corrected this by making another link to replace the "one fit's all" link installed by Pedersoli.
Neither of these "fix's" are very difficult and they really improve the feel and operation of the gun. Other than the above two issues I think the Pedersoli is the best Sharps available for the money. Mine is very accurate and shoots with the best of them in BPCR matches.
Congratulations on your purchase and have fun!

Jon

I hope mine shoots as good as it looks! i have seen some shilo sharps and one c. sharps, they are very finely made and a work of art. For my budget right now, the pedersoli seems to be well built, affordable, and I won't feel so bad if it gets a scratch here and there. I would like to get a shilo some day. Thanks for the imfo.