500 yards with a Spencer .56-.50 carbine.

[Jbar4Ranch]

My Armisport came with a ladder sight on it, so I thought it must be there for something...

I have a 42" black steel plate hanging on an eight by eight white target butt at 500 yards, so I strolled down the field to the bench, and walked a bunch of rounds downrange toward the plate til I was kicking up dust more or less on the level of the target. I cleaned the rifle, then touched off 10 BP rounds with the modified Lee bullet... Imagine my satisfaction when I actually heard feedback from the plate on one shot!    One shot on the 42" plate, and three more in the 8' x 8' backing (I think at least one was skipped in) - enough to make an injun on a pony nervous anyway. 

[PvtGreg]

Your load? 

That is truly amazing shooting, I farthest I have ever tried was 300yrds on a 36" plate - hit 3 out of 5 on my best round.

[Jbar4Ranch]

3/5 @ 300 on a proportionally much smaller target is even better, I'd think! I only landed 4/10 @ 500 on an EIGHT FOOT SQUARE target butt, and one of 'em I think cheated and skipped in, lol.

Starline cases, whatever primer I have on hand, 37 grains volume KIK 3F, modified Lee at ~320 grains "sized" to .515" -  I polished my home spun lubrisizer die to .515", but it only touches the bullet here and there. For CAS, I don't worry about the powder much; 37 volume of KIK or Goex 2F or 3F, or the same of Pinnacle, APP, or T7 works fine at the shorter ranges. I've even used Skirmish #1 (my 10g powder) and still not placed dead last. 

[Herbert]

A couple of years ago I and a couple of other shooters tested a original 56-56 Spencer rifle at 500yds to see weather the reports from Captiain Barber  of the first battalion of Ohio Volunteer Sharpshooter could be duplicated(shooting confederat sharpshooter across the Tennessee river at a reported 500yds)the target was the old tin hat military target ,once we got the range and sights sorted out all of the shooters could hit the target at least once in 7 shots and the other ones landed close enough to make any sencible sniper change posisions.I have never tryed past 300yds with my Burncide 56-50 Spencer but at that range If I miss the tin hat target(4 ft high by 2 1/2 ft wide )it is my fault and not the carbines.With my relined AS Spencer I can keep 13 shots in a 10 inch group at 200meters and belive it is capable of much better with good eyes