Always first! "This is my reload that I developed for the .56/50 round in my own Spencer Carbine. While it works fine in my firearm, YOU need to realize that it may or may not work safely in yours. You also need to realize that my name is not P.O. Ackley, and I don't hot-rod reloads for my firearms!!"
In 2010, I bought a replica Spencer Carbine by way of Dixie Gun Works. Having no data to work with, I spent the winter that year working with that carbine and developing a reload that would feed flawlessly through the action without having to work the action 'smartly' (Read this to mean, "beat the crap out of the lever to get the round to chamber"). I did not keep track of the hours it took to reach this point. Many. The load also will shoot to point of aim at 65 yards and on a good day with clean contact lenses and no horse-flies, I can keep 5 rounds in a 3" group, shooting from a rest. (I can probably tighten this up using the Caldwell Lead-Sled DFT I bought a month ago). I have no reason to dought it will knock down a NW Wisconsin Whitetail deer at this range.
Cases used: Dixie Gun Works and Starline.
Case length: 1.150 inches
Case length, original case, SAW headstamp 1863 mfg., 1.159 inches. (For comparison)
Primer: CCI 300 Large pistol primer
Powder and grain weight: Trail Boss. 9.4 grains by scale (80%). (100% would be powder to base of bullet)
Bullet: Lyman #518145, sized to .512 using Wheelweight/Linotype 50-50 mix. Soft lead does not work through my modern day Spencer Carbine.
Bullet Weight: 343 grains lubed and sized.
Lubricant: NRA 50/50 mix (Beeswax/Alox) This is soft lube but does not get runny in hot weather.
OAL of my reload: 1.5115 inches
OAL of original factory 1863 SAW loaded cartridge with original slug, weight unknown: 1.638 inches.
This load is completely trial and error as I had old data regarding case length and even less about what bullet to use and even less about the alloy to make the bullet with. I tried to be traditional and used the best (Swiss 1.5) black powder I have, but it would not shoot consistently, even blow-tubed after each shot. To operate my carbine using this reload, take your thumb and forefinger, pinch the end of the carbine loading lever, and chamber a round as fast or slow as you like. This from a 7 shot loaded tube (My load tube came blocked and would only hold six rounds... I took the block out.). I did not alter this rifle to get it to operate as it does now. At the time I was developing this load, I temporarily mounted a short range vernier tang sight to the wrist of the stock. This has since been removed. I also had a machinist mill the front sight base so I could slide in a square steel blade, the height of which depends on the load I use. This blade is held in place by a set screw on each side of the sight base. The original front sight blade, one piece with the base, was worse than useless.
No one will ever know the hours of frustration and research this load took. In the end, I got what I was looking for and is now the only load I will use in this carbine. The carbine does load and chamber the original round, from the tube, backed up by six of my reloads. I don't know why the original round works, as it obviously is not the correct overall length! (Smile!)
Incidently, I found the weight of the powder used on instruction by Hodgdon Powder Company. (Fill the case to the base of the bullet with Trail Boss, not compressed. Weigh this powder charge. Take 80% of this weight and use as the operating load).
That's all I have!
.56/50 Iron
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