Sharps XPB .308 bcg

[DustBuster]

Hello Guys....

I saw a post before of this Bolt when it was in stock, back in May or something.  I bookmarked the page back then.  Last week, I randomly brought that page up and it was in stock.  That began a three day long mental back and forth of whether I wanted another bcg as a back up or for a future build down the road.  After doing some more rapid research on it, I ordered it.  Whether or not it will actually ever get to me is a different story.  It is now out of stock again, so at least the web page is “alive”. The company sounds like it is nearly dead, however.  One employee, in WY, which may or may not be true.  Coming back from the ashes of Bankruptcy, I wish them or “him” luck!  The Sharps rifle is certainly legacy of this nation, I am proud to have a tiny recreated piece of that legacy on order.  Some of the reviews were great, and others not so great.  The ejector or extractor could be ill supplied with parts and there was one period that they had improper tempering and it caused a total recall unfortunately because lot numbers were not on the bolts.  Also the gas key may be measly staked.

  The firing pin is the high pressure size, which could be good for my next build which would be a creedmore.

Anyone else buy one of these bolts recently and do you have poor ejection and need to add a spring or some extractor part?  I’m hoping my current bolt catch would engage fine with the different than milspec lugs on the src Bolt. My current bolt makes enough, but little contact with bolt catch.  These two issues I will hopefully see for myself when I get the part in my mail box, but it doesn’t hurt to see what you all know about it.

[DustBuster]

Ok, since nobody replied to my post here, I will reply myself to it:

I just got this Bolt Carrier in the mail and it is a Beauty.  Work of Fine Art.  I have this one now as a backup or for a future Creedmore build, and I will be headspacing it soon so I can test this baby out.  I was even given a reduction in price because of some negligible cosmetic flaw, of which I do not even see upon inspection of this item. I was wondering where my order was so I called them.  I was greeted upon my phone call kindlywith explanation of delay and it was sent out the same day... I cannot see one minute cosmetic flaw to this baby.  

I will post more after I test it out.  They are still in business and hope they well succeed.  I might try a barrel from them.

Whiskey 7 out

[Armed Eye Doc]

Thanks for the info.  This is how we all learn about the good and bad.  Can you post some pictures when you get a chance?

[DustBuster]

Yep, I will.   It showed they were in stock when I ordered it, but when I called she said they weren’t supposed to be because of some sort of coating error on the gas key screw... but I don’t see Any prob.  I said send it anyway.  She did.  Waiting for them to be back in stock or emailing asking about em could be good.  I’m not looking forward to pulling out Two ejectors to headspace it so I can test it, but I should, or just maybe buy another of their separate bolts.  Can’t gaurentee great function yet, but I’ll post pictures.  Looks very very good.

[DustBuster]

I put this new one in my gun to see how it behaved on a dummy round dryfire and manual ejection.  I still will be comparing it and reviewing it as the days progress.  It definitely feels like a more snug fit in the buffer tube, and the lugs might have to wear more easier opening from barrel extension.  I might want to try and keep the firing pin retaining pin from being able to extend past flush on the ejection port side, I think it may have been able to make contact with my receiver adding to opening difficulty.  A little gasket washer under the “head” of that firing pin retaining pin would solve this issue.  My old sloppy Bolt Carrier works fine, this new design may just need a few gunsmithing TLC touches.  I’ve read where people with sloppy receiver meshing between upper and lower have a problem with the larger rear of this Sharps entering into the buffer tube.  My receivers are not too loose, but are not perfect.  I’m not against myself adding some epoxy to the lower part of my upper receivers takedown pins opening, to tighten it up a whisker more.  Right now, I think, after ruling out firing pin retainer pin looseness I will see if I need to tighten my receivers.  Don’t know yet.  I still like this thing but the real test will be upon shooting with it.

[shooterrex]

You might only change 1 thing at a time.

How do you know if something is screwing up, what it is if you change more than 1 thing at a time.

[unforgiven]

^^^ exactly or you will be chasing your tail

[DustBuster]

Agreed, one of those at a time

Edited July 12, 2021 by DustBuster

[98Z5V]

Just put it in the gun and shoot it, before you think you need to change anything with it.  You might be surprised.

[DustBuster]

Yeah, I actually bought this one for a backup...I’m sure it’ll work good.  I was so impressed with the overall quality that I had to share about it.  Then I popped it in gun to test the fit and ran into the hard to unlock the dummy round situation and the firing pin retaining pin problem.  Two different problems and I’ve cured the firing pin retainer pin just now.  I had to follow up in good faith yesterday to possible buyers with details.  I just retested the unlocking of it today after the retainer pin fix.  Using my charging handle, I basically have to put the stock onto the desk and use both hands to pull the charging handle downward to get it open.  Without a round in it the bolt unlocks easily.  I’m thinking it could be extra side pressure that I’m not used to with the double ejectors, or it may not be headspaced right for this barrel.  Funny thing, tonight, for the first time looking into the chamber, I saw Lots of copper smear on the sidewall.  So I fixed the very minor situation of the retaining pin easily( a tiny washer made from a wire terminal). Yesterday I had heard it making contact and it did leave a small scratch in the receiver.  The main unlocking problem might have to wait till I go about a  headspacing check.  Maybe I’ll have to clip a coil off the ejector springs.  I can deal with that later.

I tried an impromptu headspace comparison by standing my old bolt on the table, putting in a round and bending it straight till it hit the bolt face compressing the ejector, and measuring with my calipers from the rear of a lug to the neck of the brass.  Then I tried the same with the Sharps bolt and at first it measured more, but another time it might have been the same.  Very innacurate way.  Might be a while till I can fully recommend this beauty of a bolt, that is all.

Edited July 13, 2021 by DustBuster

[DustBuster]

The Sharps  gas rings also seem to create more vacuum force, such a tight seal with the Sharps, it might be several factors including better lug fit.  I’m sure you are right 98, put it in and give it a whirl, it’ll break in like everything else just fine.

 

[Lane]

13 minutes ago, DustBuster said:

dummy round

What do you consider to be a dummy round? Did you make it yourself with no primer? If so; what do you know about other live rounds that work in comparison?

14 minutes ago, DustBuster said:

Lots of copper smear

Copper metal, or brass? Was it only on one side? Or in very distinct places?

[Lane]

3 minutes ago, DustBuster said:

gas rings also seem to create more vacuum force, such a tight seal with the Sharps

This would make me pretty happy. Gas rings are in fact a seal. So is everything else... I don't want passed gas hitting me, tighter fitting parts that work are a good thing.

[DustBuster]

The Dummy rounds I had made for me a while back.  SAAMII spec resized, and brass with removed primer, with my own little patented hard rubber primers glued in place.  That was for when I thought dryfiring would be like a Terrible Blow from Thor the Hammer, but I’ve since learned it’s a tiny little tick sound, primer or  no primer.  I mainly made those dummies for just seeing if bolt/magazine/barrelextension all worked as I was assembling over time.

The dummies have always loaded exactly like live rounds, maybe the bolt slamming home a wee bit faster with no powder weight in them.  

As far as the gas rings, I would say that at least the bolt movement inside the carrier is 25-30% more resistive than my regular bolt I’ve use used and fired about 150 times.  1 jam in 150, not bad statistics for the old bcg, nothing wrong with it, I’m was just scoping out the alternative one.  I’ve seen one U Tuber do a gas ring test with his bolt by putting it on a table and seeing if the bolt would collapse together under its own weight.   Neither of mine will do that, specially the Sharps

Edited July 13, 2021 by DustBuster

[DustBuster]

6 hours ago, Lane said:

What do you consider to be a dummy round? Did you make it yourself with no primer? If so; what do you know about other live rounds that work in comparison?

Copper metal, or brass? Was it only on one side? Or in very distinct places?

Copper smear:  Usually I’ve been cleaning this gun after each use, but it is kind of dirty now with oil and powder residue in the action.  Standard muck after 25 rounds.  So when I had it open looking inside, I noticed brass streaks and spots.  Hopefully they weren’t hard and are close to causing stuck cases like maybe Lonewolf Mcquades were doing.  After I reassembles my gun with original bolt, the copper seemed to move, so maybe it was oily copper and not hardened, inside the chamber, don’t know for sure yet

[98Z5V]

On 7/11/2021 at 10:40 PM, shooterrex said:

You might only change 1 thing at a time.

How do you know if something is screwing up, what it is if you change more than 1 thing at a time.

You have no idea how much it warmed my stone-cold heart, to read that, brother. 

[DustBuster]

Update:  Sharps 308 XPB Bolt carrier Group

Issues:

1) firing pin retainer pin can protrude enough to lightly touch sidewalk.

2) Hard to eject live round.

Conclusion:

1) fixed easily by adding tiny washer behind Flat Head of Sharps retaining pin design

 2) fire round then eject!

After going in with bore scope and looking at case neck clearance using a Known Bolt of exact proper headspacing, and comparing that gap with what I saw with the Sharps, I detected no difference.  Brass case is not pushed in tighter causing hard live round ejection.  The reason for hard live round ejection, I believe, is extra friction caused by Strong Double ejectors on the projectile side surface, as the live round is removed.  My situation does not require “mortaring” to remove, but a firm and stiff pull back is required to eject live round.

Head spacing on Barrel has been previously checked with old bolt and the Sharps bolt dimensions were compared to these and were within spec.  

Both bolts were measured with calipers and checked out with the Faxon bolt dimensions for proper headspace. I feel safe enough to Test Fire using Sharps XPB bcg and continue the review of my new backup/soon to be primary BCG.

I will be buying/renting headspace gauges in the future to test either a 6.5 Creedmore Barrel or a 7mm-08.  This is why I don’t want to get the 308 gauge again for Bolt Checking.  I already checked my 308 barrel with one.

 

 

Edited July 17, 2021 by DustBuster