56-50 Blanks

[Sean Thornton]

Has anybody found a good solution for the blank issue?  I have owned original Spencers, a carbine and rifle, years ago and I used .50-70 brass for blanks which today are a little expensive.  I also used 8mm Kropatchek blanks cut down, they were $35 per 1000 at the time however can't find today.  Also used was the 8mm Lebel cut down to length.  It seems to me that is the answer to blank problem for the Spencer.  The case cost less than 50 cents and all you would have to do is cut to length, load with bp and close using a foam rope.  They would work in my original.  With that said I do not have them any more and have not tried them in a Taylor Spencer.  Have any of you tried the 8mm Lebel?  The brass could be reloaded several times bringing the cost of blanks way down.  Once you have the brass all you would need to reload is a primer and bp, the cost of the reload would be less than 10 cents per round.  Sounds pretty good, that is if they will work in the Taylor Spencer.  The rim diamter of the 8mm Lebel is .627 which about the same as the Spencer round.

Just a thought.  Now I am going to have to get a repop Taylor Spencer Rifle.

[Hell-Er High Water]

Have you looked at 348 Winchester brass?  Before I could get Starline 56-50 brass I made brass from 348.  I still have some and they work just fine in the Taylor's 56-50 carbine.

HHW

[Sean Thornton]

Have you looked at 348 Winchester brass?  Before I could get Starline 56-50 brass I made brass from 348.  I still have some and they work just fine in the Taylor's 56-50 carbine.

HHW

Thank you very much for the info on the 348, I had forgotten about it.  The down side is that they cost almost twice as much as the 8mm Lebel.  I do still have a couple of boxes of 348 that I will use.  Thanks again for the info.

[SGT John Chapman]

How does that work at reenactments with brass,......spending that kind of money and time you don't just want to throw it away.

Just wondering...

[Sean Thornton]

How does that work at reenactments with brass,......spending that kind of money and time you don't just want to throw it away.

Just wondering...

For the Spencer I would plan on picking up most of the brass and washing it before I reloaded it.  If I loose one of two it is not a big deal especially if I have reloaded it several times, the more the brass is reloaded the cheaper the cost per blank.  I also use a Henry rifle for CW reenacting and I do not pick up my brass for it and reuse it because I crimp those blanks.  Even at 20 to 25 cents each that is not too expensive and I usually go through 300 or more blanks on a weekend.  What is expensive is if you have to buy ready made blanks from a vender. They may charge anywhere from 50 cents to $1.50 per blank.  Just like most hobbies, reenacting does have its expense.  Now the Harley motorcycle is an expensive hobby, HD stands for Hundred Dollar which is about what the cheapest things may cost.
Andrew L. Bresnan
Henry Rifle Company
http://44henryrifle.webs.com/index.htm

[SGT John Chapman]

Do you pick the brass up as you move or come back?,...I was just wondering if the "Powers That Be" would get irritated with you for doing so.

[Sean Thornton]

Do you pick the brass up as you move or come back?,...I was just wondering if the "Powers That Be" would get irritated with you for doing so.

My plan is to pick up the brass as I shoot it and place the spent brass in a haversack.  If you were to come back to try to get it you will not have much luck in finding it also the spectators usually "police" the brass for a souvenir.  I have never had any problems with "Powers to be".

[SGT John Chapman]

Thanks Sean,..!!..

[Montana Slim]

Kudos to SGT Chapman on posting those fine photos....
Regards,
Slim

[Sean Thornton]

Well I have had my Spencer rifle for about a month or so.  Since I am a Civil War reenactor first and a live shooter second, my first concern was finding an economical blank for it and live ammo was second.  There is plenty of information on live ammo so I wasn't too worried.  As it turned out the blanks for the Spencer are no problem either nor are they expensive.  I have already went through over 200 doing R&D and will now start loading for next year's reenacting season, hopefully 1000 by the time March gets here.
Andrew L. Bresnan
National Henry Rifle Company
http://44henryrifle.webs.com/