56-50 best bullet mold to use.

[Hammered Flat]

  Hello all,
   I got my ammunition all loaded up. After several trials and issues all is great. My thanks go out to everyone"s help. Now I am using the modified LEE mold. while I have used many lee molds with good results I am not that crazy about this one. Constantly having to  make sure of being closed completely and aligned for every pour .
 My question is . I am wanting to find the most correct (allowing for center fire) and accurate bullet. Need some input as to what dimensions,shape,lube grooves and such. Names of places and mold makers too would be great. My carbine is an Armi Sport modern firearm. 
Thanks All.

[Tuolumne Lawman]

Dakota Widowmaker, I believe, made an awesome modified LEE mold that was perfect for 56-50 Spencers from Taylors.  Accuracy was AWESOME.

[Drydock]

I believe that is what he's got!  I have one too, and love it, but because it is cut down and has only the bottom alignment pins, I do have to lightly tap the bottom between pours to insure alignment.  Its become a habit I don't even notice anymore.

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[Blair]

I think it is important to note here that the US Government wanted very much to develop some sort of cartridge standard that "all" the various Carbine calibers could and/or would be produced in. (After all, they came in calibers ranging from .35 to .56 during the ACW)
The 56-50 cartridge was a design produced at Springfield Armory with this idea in mind.
I hope this info helps?
My best,
 Blair

[Blair]

I wanted to add something to my earlier posting. This may relate better to the OP's original question?

There are two ACW carbines that are also .50 cal., The Maynard and Smith.
Several mold manufactures have produced molds for these two arms that work very well within the 56-50 Spencer's.
All three arms are used within the N-SSA and a good deal of info maybe found on their forum with a search.
Common bullet dia. maybe from .512 to .516 depending on the mold maker and the alloy one might be casting with. Bullet weight may also vary depending on maker and/or alloy. Smith bullets usually being shorter and lighter, with Maynard's usually being somewhat longer and heavier bullets.
It is important to note here that the Smith and Maynard's are both single shot breech loaders. Overall Cartridge Length is not quite as important as it will be within the Spencer Breech Loading "Repeater".
Overall Cartridge Length may need to established to work best in your specific Spencer firearm, Original or New made.
My best,
 Blair

[injun john]

I finally gave up on the Lyman bullet and designed one of my own that is a cross of the original 56-50 and Lee's 50-70 bullet.
Send a description what I wanted off to Andy Lee who made one of his 6 cavity molds for me.  LOVE IT!
When loaded to the original 56-50 OAL it completely ended all of my feeding problems with my Armi-Sport and the accuracy is superb.
The mold throws a .513 dia bullet of right at 377grs with an alloy using only 3% tin/97% lead. 
I size & lube it to .512 then put it on top of H-777 or A-1680. It's a tack driver.
The load ends up being a bit more of an equivalent to Spencer's 56-52 than that of the military 56-50 but originally those were interchangeable, so no harm no foul.
Did the same with my 56-46 Spencer Sporting rifle after I slugged the bore (seems that there is a bit of variation in bore diameter even within the Sporting rifles built by Spencer. This one is at .463) and got the same sort of results.
All and all, both these guns will group as well or better off the bench than any of the other modern lever actions I own.

Interesting note is that the 56-46 and the 56-50 were both developed at Springfield Armory sometime in 1864 as an attempt to improve on the ballistics of the 56-56 and to solve the problem of dirt getting stuck in the external lube of the 56-56.
Were it not that Major Dyer replaced General Ramsay as the OIC of the armory then the model 1865 Spencer would have been in
56-46 ( the early long version that could hold 45grns of powder and a 360gr bullet) rather than the 56-50.