David and Fellow Sharpshooters;
You might try reading the article that I wrote (and Dave Rider generously posted on this website) a couple years back; here is the link:
http://www.berdansharpshooters.com/Ever ... Sharps.pdfIt is based on my personal experience with 2 of the three rifles mentioned (Ped and Shiloh). Interestingly, when Brian White and Chad Fuller changed their ammunition from twist tail to flat base blanks, they didn't experience the number of misfires or fouling they previously had with their own Peds. Because the flat base keeps the powder contained, fouling is limited to just the chamber (whereas cut off tail rounds expose the gas check, breech block and associated surfaces to black powder crud). I haven't had the opportunity to see or fire a Sharps with the O-ring conversion, but a number of NSSA guys who post on that website are very satisfied with it. I believe another problem why fouling with our rifles is because of reduced pressure (due to no ball being pushed up the barrel) causes incomplete ignition of the powder charge.
When I make my flat based cartridges, after pouring in the powder, I take a 1x1 inch piece of shirt tissue and seat it over the powder--then, keeping the
wood dowel (NO METAL OBJECTS SHOULD BE USED) seated in the tube, I tap the cartridge/dowel combination on a solid surface a couple times to compress the powder. This step appears to help create a more complete discharge compared to just leaving the powder loose (it is also easier to crimp the paper sides during the final steps).
Keep your eye out for used Peds--they come up for sale on the NSSA, Authentic Campaigner, Civil War Reenactor Forum, Gun Broker, etc. You should be looking for a Berdan Sharps, if your intent is falling in with the USSS (though some of us have to cheat by removing the lever catch from our Infantry model NM1859-1863's).
Bill Skillman
Hudson Squad-USSS