Spencer Carbine at Ranges over 100 yds

[matt45]

Hello the Camp.
     Well, a few of us just expended 28 rounds at 200 yards-  Armisport Carbine, 56-50
At 100 I was amazed at the accuracy of the weapon, considering the trigger and the sights.
At 200 I was holding (sights set at the 200 range) at the bottom of a old tailgate standing on edge, and on the left side... And sometimes I hit the top of the tailgate at the top right
I am now out of bullets, and will get a 4'X8' sheet of plywood next.
My brother suggested shooting at the barn, and I can do it from the inside, if I think that will help

[PvtGreg]

I have no experience with the Armi-Sport version.

With my Romano carbine, benched with my hand loads (315 gr flat nose with 30 gr tripple 7, milk carton wad, light compressed load) I get 6-8in groups, mostly 6s.  At 100 benched I get can get 2in groups.  It more depends on the care I take loading the rounds.  I have to use hard lead when casting the bullets.

Larry uses either a douglas or hoyt barrel (sorry I forget which) on his weapons.

PvtGreg

[matt45]

Whoee - good shootin
Within 100 yards I did real good, and the general ballistics of the 56-50 are such that it should not deteriorate drastically between 100 and 200 yards.
Right now, I am molding and loading (we're calving, so my time is more limited than I would like).   
What I want to do is get enough rounds together and see where the various steps on the ladder actually hit at center mass
Anyone on this board been there done that, esp. concerning the originals
 

[matt45]

Hello the Camp (again)
     Back out at 200, and again at 250.  My particular carbine shoots 8 inches (best) to just under 12.  That is when my eyes aren't watering, or the heat waves off the barrel aren't messing with my sight picture

     At 250, if I was aiming at a man's midsection, I would hit him in the shoulders or head, using the 200 yard setting.  At 200 yards, I had better aim at his belt buckle to do the same.  I expect that at around 180 yards, I would be shooting over his head.

     From a practical standpoint, this means that if I am adjusting my sights as the enemy moves in I could take him under relativly long range with the carbine... Which did happen at least once (Olustee) with infantry, and several times out west.

My question(s) at this point is- how were the sights designed to work.  Today, of course, the battle sight is supposed to hit anything inside of 300 m without adjustment.  I'm going to take it out to the 300 setting next- see if I can hit anything

   

[PvtGreg]

I think I see your problem.  The original Spencer rounds were 45 gr of black powder over a 400 gr (I think!) lead slug.  The sights are calibrated for such.

[matt45]

Yeah- and of course the 56-56 was more anemic.  Marcot states the 56-50 round as having a 350gr bullet with 45 grs. black powder @ 1200 fps.

Both of my loads are moving out at 1200- 1225 range, w/ 326 and 329 grs. respectively.

My thesis is that the Spencer was more effective at long ranges than is currently thought, provided the shooter was real good at range estimation and marksmanship.  Of course, the whole experiment hinges on my shooting- heh, heh

Have you been able to experiment with yours out to the different ranges