Sharon Barrels

[1shotkempy]

My Sharon barrel has a number 41 stamped on both the barrel and breech. Can anyone tell me what this number represents?

[smokinbuck]

1 shot,
Mine has no numbers anywhere. If yours are on the barrel and the breach "plug" perhaps someone put them there to keep the parts together when it was dissambled during a build?
Mark

[elk killer]

mine has a 71 stamped on the barrel only

[76 warlock]

I have 5 sharon barrels, none had numbers. They were all Sharon kits bought from Old West Arms in Lakewood CO. Three of them were part of unbreached spares, I think were part of a sale when Sharon closed.

[1shotkempy]

I was thinking, perhaps, 41 may have been the twist of the barrel. It shoots a round ball at 100 yards very well.  Knowing if the twist was 1:60 plus, round ball would be ideal, below 1:60, ball and sabot slug. My barrel by the way, has eight lands and groves. Someone will know the anwser, soon, I am certain. Thanks 

[Roger B]

The rate of twist on all of the large caliber Sharon's were all 1 in 72".
Roger B.

[smylee grouch]

If I remember right, Dennis Mc Candless used to work for Sharon. He might be able to tell you what those numbers repesent. He advertises in the classified section under McCustom Machine or Breeching.    Smylee

[Dphariss]

I was thinking, perhaps, 41 may have been the twist of the barrel. It shoots a round ball at 100 yards very well.  Knowing if the twist was 1:60 plus, round ball would be ideal, below 1:60, ball and sabot slug. My barrel by the way, has eight lands and groves. Someone will know the anwser, soon, I am certain. Thanks 

One must be careful in labeling twists for "ball or ball and slug". The 48 twist was apparently the only one used by the Hawken shop in St Louis and probably by the family in the east as well.
Considering the "1 turn in the barrel" was a fairly common theory the "4 foot" (+- of course) barrel common in America could have lead to this twist being common. I wish someone would do a survey of twists of 18th and early 19th century rifles.
While the 48 twist will work for "slugs" its not ideal for elongated bullets in calibers under about 50 and faster twists were common as were gain twists that ended in the 30-36" range.
If I had my choice I would prefer 48" for calibers in common use today, only going slower except calibers over 58.
As was previously posted I believe 72" was the common twist for Sharon barrels.

Dan

[1shotkempy]

Great information! I will indeed try to make contact with this ex-Sharon worker.

[1shotkempy]

Just talk to Dennis, (once an engineer for Sharon barrels) he is certain the .54 caliber had the 1:72 twist, (heavier ball/slower twist)  and the .50 caliber 1:66. The number(s) stamped both on the barrel and breech where for assembly purposes, as one ALR mentioned. 

[Old Salt]

Were Sharon barrels ever used by CVA on their traditional MLs?  

[1shotkempy]

Can't reply on that, we never got to that arena. However, I may talk to him again, if so, it will be soon.

[oldiemkr]

Leo,

Rumor was back in the day that Sharon made the early TC barrels. Don't know for a fact though.

I've got a Sharon .54 and its been on of my favorite shooters for 30 plus years. Reliable.

[Dave B]

The Sharron Barrel company equipment was purchased by The GunWorks in Springfield OR. I watched the rifling of barrels on one friday morning before heading over to the Oregon Gunmakers Fair. It Was very Cool. Joe Williams is quite the Character and tollerated all my questions. His rifling machine is a sign bar type so he can cut what ever twist rate you wanted on special order I would think.  He has a shaper that cuts the flats on the barels with a flip cutter? It chases the whole length of the barrel then flipps up on the draw stroke then cuts the next pass till the whole flat is done. He could answer your questions I would bet. They have a web site.
http://www.thegunworks.com/custprodgun.cfm?SubCat1ID=9&Cat1Name=Barrels

[Hawken62_flint]

I have a Sharon barrel on my PA style longrifle that I bought as a kit from Dixie in 1976.  It is just marked Sharon with no other markings anywhere on the barrel.  It is in .45 caliber and is the best shooting barrel I have ever owned.  After many thousands of rounds, it still shoots better than I hold it and it has made meat and won me many trophies back in the early 80's.  I broke it out in early October and split several playing cards and balls on an axe head and cut a string 2 out of 3 shots at 25 yards.  It is still a shooter.  Man---does anyone make a barrel that good any more? Just kidding, I know there are some good barrel makers out there today, but Sharon was primo in its day.

[Hawken62_flint]

Thanks Dave for the website for Joe Williams and his Oregon barrels.  I called Joe this afternoon (morning in Oregon) and we talked for almost a half hour.  He is a genuine good guy and you can tell that just from talking to him.  They are cranking out barrels and the longest wait that he said anyone should have to wait for a barrel is 90 days, but says they are mostly caught up and should get it out in a short time period.  His only drawback is that he can only rifle a barrel up to 36 or 37 inches, so most of the barrels on his website are 35 or 36 inches long, but can build from .30 caliber up to 2 bore.  Was great talking to him and I will definitely keep him in mind when I next need a barrel.