Maynard Reloading

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Found this on youtube;



AND;  An article;

http://www.civilwarguns.com/9906b.html

WWE;  I'll bet you can assemble cartridges by hand

P.S: I read the old thread - finally; and now it is all clear, to me!  I think Hawkeye2 had it right back in July;

http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php?topic=44176.0

[pony express]

Does this one use a sperate percussion cap to fire, like some of the other CW carbines?  I would think you could reload them without any tools at all, just pour in powder and then press a bullet in by hand.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Does this one use a sperate percussion cap to fire, like some of the other CW carbines?  I would think you could reload them without any tools at all, just pour in powder and then press a bullet in by hand.

Thats right.  This is transitional technology

[pony express]

Thats right.  This is transitional technology

Tha's what I thought! I never owned one of these, but from what I understand, some of the ones who do just have a few cases, and load them at the range, kind of like a C&B revolver. It doesn't need de-primed, probably doesn't need sizing, just pour in powder and seat a bullet by hand.

I would probably buy a couple of each type of case (plastic, standard and reduced brass) and see which one you like best.

[rickk]

Maynard Shell Holder:

http://www.ssfirearms.com/proddetail.asp?prod=SA205

Maynard Loading Tool (no idea what it looks like)

http://www.ssfirearms.com/proddetail.asp?prod=CC1LT

Rumor has it that this guy might stock shell holders and Maynard brass as well:

http://www.lodgewood.com/

I also found this on the "net" : "We gots plenty of GOD's own reduced .50 Maynard brass in-stock and they're $2.20 each. Anyone need any just call! 262-473-5444"

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Maynard Shell Holder:

http://www.ssfirearms.com/proddetail.asp?prod=SA205

Maynard Loading Tool (no idea what it looks like)

http://www.ssfirearms.com/proddetail.asp?prod=CC1LT

Rumor has it that this guy might stock shell holders and Maynard brass as well:

http://www.lodgewood.com/

I also found this on the "net" : "We gots plenty of GOD's own reduced .50 Maynard brass in-stock and they're $2.20 each. Anyone need any just call! 262-473-5444"

Rickk.

I called the number today and got Lodgewood's recording ... it seems that they are out on a shoot and will return on Monday. The call was to be informational only 'cause I am tapped until my SSKI comes in towards the end of the month... still, it would have been nice to know if I could call and pay by credit card or if they needed a check, etc.

But I am hoping Larry Romano is back on Monday, and will probably buy my first stuff from him ...

TTFN,

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Rickk,

I have decided to wait for Mr Romano to return ... I understand that he has everything I might need to reload ... I was just trying to do it on my own ... and perhaps for the first time I should just get his stuff ...

I have to wait until the 28th to get my SSKI check to get the stuff any who, so I have plenty of time ... but since he does not take credit cards, I will have to find out the final amount and send him a cashier's check .... fortunately for me my credit union gives out free cashier's checks for anyone of my advanced age .... LOL

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

WWE said; " fortunately for me my credit union gives out free cashier's checks for anyone of my advanced age .... LOL"


There a few advantages that arrive with chronlogical maturityexperience

Free money orders, and here in British California we get to travel free on the ferry system from Monday to Thursday.  Still have to pay full-freight for the vehicle,'though.

Growing old is compulsory Mandatory
Growing up is optional!!!!

Chili Davis quotes

[pony express]

Growing old is compulsory Mandatory
Growing up is optional!!!!

Chili Davis quotes

It should be noted that growing old is not really mandatory, but it certainly beats the alternative!

[Professor Marvel]

It should be noted that growing old is not really mandatory, but it certainly beats the alternative!

Hmmm shades of Dorian Grey Perhaps?

Greetings my Good Wad -

regarding bullets for these transitional Maynard rifles, nearly any soft lead bullet of ~  .511 - .514 can be used, including roundball; of course your accuracy will depend upon what bullet your rifle likes :-)

Regarding Brass, from the images i could find -



we can see that The "transitional" .50 maynard has a rather large rim when compared to the "standard" primed cartridges such as the  .50-70, etc ...

this means a "standard" shell holder will not work but a "maynard" shell holder would be needed.

from this discussion:
http://www.assra.com/cgi-bin/yabb/YaBB.pl?num=1249677612

these gentlemen relate that while a larger shell holder is in fact required, the standard 50-70 dies seem to work fine.
( I got my 50-70 dies on ebay cheaply)

One must also keep in mind that your results will depend upon the exact brass you get -
is it the Dixie/ SS  "everlast brass" machined  from solid stock?  


"Machine made from solid brass bar stock. Each empty case is individually turned and drilled to the proper size for the .50 caliber Maynard carbine."

Or is it brass converted from another case such as the Lebel?

or is it something else?

If your brass is machined from solid stock, like my Sharps Percussion Breechloader brass, you may find that
you never need to size it, and simply need to hold it firmly (ie push through a hole in a wood block) whilst
you pour in powder and seat a greased bullet with finger pressure or a simple seating tool like the revolver cylinder loaders.
This is how the Transitional Sharps  brass  can be loaded if one chooses to use brass instead of paper cartridges or loose poowder and ball.

or use this tool

from http://www.lodgewood.com

Perhaps that lodgewood tool might be the economic alternative of your desire.....

hope this helps
yhs
prof marvel

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Proffessor,

As usual, you are right on the money .... and before you wrote your lovely summation, I had decided to get it all from Larry Romano's gun shop ... he sent me two brass shells which I plan to turn into 'caps' ... filled first with some kind of white plastic dish to keep the 'charge' of cream or wheat in and make it obvious that it is a 'cap' ....then filled with cream of wheat or some filler to give it the 'heft' of a real shell ....

This month I buy the loader, and next month I have the bullet mold targeted ... does this sound like a plan?

I am a total newbie at this and will respect anyone's opinion ...

[44caliberkid]

Kind of late to the commentary here, but...I was wondering what all the talk about dies and such was about.  I load for Smith and Maynards and don't use any tolls at all.  I use the plastic hulls in the Smith and brass ones for the Maynard, both from Dixie.  I also use the bullet molds from Dixie that are made for each rifle.  The Smith bullets literally fall out of the case, so I use a piece of cigarette paper around the base to get a tight fit.  The Maynards fit tighter, but you can still just seat the bullet by hand.  You might even find some too loose.  For both guns I just htrow in about 40 grains of BP and stick a lubed bullet in on top.   Loading these guns is a no brainer and they had to do it in the field, under fire, without tools.   The purpose of the short brass case was not a reduced load.  It was so you could drop a bullet down the breach, dump in powder (or a paper cartridge) and then cap the breech with the short casehead.  Close it up, cap , cock and fire.   You're really over thinking this, it's pretty simple.

[WaddWatsonEllis]

44caliberkid,

I have been burnt by underthinking things and probably have swung to the other side.

I agree, that Maynards need little or no work in reloading ... I just have to do it(reloading Maynard shells) enough to have a working opinion ....

TTFN,

[Montana Slim]

Similar experience here with Smith & Burnside CW Carbines as 44CaliberKid reports.

Last I checked with Dixie, they do not sell the "hair-curler" molds anymore. Those molds were a good value and cast a fairly authentic bullet for use in the original firearms. I've suggested in several emails to Dixie that they get with a supplier such as Lee Precision to produce molds for them as there is still a lot of interest. If anyone agrees, please let Dixie Gun Works know your opinion.

I did modify one of the $10 Pietta Smith Carbine bullet molds to work satisfactorily in our old Smith Carbine by enlarging the bullet base carefully with emory-paper wrapped on a dowel. A bullet for an original Smith should work well in the Maynard..something around .516 - .520, cast of pure lead.

Best,
Slim

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Hi,

I think I am just going to bite the bullet (literally) and order the first mold (and other reloading stuff) from Larry Romano ... he has tested and shot the thing ... and he should know .... and the website say it takes a .514 bullet I believe ...

http://www.romanorifle.com/html/maynard.html

[Professor Marvel]

Similar experience here with Smith & Burnside CW Carbines as 44CaliberKid reports.

Last I checked with Dixie, they do not sell the "hair-curler" molds anymore. Those molds were a good value and cast a fairly authentic bullet for use in the original firearms. I've suggested in several emails to Dixie that they get with a supplier such as Lee Precision to produce molds for them as there is still a lot of interest. If anyone agrees, please let Dixie Gun Works know your opinion.

I did modify one of the $10 Pietta Smith Carbine bullet molds to work satisfactorily in our old Smith Carbine by enlarging the bullet base carefully with emory-paper wrapped on a dowel. A bullet for an original Smith should work well in the Maynard..something around .516 - .512, cast of pure lead.

Best,
Slim

My Good Slim -
I have been collecting cheap used Lee molds for a bit in order to try such modifications. I was able (as a lark) to drill out a RB mold into a primitive cylinderical, and it cast remarkably well formed lead rods.  the next step will be to attempt to machine "bearing bands" into it (ie the opposite of lube grooves ) and see what happens.

My endevour is to reproduce the Sharps Christmas Tree bullet economically such as this one

since I am such a cheap barstich frugal fellow and do not care to spend $100 on a mold... that is almost 1/4 the cost of my cheap IAB Sharps!

If we could convince Lee to put them out in .514 and .543 that would be wonderful!

yhs
prof marvel

[Montana Slim]

Should bring up the mold topic on the cast bullet forum...."group buys" are happening all the time...never know, one could be happening already.

I did correct my recomendation of bullet diameters for Smith's in prior post to .516-.520 .
Originals generally have a more generous bore and more variation gun-to-gun and generally need around .520. The pure lead recommendation results in in no issues, even if the ball is a bit more oversize than one would typically use in a modern arm.

The Romano site indicates the BORE of thier rifle to be .514, so their mold should cast a bullet .001-.002 oversize if not, I'd personally pass. But... would prefer to slug the bore of my rifle, confirm the actual rifling twist, and then determine my preference for the bullet from the choices available. I like to do my own research, it's half of the fun.... and heck, I AM an ordnance engineer for small arms....or is that just my persona?

Nothing wrong with using the Romano gear, as I hear it's all pretty good stuff... but I can see it's rather spendy.

Was looking at some fine condition original CW issue Maynard Carbines recently...looks like a fine condition original can be had for around $1500. But, they don't come with 26" barrels and target sights for that price.

Slim