Does anyone Shoot a Maynard .50 Cal.?

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Hi,

I am blindly purchasing a Larry Romano Maynard soon ...(and hope to receive it mid July).

My question has to do with reloading ... this will be my second or third reloading experience ... so if you don't use small words and standard English I will probably will be pestering you with many more questions so that I understand ... *S*

Looking at my post, I guess I should be more forthright myself ... has anyone had experience with dies for the Maynard ammo or ever reloaded it?

If so , where did you get your dies from? What bullets were they dies made for? Did you ever get find a source for lead bullets for the .50 Cal. Maynard carbine?

TTFN,

[hawkeye2]

     You don't use dies to reload a Maynard.  Just dump the powder in and thumb press a bullet in after.

      Using a combination of plastic pipe fittings, a plastic Smith carbine case and a reamer you can make a guide that the Maynard case slips into and guides the bullet into your case.  I made a couple of these up over 20 years ago and don't remember exactly what I used but I'm sure you can find some plastic pipe and fittings that will work.  Basicly the idea is to get something that the case slips into and idealy has a lip at the case mouth so the bullet won't catch the edge of the case.  A short piece above there that is the same as the bullet diameter lines the bullet up.  I put a slight taper in that piece with a hand reamer.  I'm not sure I can even find those loading tools but if I can I might be able to give you some more info. 

      If you feel you need Maynard dies I believe Whitacre has made some limited runs of these (very expensive) from time to time.

www.whitacresmachineshop.com
(540) 877-1468

[WaddWatsonEllis]

Hi Hawkeye2,

It is like I said in my first post ... my mind is watching what you write, but I cannot imagine it. Can you help?''TTFN

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[WaddWatsonEllis]

Hawkeye,

I just sent an email off to Whiteacre Machine shop to see if he had any reloading gear ...

TTFN,

[Dakota Ike]

Try CH 4D for dies.   

http://www.ch4d.com/

[bob2ovi]

There are many ways to load for a Maynard. Check out The NSSA sight ( n-ssa.org ) If you want to shoot on the cheap there are plastic cases available which only require black powder and a bullet pushed in with the thumb. They work well. For a mold Lodgewood, and S&S sell a lee .515 which drops eather 4 or 6 at a time check with Larry for the size of bullet sizing die you should use. That is all you need to get started.

If you want to go with brass cases the suppliers above have both full, and reduced capacity ones available. For dies the outfits already mentioned here have them. To save a little you can use dies for the 56-50 Spencer by Lee and others. Of course you don't need the decapping feature, but the size and crimp dies will be helpfull. You will also need a shell holder. The British .577 holder will work, and is available from RCBS and others. You can buy custom molds or check e-bay for a lyman 515139 mold. That is the origional and dues very well. They may have re-introduced it in their current line-up

You will get many opinions as to powder, lube etc. try many and use the  one that suits you. Be cure to use black powder only, and DON'T leave an air gap between the powder and bullet. Cream of Wheat is a good filler as you will find the sweet spot is around 22-27 grs. of 3 f. unless you want to shoot longer than 100 yards.

The Maynard is a great gun and fun to shoot. Many were taken west during and after the Civil War.