Armisport 56-50 Rifle Black Powder Load

[Fox Creek Kid]

Would like to here from someone out there with an Armisport Spencer rifle (not carbine) in 56-50 on how the rifle shoots as opposed to the carbine (if they know) and if you're having any lube problems in the longer barrel.

[Fox Creek Kid]

Red Leg, are you out there? 

[kurt250]

hi there, have both. have had no trouble with eather. shoot 56-50 w/ 42 grains of 2f b.p. use lead 350 grain from buffalo arms w/ spg. have had no bad fowleing and action works fine after 42 continous rounds. kurt250

[Fox Creek Kid]

Thank you, sir. 

[red leg]

This is Red Leg--OVER------ i also have a Taylor's Spencer rifle in 56/50 shoots great at 50 yds , have not tryed it at ioo yds as yet . Hoot Gibson ,who is a member of this forum, shot mine , off hand during a match in TN last weekend. You could cover his group of six rds with a silver dollar [off hand  ] .He liked mine so mutch he ordered one for himself . Hoot is one of the most knowlegable shooters i know when it comes to shooting and adjusting a Taylor's Spencer 56/50 carbine .It would be great if we could get him to write an articale on shooting and fine tuning a Spencer Carbine / rifle  [ Two flints ] Hoot has fired over 5,000 round thru his Carbine todate.

[Fox Creek Kid]

Red Leg, what's your BP load?

[red leg]

My load and Hoot's load--Starline brass ,lyman .518 bullet sized to .516  ,lead WW ,fed primers ,OAL  1.50 --1.56 , 32 gr Swiss 1 1/2  , Light crimp . Also work good with 32 gr of 3 F . ---Red Leg

[Fox Creek Kid]

Thanks, Red Leg. That approximates my load, however I use the Rapine 350-T bullet mainly and 35 gr. or so of FFg.

[Hoot-3rd Ga]

I have found that Swiss 1 1/2 F burns a lot cleaner in the carbine with less fouling than Goex FFF. The whole firearm reciever and barrel comes out much cleaner after shooting Swiss powder than other types. Also the powder charge is as much as you can get into the case without compession of the powder by the bullet. Swiss powder does not like to be compressed like Goex. I suppose that using a drop tube would get a few more grs. in the case if faster is what you are looking for.  Downside.....availability and price.   Hoot - 3rd Ga

[Two Flints]

Hoot,

What about that "article"?  I did help to get you back on line...   In my family we have a saying, "Oona mana lava kilatra", which roughly translated means, "one hand washes the other." 

My "Oona......"  quoted expression is not necessarily spelled correctly   

Two Flints

[Hoot-3rd Ga]

Two Flints: I have been away from this forum for at least a year, maybe two. I guess you could say I got busy, but not so busy that I don't still shoot a Spencer pretty regular. Seeing Red Leg's new Armisport Spencer Rifle at a N-SSA black powder match in central Tennessee last weekend rekindled the spark. After shooting it, I had to have one too. They finally made it without the saddle rings and is I am told approved by the N-SSA small arms committee. I will have to confirm that for sure. The rifle is more balanced and stable than the carbine for target shooting. I can't wait to get my hands on one to begin testing ammo combinations through it. Armisport Spencer carbines have had some issues in the past that can, of course be addressed. Overall, they are fine period weapons, and a personal favorite of mine. I look at them in terms of shooting the tight offhand groups at 50 and 100 yards as is required of any arm used in N-SSA competition.. Since I was last on this forum, I have also gotten heavily into SASS competitions. The goals in SASS are vastly different from those in the N-SSA. I don't know which goals most interest members of this forum. Readers would have to understand my interest and point of view before they could appreciate what I would write about the 56-50 Armisport Spencer rifle and carbine.    Hoot - 3rd Ga

[Fox Creek Kid]

Hoot, I've shot an Armisport 56-50 carbine since Jan. 2004 when they first came out. Like others, I was dismayed when the rifle came out with the carbine sling & bar. Now that they have rectified that it looks just like an 1860 Spencer rifle. I shot some Swiss with some test loads using the Dakota Widowmaker bullet in my carbine but did not put them on paper. It has been my experience that FFg GOEX & Schuetzen compressed work the best with the Rapine 350-T bullet. The scoop that throws about 37 or so gr. works the best with this bullet per my experiences.

Hoot, have you put the Spencer three bander on paper at 50 and 100 yds.?  I was sort of wondering if the 1 in 20" twist would be any good at 100 yds. in the rifle with the stubby 350 gr. bullets unless you drove them really fast, e.g., with Swiss powder.

[Hoot-3rd Ga]

Fox Creek Kid: I saw the first example of the current issue of Armisport Spencer rifles firsthand last weekend. It belongs to Red Leg. He let me shoot it during the 50 yds individuals of a N-SSA black powder match. I liked the way it shot and I could tell after 20 rounds that there appears to be great potential in it's accuracy. I have one on order from Chattahochee Arms which is due to arrive in two or three weeks. You know how that goes. When I do get it......you will be hearing  more about it. I will give you boys a no B.S. report as soon as I can do some extensive testing on it.   Hoot

[Two Flints]

Hoot,

Thanks for responding, and we look foward to your comments and range report..."When I do get it......you will be hearing more about it... on your new Armi Sport Spencer rifle after it arrives. 

Two Flints

[red leg]

Hoot--Your Taylor's Spencer rifle could be in as early as next week   [ could be  ], keep your fingers cossed and load up a ton of 56 / 50 bullets.  I think i will also try Fox Creek Kid's compressed load . Hoot we are all looking forward to your field report [ Boy do we have you on a string now  ] ---Red Leg

[Two Flints]

...more like a ball & chain

[Hoot-3rd Ga]

Red Leg: I will start making 56-50 loads this weekend. I don't want to get my hopes up, so I won't think about it until you email me to say it's here. Which do I do first? ..... the field testing or make your improved rear sight?   Hoot

[Appalachian Ed]

Hoot - I thought you shot a Romano?


-Eddie Bruner
2nd KY Cav CSA/NSSA

[Hoot-3rd Ga]

Eddie; I have owned and shot the Romano Spencer rifle for several years now, as well as a custom Hoyt relined Armisport Spencer carbine.. Recently a member of the 14th Miss. talked me out of the Romano. I guess he wanted it worse than I did. I may be sorry as I cannot find the newest Armisport Spencer rifle listed as a SAC approved weapon. I have one ordered from  Red Leg. I am scrambling now to get confirmation that it has been approved since the last update in June 2008.    Hoot

[Appalachian Ed]

You can always walk it through Small Arms if it is not on the approved list. The only way it would be on the list is if an importer submitted one for approval. As long as it dimensionally and functionally is correct you should be fine. Just get an individual approval card.

I have Romano Spencer rifle, but I shoot my Ballard in the breechloader matches. The 2nd Ky does not shoot repeaters.

-Eddie