Spencer Triple 7 grouping

[Four Sixes]

Dear fellow Spencer shooters,

Enjoys reading the post here. Lots of good information and learn a lot myself too

Shot my Spencer rifle the 1st time in my local CAS event in Feb 07 using Gad ammo. Fun rifle to shoot, action works great, no loading problem at all. Was able to hit the metal trap 'heart' in the "white Buffalo" off hand 5 out of 7 rounds.
 
Below is the 1st test result of the reload that I did for my Spencer rifle: (The 1st time ever to do the reload myself)

Reloading
1) Lyman mold 330gr. (need to keep the mold hot for good casting)
2) wheelweight lead
3) Starline .56-50 brass
4) Federal large rifle primer
5) Triple 7 FFg (30gr)

Shooting condition
1) wind calm (very rare here in Amarillo, Texas)
2) bench rest
3) 50yd

Results are good. Clean the barral between groups with a mixture of "simple green+water+ETOH+machine oil" (forgot the recipe will post it later). Interesting observation, my 1st shot is always low after cleaning, but then they will group back together. I put the fired brass in Simple green mixed with water after each shoot and then wash them with hot water at home.

Hope this will help someone trying to find the right combination of reload data.

Regards,

Four Sixes

Spencer grouping 777 FFg reload



Spencer 56-50 rifle

[Two Flints]

Four Sixes,

Can you add some more information about "Gad ammo" to go with this quote from your post above?

**Shot my Spencer rifle the 1st time in my local CAS event in Feb 07 using Gad ammo**

What can you tell us abou the Gad Ammo you purchased?  Were they custom (per your request) loads, or the standard load they offer on their web site?

Thanks,

Two Flints

[Tuolumne Lawman]

Howdy,

is that 30 grains voplume with BP measure, or 30 grains weight?

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[Two Flints]

Thanks Joss,

I knew about their web site http://www.gadcustomcartridges.com/. I was wondering if Four Sixes provided the load information he wanted made up for his Spencer, or just went with Gads' own load configuration offering.

I think they do custom loads depending on what you ask for.

Two Flints

[Four Sixes]

Hi Two Flints,

It was a usual load from Gad...I only order the black powder load from him. He use Pinnicles (don't know how much gr he used, sorry) I shot them the 1st time at the White buffalo and hit the 'heart' 5 out of 7.

Hi TL,
For the powder, I use the volume (30 gr) not weight. I measured it using the powder measurement tube for my muzzleloader. I tapped on the side of the tube to get rid of the air that trap in the powder before loading it into the brass. I also use a wood dow to compress it LIGHTLY for an even surface and to make sure that I have enough space to sit the bullet.

That's all I did on my load. Hope this help.

Four Sixes

[matt45]

Any chance to chronograph?  At what range was the Buffalo?

I have had good luck w/the simple reen for cleaning my cases, as well.

[Four Sixes]

Here is some information about the Gad .56-50 load
Powder: 25 gr Pinnicle
Bullet: 350 gr lead (a custom make mold)
Primer: Winchester Large rifle

I brought a 100rds from Bernold and still have 60 rds left. Sorry I don't have a chronometer to find out the velocity. I might go to the range again to test the grouping of this ammo and post the info later.

Does anyone know how to pull the bullet out from the .56-50? I have the RCBS bullet puller, but it won't fit the 50 cal cartridge.

Four Sixes

[Two Flints]

Four Sixes,

Thanks for the additional information.  You mention: Bullet: 350 gr lead (a custom make mold) :  What do you know about the custom make mold?  Can you add any additional information.  Sorry to be such a pain...!

Two Flints

[Four Sixes]

I don't know much about the bullet mold. He told me that someone made it for him and he was using it to cast his bullet. He also said that he brought casted bullet from another person. I was confused as to whether he used the other guy's bullet or his own casted bullet on my .56-50 order. If I could pull one of the bullet off, then I could compare the dimension of his bullet and the Lyman cast bullet (330gr).

Sorry can't help much on that right now.

Four Sixes

[matt45]

Well- that is a good question- a field expedient bullet puller

Give me a little time- I'll get back to you

O.K.- this will work, because I just tried it.  Take a 1/2 nipple (plumbers pipe)- screw a cap on one end.  Put the case that needs to be pulled into the other end, put a #10 flat washer on the case, then a 3/8 nut on top of the washer, then screw another cap onto the nipple, until you don't hear the case rattling around.

I suppose you could tap the one end with a hammer, but I just rapped the contraption hard about 10 times on a welding bench, and the bullet came right out.  Plus, it and the powder are right there in the nipple, so no spill.

[French Jack]

Use an inertia bullet puller with a shell holder head instead of the collet.  This will allow you to fit a larger case into the puller.

[matt45]

  And something somebody should say- Darn good group- good shooting, Four Sixes

[Four Sixes]

Thanks Matt45

My goal was to share the reloading result so that someone could try it and reproduce the result. Hopefully it would benefit the Spencer rifle and carbine shooting community.

Thanks for the suggestion in how to pull the bullet of the .56-50 (French Jack and Matt45), I will give it a try certainly.

I also modified the trigger spring following some of the suggestions that I had read here. The Spencer rifle main spring is almost identical to the Berden Sharp rifle main spring. I used the Berden Sharp main spring as the guide and simply trimmed of the edge of the lower portion of the main spring and grease the action with the lithium grease I got from Wilson Combat, the trigger pull is significantly lighter (<10lbs I guess). Thanks for all the useful information

Four Sixes.

[Two Flints]

Hi Four Sixes,

Went back to your sight-in target and have two questions for you.  First of all, did you modify your front sight in any way? Did you file it down at all?  And where was your point of aim?  Right on the black, at six oclock, etc., etc.?

Thanks for responding, and for starting this thread!

Two Flints

[Four Sixes]

Hi Two Flints,

I didn't modify the front sight. However, I did enlarge the rear sight a bit for a better sight picture.

I put the front sight right on the target. I put a 1" bright orange sticker on the bulleye and put the front sight right on it. Almost covering the whole thing. If you put it on the six o'clock of the target (below the outter 4" ring), it will hit below the target.

Hope this helps.

4-sixes

[matt45]

You know, something I did with mine was that old trick of dabbing fingernail polish on the front sight.  You just figure out how much of a bead you want to draw, and then dab that much with some bright color- kind of like a poor man's target insert.