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I started shooting my 56-50 Spencer again and remembered why I stopped. I can get 5 shots off before it fouls out. I tried BP substitutes and they worked, but I fear pressure spikes in my old gun. So far for BP I have tried compression, 3f instead of 2f, softer lube, and a lube cookie. The case is so small that a cookie takes up a lot of room. What else can I try to keep the fouling soft? I am using a Lyman mold.
Thanks
Nick
Maybe a different composition for your grease cookie. What are you using for it now?
Bees wax, Crisco, and olive oil to male it softer. The problem I have with cookies it the space it takes. I can only get 35 grains of 3f in with compression and the bullet sticking out past the grease groves.
Olive oil has a low burn temperature compared to others. Maybe something like Canola or even Mobil 1 motor oil or STP. I add a little castor oil to mine along with lanoline. That’s to sheep tallow and bee’s wax.
The other thing is I’ve heard that Swiss powders are a bit cleaner than Goex.
Are you using bullet that has large lube grooves? I use a Rapine 350 in my original spencer rifle. It carries plenty of lube. If it's the Lyman 340gr bullet, the lube grooves are too small.
This ^^^^^^^^^ and bullet fit with soft alloy.
I would just be happy I owned a Spencer!
I'd also look at the lube groove as the originals had a very ample lube groove in the bullet design - and it obviously contributed to the ability to fire many rounds during combat conditions without major fouling issues. And, a boolit with an ample lube groove should eliminate the need to use a grease cookie which will allow you to have more powder volume in the casing.
I don't have a Spencer but I have a Smith and that's why I like using the bulletit from the Eras Gone mold that I have. It's it duplicates the original bullet which had a nice larger lube groove. Space in the Smith cartridge tube (the black plastic ones) is also limited and a grease cookie would take up quite a bit of the powder volume capacity.
If you can't find a mold that reproduces an original bullet or similar that has an apple lube groove - perhaps you could get a few from someone who has one of the Rapine molds that runchf refers to and have Accurate cut a mold for you.
Many years ago, I had the opportunity to shoot a couple of original Spencers - a great experience and a real thrill. Good luck with your original and have fun!
I am using the Lyman bullet. I thought Rapine was out of business. I can try your suggestion about Accurate.
Yes, Ray Rapine retired a while back. But Accurate has some very similar molds, with large lube grooves.
For what it's worth, just run a patch thru after your string of shots. I use mine on occasion for cowboy action shooting. I am using APP powder, but will be going to "Old E" for this coming season using SPG. The lube grooves on the LEE mould are small, but running a patch thru only takes a minute or two. I do the same for the shotguns also, helps with shucking the hulls. The garden variety of Goex if good for Muzzle stuffers, but not so much for cartridge guns...IMHO that is.
I'll have to take a look at the other moulds mentioned, good idea guys, good idea!
http://www.biglube.com has bullet molds with BIG grooves