Repro (Pietta) Smith Carbine -- Groove Dia vs Bullet Diameter

[mehavey]

As previously mentioned, I recently picked up a new Pietta Smith after a 30-year N-SSA layoff (wherein I shot an original).

After digging out all my old equip/molds/etc, I began casting the old Lyman 515139(30:1), loading 27gr 3Fg under cornmeal filler in Lodgewood's black plastic tubes.  (I have the old white ones somewhere -- just can't find them)


Lubed with standard 2:1 Crisco/Beeswax, I've played with (1) as-cast (.520-.524"); (2) sized to classic 0.515"; and lastly (3) 518"

- The unsized (which I shot in the original Smith) expanded the
  tubes to where they were tough to chamber -- but gave "decent"
  accuracy at 50yds

- The 0.515" sized made for easier chambering, and also gave
  "better"-than-decent accuracy.

- The 0.518" were Goldilocks perfect, and gave me just one
  ragged hole at 50:


Then... THEN, like a dummy I slugged the bore:  0.508" max

Anyone else shooting a repro Smith where shooting this much oversize still does well ?

[Two Flints]

Hi mehavey,

This is a Spencer Forum and you may have trouble getting the kinds of responses you're looking for . . .  You might want to post your question at the Powder Room or Darksider's Den forums on CasCity.

Two Flints

[mehavey]

Roger ... `have reposted in those forums
Thanks for the heads-up

[PvtGreg]

How many rounds?

My thought is that "oversized" (and we're talk what maybe 2/100's difference?) rounds would be fine until leading would mess with your groups although I use to have a sharps carbine that had such deep groves leading did ever seem to mess with accuracy, it always shot like crap regardless.

I shot a buddies Piettia smith a year ago and found it to be really quite accurate.  Got a 5 round group at 100 that you could cover with your palm.

[mehavey]

4 rounds in that hole.
Like you say, If-it-ain't-broke-don't-fix-it.....
but a bullet doing that well starting out 10-thousandths oversize did get my attention.



(incidentally, the barrel has a real choke point just underneath the rear sight dovetail -- but it doesn't seem to care)

[mehavey]

UPDATE:

Some Bottom Lines:

The LEE .518x360 carbine mold/mild-bevel base (track_wolf) shot exceptionally well
The AccurateMolds 540C (ordered 0.516(+.002"var)/casts 0.517") shoots even better

Problem was... loading that square-base into a smith case by hand was a losing battle -- Big time.

So for the search engines, I offer the 98-cent solution that works w/ great consistency and  without effort.

[Arizona Trooper]

Nice target! Your experience isn't unique, but I don't know why that is the case. Like Mehavey says, if it's working, don't mess with success. I've slugged a few of the Piettas and they all run in the 0.508-0.509" range. Most originals run 0.005" bigger than that. When they first came out in the early '90s, some of them had no leade from the chamber into the rifling. They would shoot well, but would cut little rings of lead off the bullets, which would build up in the chamber until you couldn't seat a round. Something to watch out for if you buy a used one from a reenactor.

[Ibgreen]

The fellow I bought my reloading setup from shot a smith.  His must have shot best with a .518 bullet due to that is the die that was in the lubrisizer.