TAYLOR'S 56-50 SPENCER - Update and initial Observations

[Tuolumne Lawman]

Howdy to the camp,

Well I a about ready to try the new Taylor's 56-50, except the monsoons are still drenching the northern Sierra Nevada mountains!

I got Lyman 56-50 (Taylor's) dies from Dave Gullo at Buffalo Arms, with more brass and lead coming from him.

I got some factory ammo from Ken at Ten-X (both Smokeless and BP) for the article.  Also got some Starline 56-50 brass and some lead slugs (350 grain, .512 dia.) from Ken also.  Loaded up about 50 rounds of them with 37.5 grains Hodgdon's Triple 7 with WMR primers.  That load is a might compressed (maybe an 1/8" or less), but should be OK.

Problem is, raining to hard to shoot!

Some initial observations:

The roll crimp die on the Lyman die is too long.  WHen seated against the shell holder, it barely crimps at all.  I had to take a flat file and take about 1/32" off of it so it would give a good crimp.

Also, the case belling die of the Lyman die is too long before it gets to the belling "bump".  If you put it deep enough to bell the case. the end of it expands the case above the head where the brass is thicker.  I will need to shorten the nose on the expander.

The 37.5 grains of Hodgdon's Triple Seven (LEE 2.5 cc dipper) I used in my 56-56 is slightly more compressed in the 56-50 with the 350 grain bullet.  with BP, you could probably go about 40 grains of FFG or 42 of FFFG and compress it more.

When the brass comes from Buffalo Arms, I will load some FFG and FFFG loads too.

The rear sight (battle sight) on the Taylor's has too small of a notch.  No daylight on either side.  I took a very fine machinist's file and opened it up just a tad, and it now has a perfect sight picture.

The trigger is fairly heavy, but I am not going to lighten it until after I shoot the test shots for the article.

Maybe tonight the rain will stop for a few minutes!

[Hell-Er High Water]

TL,

Regarding the heavy trigger pull and the rear sight, see my posts in the "Spencer Alterations" topic.  Both improved the shootability of the gun.

Hell-Er High Water

[Hobie]

Do you use a drop tube when charging cases?  If not (and I think you're experienced enough to be doing so although I can't see that you've mentioned it), it does help settle the powder so that you can get a bit more in.

[Tuolumne Lawman]

Howdy pard,

I do not use drop tubes on 45 Colt and Schofield, 38 WCF 44 WCF, and Spencers.  ANything about 40 grains or less, I have not noticed a difference, as capacity is not an issue and the loads have a shallow enough colum of powder that the bullet seating alone seems to compress evenly.

Even with Triple Seven (which is supposed to have no more than about 1/16" compresion) I DO use a drop tube with 45-70, 50-70, and 45-120 (especially).  The colum of powder is deep enough that it will compress at the top more than the bottom.  I have gotten phenominal accuracy from the 50-70 with drop tube loads. 

For Plainsmen shooting, though, I just charge my 50-70s with about 65 to 67 graions FFG Triple seven, using a short 6" set up I made.

I use a LEE turret press with auto index for all my loading.  With the 50-70 and 56-50 I use a 4 position turret and Lyman 3 Die sets.  The fourth die( in the third position) is a LEE universal charging die with a funnel on the top, and the small brass internal reducer/funnel. I bring the open case mouth up to the bottom of the die, then dump the powder in the funnel.  It makes a 6 inch drop tube with a 1/4" hole in the bottom that seems to give good consistentcy.  I give the arm a slight bump to help settleeeee just before moving the turret to the 4th position.

[Fox Creek Kid]

I beg to differ as I can tell a great deal of difference with a drop tubed load of REAL BP (no sub crap for me!) in the Starline 56-50 cases. The bullets seat easier with less powder crushing.

[Tuolumne Lawman]

Howdy pard,

Raelly,

Hmm, I will have to try it.  Have you ever tried FFFG?  How many grains?  40 grains of FFFG should have the same poop as 42 or 43 of FG.