Spencer loads?

[Cav Trooper old account]

Howdy all,

Is any one here loading for a 1860 56-56 carbine? I have an original with a conversion block. I have loaded some brass from American Brass (turned brass $$$$$) with a Rapine mold healed bullet, I have had trouble trying to crimp the bullets, any ideas. I also purchased a Rapine hollow base bullet mold and loaded the brass with them. I still have trouble with swaging or crimping the bullets to keep them tight in the cases. I have shot approx. 100 rds now with a mix of both types of bullets and I've gotten the old girl to shoot within a 6 in. target at 100 yds. I would like to do better and need to figure out the bullet crimping/swaging problem. I have purchase another 100 rds of Starline brass 50-70 to cut down to try. Any ideas?

CT

[Two Flints]

CT,

Try this link for starters:   http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php/topic,2684.0.html

I'm sure one of the SSS members will post loading info that will be of help to you.  In the meantime if you check some of the earlier posts there is a great deal of loading information to be read that may be of help to you.

Two Flints

[Cav Trooper old account]

Sorry about the misinformation, it's not American Brass, it's Rocky Mountain Cartridge. I haven't snorted any BP smoke lately and my brain is getting fogged up.

[Bead Swinger]

CT -
Were you able to find any useful information in the previous thread?  I've been pretty happy with the Rapine HRNFP mold and 4D-Dies; I've been using the Buffalo-Arms pre-cut brass, and aside from some extraction issues (jams), they've shot very well.

The answer to the heeled bullet question is to use a harder lead - This was recommended on the list, and my own experience backs it up as good advice. I've done two batches of .535 bullets in the last year - one was really soft (hardness around which didn't work very well (unless you were careful with the rounds) and another set around 10, which worked much better.

[Harve Curry]

Also check the muzzle crown. The slightest imperfection will double group sizes. Had the crown done on my origianl 56-50 and 100 yard groups shrunk from 6 inch to 3 1/2".

[Trailrider]

Howdy all,

Is any one here loading for a 1860 56-56 carbine? I have an original with a conversion block. I have loaded some brass from American Brass (turned brass $$$$$) with a Rapine mold healed bullet, I have had trouble trying to crimp the bullets, any ideas. I also purchased a Rapine hollow base bullet mold and loaded the brass with them. I still have trouble with swaging or crimping the bullets to keep them tight in the cases. I have shot approx. 100 rds now with a mix of both types of bullets and I've gotten the old girl to shoot within a 6 in. target at 100 yds. I would like to do better and need to figure out the bullet crimping/swaging problem. I have purchase another 100 rds of Starline brass 50-70 to cut down to try. Any ideas?

CT

Howdy, Pard,

I believe you will find using the hollowbase bullet cast from Lyman #2 equivalent (9 lbs wheelweights/1 lb 50/50 lead/tin bar solder), sized .535-.538, depending on how it casts from the mould will work quite well.  I have used a Lyman #533476AX mould (no longer available) with good results.  These came out about 390 gr. For use with an inside-lubed, full diameter bullet, the necks of the brass were reamed to provide a .003" smaller inside dia. than the bullet diameter. The brass required the rims be turned down in order to feed through my carbine.  Bertram .50-70 brass does not. Brass was neck-annealed about half-way down the case by immersing partially in water and then heating with a propane torch while being turned on a plastic lazy susan. When discolored by the flame, the cases were tipped over into the water to quench in the anneal.

With a heel bullet, do not inside ream, but flare slightly to seat the bullet, then run the loaded round into the sizing die part way.

I did some very successful experiments with both Pyrodex RS and slow-burning smokeless pistols powders!  For what it's worth, the cut down .50-70 brass has the same internal capacity (water filled to the base of the bullet) as the .45 Long Colt, and the Relative Sectional Densities of the .535" dia. bullets are similar to a 275 gr. .45 cal bullet.  (R.S.D. is the weight in grains divided by 7000 divided by the square of the diameter)

If you are getting 6-inch groups at 100 yds with an original Spencer you are doing real well!  Most of my testing was done at 50 yds, and groups averaged 3-5/8 to 4-1/2" for 5 to 9 round groups.  The Spencer was not known for its tack-driving accuracy.  It was, you should excuse the expression, the Civil War assault rifle.  Firepower was its forte.

I have quit shooting my Spencer on a regular basis out of respect for its 147 year age.  Even with BP or substitutes we are putting a strain on its wrought iron parts.

[NOT RESPONSIBLE FOR ACCIDENTS OR INCIDENTS RESULTING FROM THE USE OF THE ABOVE DATA!]

BTW, have you slugged the bore on your Spencer?  If you drive a slug into the muzzle, but not all the way down, and then take a chamber cast of the gun from the breech that includes the beginning of the rifling, I'd be willing to bet you'll find the rifling tapers toward the muzzle!  At least I've found this to be true of a number of .56-56 carbines.

[Cav Trooper old account]

Sorry I haven't replied to all your posts, I have been off doing other stuff with more modern rifles. Thanks for the advice on the Lyman mold, I'll have to look into it. I don't shoot the ol' girl very often, more like whenever I run into someone who is interested in CW firearms. Assault rifle is probably a good description and I know the accuracy wasn't as critical and being able to put lead down range. I would just like to get a combination that I know will shoot as well and she is capable of, most likely better than I can see anymore. Those front sight blades get pretty fuzzy as of late.

Thanks again,

Cav Trooper