Starline Brass--does it work with the Lane extractor? * TEXT ADDED TO PHOTOS *

[DJ]

I just picked up a nice M67 rifle at a local show.  It has the centrally mounted Lane extractor instead of the side-mounted blade extractor I'm familiar with.  I understand that Starline 56-50 brass is iffy with the original Spencers with the blade extractor.  My question is, has anyone tried the Starline brass in an original rifle with the Lane extractor?  I'd like to know if it works well before ordering a bunch of brass.

Thanks--
--DJ
aka Copperhead Dave SSS#56

[Fox Creek Kid]

P.M. me your name & address & I'll send you a few cases to try. I'm assuming you're set up to reload this cartridge(?).  Have you slugged the barrel yet? Bullets?

[Appalachian Ed]

The Starline  rim is not correct for an original. Lodgewood and Rocky Mountain Cartridge sell correct brass. PM me your address also and I can send you one of each.

[DJ]

Ed--

Thanks for the kind offer.  I already have a few pieces of brass for an original, so I know those work.  Fox Creek Kid is kindly sending me some Starline cases to try, so I should be able to test those and see if they work as well.  I understand the Starline cases don't work so well in most Spencers (the ones with the extractor on the left side of the chamber).  However, the Lane extractor is a different design--it's spring-loaded and catches the bottom of the rim.  I'm hoping it will accept the smaller rims on the Starline brass.

Perhaps I can post some photos to show you what I'm talking about, because it's kind of hard to make sense of it without seeing a picture of the difference between the two extractors.

Thanks again for your offer for the brass, though.  It's nice to have complete strangers offering to help.

--DJ

[Two Flints]

DJ,

As you offered, "Perhaps I can post some photos to show you what I'm talking about, because it's kind of hard to make sense of it without seeing a picture of the difference between the two extractors".

It would be very much appreciated!

Two Flints

[Two Flints]

Greetings--

Here are a few photos of the Lane extractor found in some late-model
(M1865?, M1867, and New Model) Spencers compared to the standard
extractor found in the M1860.  I'll send the photos in two emails to Two
Flints who will post them along with supporting text.

Photo Spncrs-1:  Top is an M1867, bottom is an M1860.  The slot at
the front of the lower breechblock of the M1867 is a quick way to ID
a Lane extractor rifle.  Note the M1860 has no slot.



Photo Spncrs-2:  Top is the M1860 breechblock assembly and lever, the
bottom is from an M1867.  The M1860 blade extractor is tall and fits
in a V-shaped cutout in the lower breechblock.  The M1867 with Lane
extractor has a prominent, centrally mounted tooth, but no extractor blade.



Photo Spncrs-3:  Extractor systems disassembled.  M1867/Lane
extractor on left, M1860/standard extractor on right.



Photo Spncrs-4:  Top view with action open--M1860 on the left and
M1867 on right.  Compare the size/depth of the extractor notches at
the bottom of the chamber.  Also note the narrow cartridge guide on
the M1860 compared to the wide cartridge guide with Spencer cutoff on
the M1867.  Also, something that is not very clear from written
descriptions, but very apparent once you see it:  notice how the
edges of the mortise (rectangular hole for the breechblock) on the
M1860 are relatively sharp, while the edges on the M1867 look blunt
and rounded.  This is about the quickest way (other than reading the
markings) to distinguish an M1860 from one of the later models
(M1865, M1867, and New Model).



Take care,

(D.J.) Dave

[Fox Creek Kid]

Excellent "heads up" photos. 

[Arizona Trooper]

Starline brass ought to work fine. I've been shooting cases made from 348 Winchester brass for years in my '67 rifle. The rims are much smaller than 50-70s, and won't work with either the long or short blade extractors (M-1860, '65 and New Models). I've even shot the '67 with 348 cases at N-SSA matches without problems "on the clock".

[Fox Creek Kid]

Well D.J., does the Starline brass function? 

[DJ]

OK, so I loaded up a couple of dummy rounds using brass kindly provided by Fox Creek Kid.  It feeds into the chamber beautifully and the rim is large enough for the extractor to grab and extract.  I know you never know "for sure" about this kind of thing until you try it with live ammo, but I feel confident enough to order some of the Starline brass and give it a shot (particularly since I know that if it somehow doesn't work when shooting live rounds, the brass has the right dimensions so I can trim the cases and use them in my .50 Remington pistol).

One thing I did note during my experimentation, however, was that it is even more important to work the action vigorously with the Lane extractor than with the standard Spencer.  Near as I can tell, the standard (left side blade) extractor keeps pulling the case out of the chamber even after the case bumps up against the cartridge guide (the "finger" that rides atop the middle of the breechblock).  With that system, you can work the action slowly if it suits you and the empty case is usually pulled far enough back for the cartridge guide to lift it up and eject the empty case when the new one is fed into the chamber. 

With the Lane extractor, however, the extractor hook goes through/under the cartridge guide and lets go of the case before it is pulled all the way out of the chamber.  The only way to use it as a repeater is if the extracted empty case has enough momentum to keep moving backwards on its own even after the extractor lets go.  I didn't realize this at first, and it was a real bear when I cycled the action slowly "to see if things would work"--the extractor would pull the cases about three quarters of the way out of the chamber and then leave them there, and if I tried to close the action at that point, it just jammed it up.  When I tried working the lever at full speed, it worked like a charm--kicking the cases right out the back and into my face.  It was a new experience having a Spencer actually kick the cases out rather than dragging them out and leaving them on top of the breechblock to be tipped off to the side.

Anyway, serious testing to begin when the brass arrives (a worthy Christmas present, wouldn't you think?).  And thanks again to Fox Creek Kid for the loan of the Starline cases.

--DJ

[Fox Creek Kid]

Wait 'til you get the bill!  Just kiddin'!!! That's great that you'll be able to use the cheaper brass.