Howdy Gents,
Last Saturday I spent the better part of four hours at the loading bench, putting together three different "flavors" of BP loads for my 56-50 Taylor Spencer. This is the same rifle that I recently installed a Shiloh Sharps full buckhorn rear sight on. My three load variations are listed below, along with the muzzle velocity, extreme spread and group size, fired from the bench at 25 yards. Here you go:
Starline 56-50 centerfire cases
Winchester Large Rifle Magnum Primer
45gr (by weight) ffg Goex, 30” drop-tube into case
Widow Maker 310gr bullet, sized .512”, lubed with homemade lube (Beeswax/Mutton tallow/Paraffin)
1,050fps Average Velocity, Extreme Spread 36
5.25” Group
********************************************
Starline 56-50 centerfire cases
Winchester Large Rifle Magnum Primer
43gr (by weight) ffg Goex, 30” drop-tube into case
.030” over-powder vegetable wad
Widow Maker 310gr bullet, sized .512”, lubed with homemade lube (Beeswax/Mutton tallow/Paraffin)
1,024fps Average Velocity, Extreme Spread 37
2.5” Group (Four shots in 3/4”)
********************************************
Starline 56-50 centerfire cases
Winchester Large Rifle Magnum Primer
42gr (by weight) ffg Goex, 30” drop-tube into case
.060” lube cookie with waxed paper disk between powder and lube cookie, and between lube cookie and bullet base
Widow Maker 310gr bullet, sized .512”, lubed with homemade lube (Beeswax/Mutton tallow/Paraffin)
834fps Average Velocity, Extreme Spread 52
3.5” Group
*******************************************
This range session brought a few things to light. First off, of the three loads tested, the second one shows the most promise. I suspect that next time I sit down at the reloading bench that I will try to refine that load further. Second, while the Sharps sight improves the sight picture a great deal, it is too tall for the existing front sight....all of my groups were 6-8" above point of aim at 25 yards. It would appear that some surgery is in order.
Now I will admit that I am new to the whole Spencer thing, but I have been shooting BPCR for quite a while in two different custom Rolling Blocks in both 45-70 and 50-70. With those rifles, I am used to groups of one ragged hole at 25 yards from the bench. If you look at the groups I am getting with this Spencer, they are pretty big. What is considered acceptable or good accuracy? At what point do I say, "Yup, that's about as good as I am going to get"? Hopefully 3.5" at 25 yards ain't it! I can routinely do better than that with virtually any handgun I own. So, what kind of accuracy SHOULD I be looking for?
EDITED TO ADD: Lyman dies. Couldn't tell you overall length...I shot up all of my ammo!
It was crimped into the groove on Widowmaker's bullet. Bullets were cast from #2 Lyman alloy. My next batch will be with the Rapine 350gr bullet lubed with SPG.