Spencers and Buffaloes

[Big Goose]

As it's 25 below this morning figured I'd take the time to post some buffalo hunt pictures.  One taken with 1860 rifle 56-56, two with 56-50 sporting rifle that started out as a 1860 carbine, and one with an ArmiSport repro carbine 56-50.

The Spencer 56-56 and 56-50 cartridges have plenty of power at reasonable ranges. The bullets were cast fairly soft at 16/1  and all but one passed through with center chest hits at ranges up to 160 yards. My son recovered one perfectly mushroomed bullet that broke two ribs and the off leg just below the shoulder joint. Trajectory is the tricky thing past about 90 yards,

I'll post a few pics of the rifles as well, got some questions that I bet Herbert or others will have some info on.
Happy new year
Big Goose

[mtmarfield]

   Greetings, Big Goose!

   WOW! What photos! What memories! Load data for the 56-56, and 56-50?

             Be Well!

                        M.T.Marfield

[dusty texian]

Thanks for the photographs. They are the best! ,,,,,,DT

[Big Goose]

Thanks fellers,
I've truly blessed to be able to make this an annual trek for many years. And to be able to share the expereince with my sons is just awesome, and we each used a Spencer for our first buffaloes.This past October Colton used his 76  45-60. This was my 14th buffalo(13cows & 1bull). Have used 56-56,50-70,44-77, 45-70,45-75, Northwest trade gunflintlock smoothbore,54 caliber 1859 Sharps , and this past October the    56-50 Spencer sporting rifle. Most have b been with 50-70,(4) two with Gemmer style Remington roller, and two with 1866 Springfield Allin conversions. Next most used is 44-77(3)original Ballard #5 Pacific model.

Loads for the 56-56.  Cut down 50-70 brass, 42 grs. Goex express 2f. Drop tube and compressed.bullet from Rapine mold 546 dia.heel base. 392 grains- Only sticks in the case about 1/8" made a stab crimper from old hoof nippers. Federal 215 primers  Chronoed between 1090 and 1110 fps. Shoots really quite well in the old Spencer rifle.

56-50.  Starline 56-50 brass,  droptube and really compressed 40 grs. Olde eynsford 2f.. bullet from Lee mold (was for 515 grn. FP, I cut it at bottom grease groove for casting bullets at 375 grs, 30/1 alloy.)  Doesn't carry a lot of lube but shoots really well. Thebsoft bullets mean working the lever deliberately so they feed without hanging up and getting deformed.but they really do group nicely out of the old sporting rifle conversion. Didnt chronograph these but the bullet broke the tops of both shoulder blades and bottom half of vertebre at closeto 150 yards.  Anchored the big cow bison on the spot, the big fat arteryy along the spine was severed and she bled out by the time we got up to her. Hole all the way through, high shoulder hit.

I'll try to get some pics of bullets and loadedrounds when I get a chance.
BG

[Little Dalton]

Super awesome photos! Love the outfits, too, 'cep fer thet yankee hat. That carbine looks familiar...

[hatfield]

Hi
Thank you Thank you for the photos.
Good load data
I dream of them in Germany
My buffalo are made of paper, distance 100m
many have hunted, piece preiss 50 cent

Hatfield