Blank Ammo for Spencer Carbine

[Walksfire]

Howdy fellow shooters. I am trying to get active to shoot my Spencer Carbine, like many of you already have.  I have switched over to a centerfire block from S&S. I also changed the bullet follower in the tube to a flat end as well. So while my bullet mold is being made by Buffalo Arms, i thought, why not shoot some Blanks. I found this site:

http://www.veteranarms.com/ReproductionMuzzleloadersandFlintlocks/Blanks.html

I have an original 1860 56/56 rifle. Will it be possible to fire these 56/50 Blanks with no harm, no foul to the carbine. Sounds like a great deal if I can. What is the down side to firing these? Any help would be appreciated.

[Two Flints]

Walksfire,

These are the Spencer blanks I've been using.  Check out this link:

http://44henryrifle.webs.com/spencerrifleblanks.htm

As to the one's you've looked at, I don't have any first hand experience, but I'm sure other SSS members will post their experiences with them.

Two Flints

[nactorman]

Hi,
  We sell a lot of these: http://www.veteranarms.com/ReproductionMuzzleloadersandFlintlocks/Blanks.html to Spencer shooters using both repro Spencers and converted originals (in both 56-56 and 56-50). If you want a sample to test out in your particular weapon, send me a PM with your address. Also, in case you missed it, here is a short tutorial on how to load the blanks: . All the best.
  Nactorman

[Walksfire]

  Thanks for the replies Two Flints and Nactorman. I chased down both suggested links. I also watched the youtube video and it got me even more excited to shoot my Spencer. This is a great forum for learning.

[Walksfire]

The blanks showed up today in the mail.    I had gotten FFX Hogdon black powder from the Chantilly VA Nations Gun Show over the weekend. I failed to get the shotgun primers. Thought they would be easy to get locally. Wrong.

I loaded them anyway in to the butt of the Spencer. Then cycled them with the lever, really fast, as has been described here. WoW. They came flying out one at a time. Obviously not shot, as I had not put a primer or powder in them. Nor did I pull back the hammer for fear of damaging them in the process.

I look forward to seeing how these plastic bullets fire. So Close.....

[nactorman]

Hi,
  Glad to hear the samples arrived ok. Just a quick note about powders... As stated on the paperwork that comes with the blanks, we highly recommend using real (i.e. good ol') blackpowder - either FF (2F) Grade or FFF (3F) Grade in our blanks, as these will provide the most satisfactory results. Pyrodex can be used in a pinch, but we have found that it produces less smoke and a weaker report. We do not recommend any other "blackpowder substitute" such as Triple 7 or other brands, as their use can lead to cartridge splitting because of the pressure differences. Never attempt to load the blanks with smokeless powder! Most sporting goods shops/gun shops in our area carry shotgun primers, but if not available in your area you can always order them online. They are cheap when purchased in quantity. We have had good success with shotgun primers from all the major brands - CCI (my fav), Remington, Winchester, Federal, Cheddite, etc. You can also use the 209s designed for muzzleloaders. They are a little tighter when inserting into the cartridge than some of the others mentioned above, but will function fine with no appreciable difference in performance. All the best. - Nactorman

[tn_shooter]

When using the plastic blanks be wary of things heating up and the blanks not ejecting properly, and possibly getting stuck in the chamber, ripping off/through the rim of the blank.  They're good for low intensity - a few shots here/there - demonstration scenarios, but if you're going to shoot a lot in a short period of time where heat and fouling is increased, I'd go with the brass hulled shotgun shell blanks.  They may look odd as they're red, but they'll extract every time and the guys at Black Squirrel know what they're doing with blanks.

[Walksfire]

Great Spencer Day. I finally got to shoot my 1860 Spencer carbine today thanks to Nactormans generosity!!!  I got some FFX powder and some Federal shotgun primers. I could only load 9.5 grains into the blank instead of the 15 in the instructions. this most be because I used a black powder substitute suggested above. There is apparently a problem with VA dealers carrying or storing black powder. According to a gun shop and a dealer at the Chantilly gun show.

Bottom line is that the blanks fired. Smoke and fire came out the barrel. A load bang was heard blocks away. I am extremely happy.

The s&s center fire block worked. The blanks worked. They ejected fine and I have a big smile on my face. Thanks All. Especially nactorman

[treebeard]

The Back Creek Gun shop in Winchester sells black powder. Their website is blackpowderva.com. They can
Sell you all you need.

[smittyc7]

I've used the ones from Veteran Arms extensively.  They work great.  Putting the primer in was a little tough on my fingers until I realized I could press them in with a cylinder loader, after that, making rounds is a breeze.  I typically shoot 100 a weekend at a good reenactment.  If you are interested in doing a Civil War event, check out the Battle for Selma, they are looking for repeaters to have an authentic event.  I'm going with another Spencer owner, and taking 8 or so guys with Sharps carbines.

[Roscoe Coles]

I have some interesting "blanks" that I got years ago from the 7th Michigan of the NCWA.  They are machined from brass and look like 56-50 rounds.  They have a chamber bored in the center to take a .38 or .357 case.  You load a bunch of cheap .38/.357 blanks before the event then slip them into the "blank"  bodies before and between battles to reload them.  Don't know who made them but I have 50, which seems to be enough for my needs.

Roscoe.

[nactorman]

Hi All,

 Over the last few days I've received quite a few messages with questions about our (Veteran Arms LLC) blanks and a few requests for clarification, so I thought I would post some further info and photos.

 Veteran Arms LLC Blank Cartridges:

Veteran Arms LLC sells blank cartridges designed to cycle and fire in lever action rifles. These blank cartridges were designed by us and are manufactured exclusively for us.  



They are made of a unique blend of injection moulded plastic that is designed to be strong and heat resistant. For authenticity's sake, the cartridges are brass colored and at a distance of a few feet appear to be regular brass ammo. They also incorporate a lubricant to aid in chambering and extraction. All cartridges are designed to be loaded with blackpowder (we recommend real 2F or 3F blackpowder) and utilize a standard 209 shotgun primer for ignition. They have a unique membrane at the nose which opens upon firing. They are intended for one-time-use, with no need to collect spent cartridges - just eject and forget.

We presently sell blanks for weapons chambered in 56-50 Spencer, 45 LC, and 44 WCF.

The Spencer blanks will work in reproduction Spencers made by Armi-sport as well as original Spencers chambered in either 56-50 or 56-56 that have been converted to centerfire. As Spencer enthusiasts will note, there are some differences between the original and AS repro Spencers, and with that said, there are some tips and tricks to making your reproduction load and cycle as well as the originals. I will post more on this later for those interested. (I will upload a video link soon, which gives some of this info.)

The 45 LC and 44 WCF cartridges are the same. They will cycle and fire in weapons chambered for either cartridge. They can be used in reproduction Spencers chambered for those rounds, or in any number of other lever action rifles including Henrys, Winchesters, Lightnings, etc. The only weapon we have ever encountered that does not cycle well with our blanks is the Rossi Puma. While some Pumas will shoot them just fine, others hang up after extraction and won't eject properly. (Why?)

We sell a lot of blanks to Civil War, Indian War, and Cowboy reenactors as well as to movie and theatrical productions. In the last year, we sold approximately 100,000 cartridges, many to repeat customers.

As mentioned above, our blanks were specifically designed for use in lever action rifles. We get a lot of questions, however, about whether they can be used in single action revolvers also. The short answer is, "Yes and no." Our blanks will work fine in many single action revolvers and we sell quite a number to folks using them for that purpose. With that said, however, the tolerances on some of the reproduction revolvers are such that free rotation of the cylinder is affected. If assisted in rotation with the free hand, the blanks will fire as usual. The good news is that we are working on the development of a new blank designed specifically for use in single action revolvers.

What Our Blanks Are Not:

Spencer:
Our products are often confused with other blanks either presently on the market or which have been offered in the past. Our Spencer blanks are often confused with those offered by the Kennesaw Cannon Co. The KCC blanks are sold through Dixie Gun Works, Midway, S&S Firearms, and others. They are NOT our blanks. There are some similarities. They both are made of plastic. They both utilize a 209 shotgun primer. And they both are more or less "brass" colored. But the similarities stop there.



Our blanks are of a different pattern, based more closely on the resurrected 56-50 cartridge utilized by the AS reproductions. Our blanks are made of a different composition designed for actual firing with both primer and powder.



The KCC blanks are designed to be used WITHOUT powder, as outlined in the instructions and on the retailer's websites.



Our blanks feature the membrane tip designed to open upon firing. The KCC cartridge has a flat closure with no break-away nose area.



Our membrane tip held up to a light.



KCC with no membrane.

It is relatively easy to distinguish between the two when you know what to look for. Our cartridges are a darker, more metallic color. Holding a cartridge up to a light will reveal the membrane nose. And the KCC blanks are marked with their name on the rim.




45 LC / 44 WCF:
Our 45 LC and 44 WCF blanks are often confused with other blanks both still on the market and obsolete. Ours are NOT 5-in-1s, "Hollywoods," EMFs, or any other brand/type of blank. We do not sell them loaded with 'flashpowder,' smokeless powder, or otherwise. Our blanks are presently not carried by any of the major outlets like Dixie Gun Works, Midway, S&S Firearms, Lodgewood, or any others. If it is from them, it is not from us. You can also usually distinguish them pretty easily upon examination. Here are a couple of photos of a typical plastic 5-in-1 blanks which come loaded with 'flashpowder," smokeless powder, or other propellant.



Note that many of these other blanks are of various colors and/or have distinguishing markings on the rim.



There are other blanks out there for Spencers. The shotgun blanks work very well and are a good choice for those who have the reloading equipment necessary to make them.

There are also real brass blanks. These work great, but are a bit pricey and one would likely want to pick them up for reuse.

As mentioned previously, there are turned aluminum and brass cartridges designed to have a smaller caliber blank inserted. Again, these are pretty pricey and one will definitely want to pick them up for reuse. Also, the ones from Ten X were apparently made for original Spencers, as I have owned several repro Spencers and have never been able to get the cartridges to cycle in any of them.





Do They Melt?
No, ours do not. We get asked this a lot from shooters who tried plastic blanks in the past that were made of a different composition and which could not withstand repeated firing and essentially melted in the barrel (sometimes sticking) or which emitted particles of melted plastic which adhered to the inside of the barrel creating a ring which was hard to remove. Our blanks are very heat resistant and have been through extensive and ongoing production testing. Basically, the results of our testing show that there is really almost no way that a traditional lever action shooter can reload fast enough to sustain a fire which would be sufficient to melt the cartridge. (If you have a gatling gun chambered for 45 LC or 44 WCF and want to give it a try, let me know! I'd be curious to see if we could melt some using that.)

What About Fouling?
Obviously, when shooting blanks, there will be more fouling build up than when firing live ammo, as there is not the pressure necessary to seal the chamber well. This is also the case when firing our plastic blanks. Shooters will experience and should be prepared for there to be a fair amount of fouling build up in the barrel/action during a long scenario. Is it excessive? We think not. Under normal conditions, when starting with a clean piece, one can fire from 100-150 cartridges before it starts to have an appreciable effect on the action. In order to restore easy cycling of the piece, a quick spray of lubricant (like WD-40) into the action will break up the fouling and firing may be carried on. In a pinch, water can be used, and will do a decent job of restoring the action, but will obviously necessitate some extra attention during clean up. If the fouling is not loosened with lubricant or water, this can lead to a number of minor issues including failure to eject properly.

What About The Extractor Ripping Through the Rim?
Often we are asked by folks who have used other plastic cartridges in the past whether there are issues with the weapon's extractor ripping through the rim of the cartridge and thus failing to extract/eject. This is much more of a problem with some of the other plastic cartridges we have encountered. Ours are made of a harder plastic which is more resistant to this. With that said, it does occasionally happen. Some of the more common reasons are mixing ammo and failure to clean and/or lubricate the piece. When using our blanks, one should NEVER mix ammo. Using two different types of blanks will almost certainly lead to a failure to eject. Each type of blank ammo creates its own fouling pattern. Switching between different blanks part way through a firing session can cause the cartridge to bind on fouling left behind by another cartridge.

I was participating in a battle scenario with a friend a couple of years ago when this was dramatically illustrated. We were both using our Spencers. My friend was using his excellent shotgun blanks, and I was using Veteran Arms' plastic cartridges. We decided to give each other's a try. They both cycled and fired fine. Upon working the actions, however, both of our weapons' extractors ripped through the rim of the cartridge - his through the plastic one, and mine through the brass shotgun rim. Stuck. Fortunately, the removal procedure is very easy. First, unload the magazine. Then, with a ramrod borrowed from your Sgt (if it is a battle scenario) or a dowel, simply pop out the offending empty cartridge.

Double Feed In Spencers:
Several times we have encountered individuals who seemed to be having an extraction problem with their Spencers while utilizing our blanks. As it happened, what they were actually experiencing was a double feed, and it is easily replicated and avoided. Essentially, the Spencer does not have an ejector (at least the AS repros don't). The extractor removes the cartridge from the chamber, but it is gravity that makes the spent cartridge fall free from the action. If the Spencer's action is worked in a muzzle down orientation, the extractor removes the cartridge from the chamber, but instead of gravity making it fall free from the breech, when the breech reaches full rotation the spent cartridge simply falls right back into the chamber. Now there is no where for the next cartridge to go when it is picked up from the magazine, jamming the action. Again the remedy is pretty simple. Open the action. Dump the magazine. And either cycle the action (in proper orientation), or use the ramrod/dowel to pop out the offending cartridge.


Magazine Tube Insertion:
I will cover this more thoroughly in the soon-to-be-posted tips and tricks video, but essentially, the magazine tube on the repro Spencers is not flared as it is on most originals. Thus, when using our blanks in an AS repro Spencer, the magazine tube can sometimes catch on the cartridge rim. Fortunately, this is a quick and easy fix. Tap a step drill or tapered wooden dowel into the mouth of the tube flaring it slightly. Go slow and check the fit often. Stop when the tube fits securely, not too tight to move easily, then clean up the inner edge with a dremel or sandpaper. The tube can now be inserted over the cartridges without binding.

Anyway, this has been a long explanation, but I hope it helps. For those who missed it, see our tutorial video above for more info.

Oh, and if you want to come out and shoot'em up with a bunch of other Spencer enthusiasts, be sure to plan on coming out to the 150th Battle of Selma in April. (See Wilson's Raiders Repeater Company information at the top of the forum.) Each participant with a repeater will receive 100 free cartridges.

All the best.

Nactorman

[smittyc7]

Excellent!  Thanks for all the info, as I have experienced a lot of the hangups.  Worse part is having one jam, taking the magazine out, and freeing up the fired blank while in the middle of a battle.  I've found some of the problem was fouling in the slot the ejector hand moves in.  Which is my bad for not properly cleaning it.

[nactorman]

Here is a video which shows some of the modifications that can be performed on the Armisport Spencers in order to make them easier to use and more reliable when shooting blanks. It also contains some troubleshooting info that may be useful.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h8I345NB6rU&feature=youtu.be

Charles

[sgtnap]

I have some interesting "blanks" that I got years ago from the 7th Michigan of the NCWA.  They are machined from brass and look like 56-50 rounds.  They have a chamber bored in the center to take a .38 or .357 case.  You load a bunch of cheap .38/.357 blanks before the event then slip them into the "blank"  bodies before and between battles to reload them.  Don't know who made them but I have 50, which seems to be enough for my needs.

Roscoe.

[sgtnap]

I have some interesting "blanks" that I got years ago from the 7th Michigan of the NCWA.  They are machined from brass and look like 56-50 rounds.  They have a chamber bored in the center to take a .38 or .357 case.  You load a bunch of cheap .38/.357 blanks before the event then slip them into the "blank"  bodies before and between battles to reload them.  Don't know who made them but I have 50, which seems to be enough for my needs.

Roscoe.

[sgtnap]

I have some interesting "blanks" that I got years ago from the 7th Michigan of the NCWA.  They are machined from brass and look like 56-50 rounds.  They have a chamber bored in the center to take a .38 or .357 case.  You load a bunch of cheap .38/.357 blanks before the event then slip them into the "blank"  bodies before and between battles to reload them.  Don't know who made them but I have 50, which seems to be enough for my needs.

Roscoe.

[Crossdrawnj]

Hi All,

 Over the last few days I've received quite a few messages with questions about our (Veteran Arms LLC) blanks and a few requests for clarification, so I thought I would post some further info and photos.

 Veteran Arms LLC Blank Cartridges:

Veteran Arms LLC sells blank cartridges designed to cycle and fire in lever action rifles. These blank cartridges were designed by us and are manufactured exclusively for us.  



They are made of a unique blend of injection moulded plastic that is designed to be strong and heat resistant. For authenticity's sake, the cartridges are brass colored and at a distance of a few feet appear to be regular brass ammo. They also incorporate a lubricant to aid in chambering and extraction. All cartridges are designed to be loaded with blackpowder (we recommend real 2F or 3F blackpowder) and utilize a standard 209 shotgun primer for ignition. They have a unique membrane at the nose which opens upon firing. They are intended for one-time-use, with no need to collect spent cartridges - just eject and forget.

We presently sell blanks for weapons chambered in 56-50 Spencer, 45 LC, and 44 WCF.

The Spencer blanks will work in reproduction Spencers made by Armi-sport as well as original Spencers chambered in either 56-50 or 56-56 that have been converted to centerfire. As Spencer enthusiasts will note, there are some differences between the original and AS repro Spencers, and with that said, there are some tips and tricks to making your reproduction load and cycle as well as the originals. I will post more on this later for those interested. (I will upload a video link soon, which gives some of this info.)

The 45 LC and 44 WCF cartridges are the same. They will cycle and fire in weapons chambered for either cartridge. They can be used in reproduction Spencers chambered for those rounds, or in any number of other lever action rifles including Henrys, Winchesters, Lightnings, etc. The only weapon we have ever encountered that does not cycle well with our blanks is the Rossi Puma. While some Pumas will shoot them just fine, others hang up after extraction and won't eject properly. (Why?)

We sell a lot of blanks to Civil War, Indian War, and Cowboy reenactors as well as to movie and theatrical productions. In the last year, we sold approximately 100,000 cartridges, many to repeat customers.

As mentioned above, our blanks were specifically designed for use in lever action rifles. We get a lot of questions, however, about whether they can be used in single action revolvers also. The short answer is, "Yes and no." Our blanks will work fine in many single action revolvers and we sell quite a number to folks using them for that purpose. With that said, however, the tolerances on some of the reproduction revolvers are such that free rotation of the cylinder is affected. If assisted in rotation with the free hand, the blanks will fire as usual. The good news is that we are working on the development of a new blank designed specifically for use in single action revolvers.

What Our Blanks Are Not:

Spencer:
Our products are often confused with other blanks either presently on the market or which have been offered in the past. Our Spencer blanks are often confused with those offered by the Kennesaw Cannon Co. The KCC blanks are sold through Dixie Gun Works, Midway, S&S Firearms, and others. They are NOT our blanks. There are some similarities. They both are made of plastic. They both utilize a 209 shotgun primer. And they both are more or less "brass" colored. But the similarities stop there.



Our blanks are of a different pattern, based more closely on the resurrected 56-50 cartridge utilized by the AS reproductions. Our blanks are made of a different composition designed for actual firing with both primer and powder.



The KCC blanks are designed to be used WITHOUT powder, as outlined in the instructions and on the retailer's websites.



Our blanks feature the membrane tip designed to open upon firing. The KCC cartridge has a flat closure with no break-away nose area.



Our membrane tip held up to a light.



KCC with no membrane.

It is relatively easy to distinguish between the two when you know what to look for. Our cartridges are a darker, more metallic color. Holding a cartridge up to a light will reveal the membrane nose. And the KCC blanks are marked with their name on the rim.




45 LC / 44 WCF:
Our 45 LC and 44 WCF blanks are often confused with other blanks both still on the market and obsolete. Ours are NOT 5-in-1s, "Hollywoods," EMFs, or any other brand/type of blank. We do not sell them loaded with 'flashpowder,' smokeless powder, or otherwise. Our blanks are presently not carried by any of the major outlets like Dixie Gun Works, Midway, S&S Firearms, Lodgewood, or any others. If it is from them, it is not from us. You can also usually distinguish them pretty easily upon examination. Here are a couple of photos of a typical plastic 5-in-1 blanks which come loaded with 'flashpowder," smokeless powder, or other propellant.



Note that many of these other blanks are of various colors and/or have distinguishing markings on the rim.



There are other blanks out there for Spencers. The shotgun blanks work very well and are a good choice for those who have the reloading equipment necessary to make them.

There are also real brass blanks. These work great, but are a bit pricey and one would likely want to pick them up for reuse.

As mentioned previously, there are turned aluminum and brass cartridges designed to have a smaller caliber blank inserted. Again, these are pretty pricey and one will definitely want to pick them up for reuse. Also, the ones from Ten X were apparently made for original Spencers, as I have owned several repro Spencers and have never been able to get the cartridges to cycle in any of them.





Do They Melt?
No, ours do not. We get asked this a lot from shooters who tried plastic blanks in the past that were made of a different composition and which could not withstand repeated firing and essentially melted in the barrel (sometimes sticking) or which emitted particles of melted plastic which adhered to the inside of the barrel creating a ring which was hard to remove. Our blanks are very heat resistant and have been through extensive and ongoing production testing. Basically, the results of our testing show that there is really almost no way that a traditional lever action shooter can reload fast enough to sustain a fire which would be sufficient to melt the cartridge. (If you have a gatling gun chambered for 45 LC or 44 WCF and want to give it a try, let me know! I'd be curious to see if we could melt some using that.)

What About Fouling?
Obviously, when shooting blanks, there will be more fouling build up than when firing live ammo, as there is not the pressure necessary to seal the chamber well. This is also the case when firing our plastic blanks. Shooters will experience and should be prepared for there to be a fair amount of fouling build up in the barrel/action during a long scenario. Is it excessive? We think not. Under normal conditions, when starting with a clean piece, one can fire from 100-150 cartridges before it starts to have an appreciable effect on the action. In order to restore easy cycling of the piece, a quick spray of lubricant (like WD-40) into the action will break up the fouling and firing may be carried on. In a pinch, water can be used, and will do a decent job of restoring the action, but will obviously necessitate some extra attention during clean up. If the fouling is not loosened with lubricant or water, this can lead to a number of minor issues including failure to eject properly.

What About The Extractor Ripping Through the Rim?
Often we are asked by folks who have used other plastic cartridges in the past whether there are issues with the weapon's extractor ripping through the rim of the cartridge and thus failing to extract/eject. This is much more of a problem with some of the other plastic cartridges we have encountered. Ours are made of a harder plastic which is more resistant to this. With that said, it does occasionally happen. Some of the more common reasons are mixing ammo and failure to clean and/or lubricate the piece. When using our blanks, one should NEVER mix ammo. Using two different types of blanks will almost certainly lead to a failure to eject. Each type of blank ammo creates its own fouling pattern. Switching between different blanks part way through a firing session can cause the cartridge to bind on fouling left behind by another cartridge.

I was participating in a battle scenario with a friend a couple of years ago when this was dramatically illustrated. We were both using our Spencers. My friend was using his excellent shotgun blanks, and I was using Veteran Arms' plastic cartridges. We decided to give each other's a try. They both cycled and fired fine. Upon working the actions, however, both of our weapons' extractors ripped through the rim of the cartridge - his through the plastic one, and mine through the brass shotgun rim. Stuck. Fortunately, the removal procedure is very easy. First, unload the magazine. Then, with a ramrod borrowed from your Sgt (if it is a battle scenario) or a dowel, simply pop out the offending empty cartridge.

Double Feed In Spencers:
Several times we have encountered individuals who seemed to be having an extraction problem with their Spencers while utilizing our blanks. As it happened, what they were actually experiencing was a double feed, and it is easily replicated and avoided. Essentially, the Spencer does not have an ejector (at least the AS repros don't). The extractor removes the cartridge from the chamber, but it is gravity that makes the spent cartridge fall free from the action. If the Spencer's action is worked in a muzzle down orientation, the extractor removes the cartridge from the chamber, but instead of gravity making it fall free from the breech, when the breech reaches full rotation the spent cartridge simply falls right back into the chamber. Now there is no where for the next cartridge to go when it is picked up from the magazine, jamming the action. Again the remedy is pretty simple. Open the action. Dump the magazine. And either cycle the action (in proper orientation), or use the ramrod/dowel to pop out the offending cartridge.


Magazine Tube Insertion:
I will cover this more thoroughly in the soon-to-be-posted tips and tricks video, but essentially, the magazine tube on the repro Spencers is not flared as it is on most originals. Thus, when using our blanks in an AS repro Spencer, the magazine tube can sometimes catch on the cartridge rim. Fortunately, this is a quick and easy fix. Tap a step drill or tapered wooden dowel into the mouth of the tube flaring it slightly. Go slow and check the fit often. Stop when the tube fits securely, not too tight to move easily, then clean up the inner edge with a dremel or sandpaper. The tube can now be inserted over the cartridges without binding.

Anyway, this has been a long explanation, but I hope it helps. For those who missed it, see our tutorial video above for more info.

Oh, and if you want to come out and shoot'em up with a bunch of other Spencer enthusiasts, be sure to plan on coming out to the 150th Battle of Selma in April. (See Wilson's Raiders Repeater Company information at the top of the forum.) Each participant with a repeater will receive 100 free cartridges.

All the best.

Nactorman


Sgtnap:

Did you notice how much the aluminum blanks look like yours?  Just sayin'.

retsgt.