Primer Bumpers *** Photo Added ***

[Ibgreen]

Good evening fellow Society Members, (and visitors of this fine website).  I have been asked to describe the bumpers I have been placing on my primers.  My current mold is a Lee .515 450gr cut down to 360gr.  The main drawback with this wonderfully smooth feeding mold is the small diameter flat nose.  The nose is almost the size of a LPP.  One can imagine the reluctance one has while 6 or seven of these are stacked upon one another inches from your face........
    I decided that I would add a "dollop" of silicone on top of the primer to create a bumper (I view this as insurance).  I found that I have no issues with this method in my 1868NM rifle (S£S block, starline brass, CCI LPP) setup.  


                                                   (Photo added by Two Flints)

Going forward, I may use different color caulk as to quickly reference different powder and loads separate (2F vs 3F etc)

IBGREEN

[KEN S]

OK,  I've been shooting BP for decades and have done a lot of gunsmithing on these guns, and I have an original 65 Spencer 56 50 carbine that I shoot a lot.
     The pointed bullet with a 'bumper' is an accident just waiting to happen.   It's just not right.
   I shoot the Lyman 350 RNFP and it's accurate 1 1/4 inches at 50 yards. 5 shot groups.

    and.....here we go....Safe to shoot.

      Load the pointed one at a time, or get the Lyman flat point.  or plan for a good eye doctor. 
  all those rounds are right next to your shootin' eye.....

      good luck...and be safe....ken

[.56/50 Iron]

Good afternoon!
      I enjoy reading posts like this where someone has dared to experiment! I also realize the work that you must have gone to in order to get this ammo to work in your Spencer! While the short, stubby .56/50 case does not need a whole lot of fire to get things moving, might I make one suggestion? While the original Spencer bullet was darned near pointed as your bullet also is, one has to remember that the original cartridge was a rimfire and pointed bullets did not matter in those. My suggestion is to try the CCI #34 military large rifle primer. Those are recommended as the primer cup is harder than the standard primer cup and eliminates slam-fires in semi-auto weapons. Granted, there is more than enough fire with this primer and you probably should cut your load back a bit if you try it. Half the fun of owning the Spencer is getting it to function as the boys in the War Between the States used it in battle, one shot for each day of the week thru the action!
Good Luck!
.56/50 Iron

[Ibgreen]

Don't worry fellas, my new mold is en route.  Moose .520 smith mold.  I will size down to .517.  My bumpers though will still be used for insurance.  These bumpers are accomplishing the same thing that the "lever evolution" soft tips do.  If something does go wrong, I'll change my handle to 1eyeBGREEN