Anyone have any experience with the 1859 Sharps Cavalry Carbine?
I found out this weekend that the unit my 2nd great grandfather and uncle were in during the Civil War used them, so I am now kicking around getting one to play with for fun and maybe to hunt a deer or hogs with. I'm not a reenactor and it won't be used for matches unless they are side games or similar. The big debate being whether or not to go with a 54 percussion or hold out for one of the cartridge conversions...

I had an original Conversion in 50-70. It was a nice gun. It predated the 50-70 being readily available so I ordered some Bell brass and cast up some bullets then loaded them above a case full of FFG. It shot nice. I missed a good buck on the last day of the season, near dark. Made a very satisfying boom and fireball. Personally, I'd rather have a conversion or replica thereof than to fool with the paper cartridge ones. I know people won't like this but...if you get a replica you could use smokeless and cut way down on the cleaning. If I wasn't concerned with exact historical accuracy, I'd get the 45-70 and you wouldn't even have to reload for it unless you were of a mind to. I'm sure Missouri Bullet Company has good bullets if you don't want to cast but do want to reload. You could drive right over and pick them up.

How did you find out what arms your ancestors used?

The percussion Sharps are fun to shoot, accurate (considering sights and projectile), and not that difficult to properly load. Assuming you have a properly checked-out original or replica, get some Charlie Hahn paper tubes, Christmas-tree bullets (I cast with a Moose mold, but there's a few vendors that have good bullets at a reasonable price), and have fun. I know you already have experience with black powder, so I don't think it will be a daunting task for you.

I'm amused by those who complain about the difficulty of making paper cartridges. I find the process different than making good BPCR loads, but no more time consuming..... IF you use Hahn tubes and don't start messing with hair curler paper or start soaking sheep intestines in saltpeter solutions.

I'm not that far away, so if you need any assistance, let me know.

Get the conversion with 3 lands of rifling. The 3 land bores have been relined and will shoot a standard 50 caliber bullet, as the other is too large to shoot most cast bullets you would shoot. I have shot everything from gophers to deer with this 50-70 conversion and 5744 powder with a 300 grain gas check bullet and it won't beat you up. It will still completely penetrate everything you will shoot with it...

That's what I'm looking for, and can find plenty of them, but WOW do they think highly of them!

You should be able to get one around $3,000.00

Or... I could spend less than half that and get a 1978 Farmingdale Shiloh!
This should satisfy the itch (once it gets here) while I save my pennies...

Good job! .54?

Yep!