First 56-60 ammo loads

[PJ Hardtack]

Just finished loading my first 50 rds of 56-50 ammo  .... 

However, my Rapine 350 bullets are NOT the Rapine 350 T design, so they are too long at 1.608 - 1.610 OAL. Charge was 30 gs Goex FFFg, drop tubed and compressed 1/16" by the bullet.

How people are getting in more powder without a LOT of compression beats me and they might also be using a magnum primer to set it off.

They do chamber in my Sharps 50-70s, so I have some 50-70 Shorts ... 

[El Supremo]

Tx, PJ:

Wow, I measured four of the loaded ones!
Was told the charge was 35 gr 3Fg.
Try either 30 gr or file the nose to achieve 1.500" for cycling tests. 

Kevin

[PJ Hardtack]

"What we have here is a failure to communicate"    Prison Warden in "Cool Hand Luke".

On my part, that is. These were NOT the bullets you sent me, which have a much shorter nose and larger meplat. I crimped in the proper groove for the design. I could have seated them deeper and crimped on the ogive  to achieve a shorter OAL.

I do have a compression die so the next time I reload, I'll dump 35 grs and compress as required. I may also use a magnum primer.

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[El Supremo]

With love and respect:

First, make FIVE UNLOADED, PRIMERLESS DUMMY ROUNDS AT 1.500" and confirm they cycle.

Let us know that the OAL setup cycles.  No sense going further UNTIL cycling resolved.

As I have shared in an email to you, it is DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS to test cycle loaded rounds that might not feed correctly because the extraction stroke can become stuttered and then the cartridge feed guide TIP CAN HIT THE PRIMER --- PLEASE BELIEVE ME!  

SO, no fair test cycling until a primerless, unloaded set of five work SMOOTHLY.
Am being deliberately repetitious.  Sorry, again.

You will be sucking a seat cushion if you whack a primer!  
Never had that happen and never want it to happen again!  Haha.

Thanks,

Kevin

[Drydock]

While much depends on the ogive of the bullet, I believe that for most Armi Sport Spencers, 1.5" will be too short.  Mine runs 1.54" using the Dakota Widowmaker converted Lee mold.  (The 515-500 with the bottom 2 lands and grooves machined off the mold)  I have advised some folks to load a few inert test rounds long, then keep reseating the bullets deeper until you get reliable cycling.

[El Supremo]

Yep, Drydock:

Just that 1.500" with that bullet works.

Your method IS BETTER.  THANKS!

Chiefs run our Navy.

Kevin

[PJ Hardtack]

Y'all got my word that I won't cycle any of these overly long rds! I'll plink with them, single loading.

I have an aversion to picking shrapnel out'n my eye bones after all that eye surgeon's great work on cataract removal ....

[PJ Hardtack]

While much depends on the ogive of the bullet, I believe that for most Armi Sport Spencers, 1.5" will be too short.  Mine runs 1.54" using the Dakota Widowmaker converted Lee mold.  (The 515-500 with the bottom 2 lands and grooves machined off the mold)  I have advised some folks to load a few inert test rounds long, then keep reseating the bullets deeper until you get reliable cycling.

I made up three dummy rds that functioned perfectly at first but after several cycles, I'd get a hangup that I couldn't attribute to any one round.  I miked the OALs:
- 1.521
- 1.517
- 1.515

Puzzling over this, I happened to notice that the bullet noses were getting rather chewed up, some rough edges on them after several cycles. I filed these down and all the rds now cycle well.

The Spencer action is brutal on it's rounds!

[El Supremo]

Those OAL's are close to the Manual figure of 1.518".

Thanks to Fox Creek Kid for his that are 1.500".  I didn't think that SHORT was ok, BUT he assured me.

Glad filing abraded noses works. 
If any comfort, Romano's well-used dummy cycling test rounds looked rat-chewed after testing in HIS Spencers.
Mine get the same way and sometimes need a little more final upward lever stroke.

Those bullets with cycling gouges shoot into the group at 50/100 as long as they don't spin in the cases, which yours do NOT.

So, you have demonstrated that RCBS dies work well and that the expander plug is well-profiled for the STARLINE case.  Nice bits of recent helpful info!

The mice in your place aren't safe now. 
Friend, Harold "Polecat" Porter, in Canton, OH used to shoot them IN HIS HOUSE with his musket, sometimes with the bullet traveling between the legs of the chair upon his wife was sitting.  She'd scream when mouse seen, raise feet and "Polecat" Porter would crawl up the basement steps and level his musket!  This in front of visitors, no less!  Haha.

Kevin

[Drydock]

We've got a tutorial around here somewhere about gently breaking/rounding the forward upper edge of the breechblock, that really helps reduce bullet damage while cycling.  A touch of chamfering on the top edge of the chamber helps too.

[PJ Hardtack]

I've learned the hard way not to mess with hardened surfaces on my guns.

Most of the so-called "tuned" guns I've seen gibble up in CAS have had over polishing in critical areas to the point of malfunction. I'll let the Spencer wear in and after 500 rds or so, have a look at wear points.

I had a .44 mag Marlin carbine that I wanted to have a 'smith smooth up. He refused, telling me to put 500 rds down range and get back to him. Good advice. The more I shot it, the smoother it got.

Messing up the noses  of lead bullets is mox nix as they still fly true. It's the bases that you don't want to fool with.