What's your Best group shot with a Spencer ?

[Harve Curry]

Mine is 3 shots into 3.5" at 100yards with the Rapine 520350 bullet.
Load (safe in my carbine only) is 16gr of 2400, polyfiber fill to keep the powder in place,WW large rifle primer, Bell cases made  from 50-70 brass. Table and sandbag rest used.

[Gunner]

You mean we're supposed to shoot for group size??

[Arizona Trooper]

On one magic day my New Model carbine produced 5 shots into 1.25" at 100 yards. The load was 35 gr. of GOEX FF with the old dry lubed wonder wads between powder and bullet. Lyman 515141 50-70 bullet cut back to 375 grains, Dixie 50-70 brass cut to 1.16" and neck reamed. Winchester LRM primers. That was in 1985. I have never done it again, but I have several 1.5" groups from the same carbine. My CW rifle, which has a rough bore, has taken medals at local N-SSA matches. It will usually do 3" at 100 yards using the 370 grain 56-56 bullet Jim Leineike and I designed.     

[Harve Curry]

Arizona Trooper,
That is really neat!!

[Tuolumne Lawman]

Howdy,

When I had the Taylor's .45 schofield Spencer for the CC article, it shot very well, but not as well as the two originals (one I had, and one  I now have) I have shot.  My current original is a .56-56 1860 model that I got from Larry Zeug, the firearms historian you see on History Channel and Wild West Tech.  It is awesome, and has a nearly perfect bore.  It is bright, with no frostyness.  IT has a nice shiney, smooth brown patina, no rust or pitting, and a hint of the color case hardening on the reciever still under the patina.

Using the S&S breech block, and my Rapine .535 375 Grain bullet over 37 -38.5 grns (volume) of Hodgdon's Triple 7 BP replacement, WMR primers, and Buffalo Arms brass, I have shot a one hole cloverleaf from a rest at 25 yards.  Judge Hemp and I were banging the 275 yard Buffalo gong at Ione with the Spencer on buffalo sticks. 

As Judge Hemp said "I'd hate to be a man on horse back at 275 yards and have someone shooting at me with this Spencer.  Either I or the horse would be hit!"  That's why I plan to replace the front sight and use it for deer hunting. The front sight was filed down and it hits 12-15" high at 25 yards!  If I can set the sights right, I will use battle sight down for 100 yards, and first notch up on the ladder for 200.  That 375 grain flat nose pill would be quite a buck thumper.  Besides, carrying it on horseback, riding in my McClellan Saddle, while hunting would have a certain panache'!

[huckleberry]

Can anyone tell me where I can obtain smokeless powder reloading information for Taylors' 56-50 Spencer.
Any help would be appreciated.

Huckleberry

[Harve Curry]

btt

[Dakota Widowmaker]

9.2gr of Trailboss fills the case quite well.

9gr of Unique is what I have seen listed.

22gr of IMR 4227 is a good starting load as well. (Hell-er Highwater uses 23.5gr with his rapine bullets)