My New to Me 56-50 Burnside Springfied Conversion

[Sedalia Dave]

Here are some pictures of my new acquisition. It came with the bayonet, the original rimfire breech block, a fitted center fire breech block, original follower. Brass follower for centerfire cartridges, and Stabler cutoff.

Unfortunately the forearm wood has been replaced with what appears to be a 3 band stock from an Armi-Sport 56-50 replica. Who ever did the replacement  did an excellent job as the stock is well fitted to the barrel and receiver.

I have the original bands and am in hopes of finding an original 68 or 70 trapdoor stock that I can modify to fit this rifle.

Did a chamber cast and it is chambered in 50-45-400 aka 50 Cadet. I started a bullet  sized to .511 into the barrel from the breech end and it engaged the rifling nicely.

Barrel is pitted but not real dark. The 3 groove rifling appears to be good.\

I cut down 50-90 Sharps brass to 1.3" and it chambers easily. I have 50-70 government brass on backorder from Starline.

I am using a modified Accurate 51-330S bullet. I had the crimp groove eliminated and increased the width of the lube groove 0.050" and the depth increased 0.050" to carry more lube.

Made 4 dummy cartridges 1.680" long and they cycle really well.

Special thanks to NDNCHF for all the posts he made concerning his 56-50 Springfield Conversion. I would have never gotten this far without his work.

[Sedalia Dave]

 Pictures  I'll post closeups later.

[Niederlander]

Good catch!  A friend of mine shoots his regularly, and does quite well with it, I might add.  Any luck finding the proper wood?

[Sedalia Dave]

I fat fingered the accurate mould #. It is a 51-330S.

I tried both the 51-330S and the 51-320S. The 51-330S feeds much more consistently. 

[Sedalia Dave]

Pictures of the Bayonet.

Blade is 18" long and the overall length is 21"

[Sedalia Dave]

Pictures of the receiver. icluding the mounting of the stabler cutoff. I have it and the original screw. Just haven't installed it.

[Sedalia Dave]

Detail pics of the Stabler Cutoff.

Notice that the part that contacts the breech block is beveled slightly.

[Sedalia Dave]

Barrel overall length is a hair over 32"

Rear Trapdoor sight is in good shape.

[Sedalia Dave]

Magazine Follower.
Original and the brass replacement. Notice that the replacement is counter-bored so that it doesn't touch the primer.

[ndnchf]

Congratulations - it is a somewhat rare rifle. Only about 1100 were made. Here is a video I made of mine a while back.

[Sedalia Dave]

Congratulations - it is a somewhat rare rifle. Only about 1100 were made.

Can't thank you enough for that video and the other posts you made. You saved me a lot of work in getting this rifle set up.

SD

[ndnchf]

Thanks. Glad you found my experiences helpful.