ASM Sharps

[nativeshootist]

Anyone know how the build quality is? I found one for a decent price and considering it.

[Drydock]

These are IAB made Sharps.  Might do a search on that.  They're pretty spotty as far as QC.

[kwilliams1876]

I had one way back, it was rough as a cob, inside and out. Sold it soon after. Then came across a Garrett which was a big improvement.

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[Professor Marvel]

Greetings my Dear nativeshootist

The ASM, IAB, and other "cheap sharps" are really a crapshoot and one needs to be a psychotic
Determined amature gunsmith, like myself, to actually be happy with it.

Did I mention "cheap" ? The guts re quite rough and soft, and need a lot of work. The usual IAB trigger pull is worse than an issue musket, usually more than ten plus pounds. The ones with good triggers have been worked on, and it is important to pull the guts and make sure it has not been worked "too much" or has a negative angle on the search. The block often has junk inside all the intricate areas that needs to be cleaned, filed, or stoned. And the surfaces that should be hard, usually aren't.

But if one is persistent and willing to work over a pugs ear, it may eventually be satisfying!

I actually have a rough frame casting, a commercial pedersoli breechblock and guts and a barrel and am planning on building one up from scratch... I will see if it comes out better and sooner than my .54 IAB sharps... It will probably drag on for years, tho ......

Best advice? Save up for at least a Pedersoli ( ~ $1650 ) or Uberti or better, a C Sharps or Shiloh

Hope this helps
Prof Marvel

[nativeshootist]

well professor, luckily i asked around. you were right. I went to the gun shop and when we were looking at it. the owner half cocked it to check if its clear and when he tried to lower the hammer, the trigger wouldn't budge. like at all, he even let me try and thought i was gonna break the thing. also the block had a weird tab switch on it.

[Reverend P. Babcock Chase]

Howdy Native,

Without disagreeing with foregoing advise. Did the gun have set triggers? If so, what you may have there is a set trigger that is out of time. It's rear or front trigger may have to much height (spring adjustment) keeping the sear under tension in the half cock. Could you get the hammer down by fully cocking the gun then lowering the hammer? With set triggers, there is a swiveling "fly" in the tumbler that keeps the sear from engaging the half cock after the set trigger drops the hammer. Properly set up triggers should not require this.

The above being said, and the previous thoughts, the gun is a project. It might be made into a good shooter, but it sounds like it will need a fair bit of tinkering. If it is cheap enough and you want to learn all about how set triggers work and have a high threshold of frustration, you might give it a try. Otherwise, let someone else acquire the headaches.

Rev. Chase

[nativeshootist]

It had set triggers, we tried to use those to get the hammer back down but it would not go back down. The plastic tab on the right of the breech block which was weird.

[Reverend P. Babcock Chase]

Howdy Native,

Without seeing it I can't be sure but i believe the tab swiveled to act as a firing pin block. Did you take the hammer to full cock? Then you might have been able to lower the hammer while holding the trigger back. Even if that worked, it's an indication that the triggers were way out of whack.

Rev. Chase

[Professor Marvel]

Ah My Good Nativeshootist
Good thing you could look it over... At least it was the owner doing it rather than you!
Yhs
Prof marbles

PS how did the chamber problem work out?

[nativeshootist]

we had the hammer on full cocked and it still didn't drop. so i just said no and gonna do the down payment for a c sharps
and Professor, i cerrosafed the chamber and it still didn't work. it had the same imprint that the casings have.