577/450 Martini Henry

[303Guy]

Does anyone have a 577/450 Martini Henry they are paper patching for?

[curator]

I PP for both MkII and MkIV Martini Henry. I am using Lyman 455/475 cast from 1 in 40 alloy and 85 grains of Goex Fg plus bee's wax wad and kapok filler. My MkIV does shoot a bit better using the Lyman 459/405HB boolit also cast from 1 in 40 using the same loading since its bore is a few thousandth larger than the MkII. I am using two wraps of 12 pound paper.

[303Guy]

Thanks curator. How is the accuracy? I've always wondered how well they shoot.

[curator]

The sights on the MH are a bit hard to see and really not conducive to fine accuracy. Once I figured out how to make cartridges for the beast, I could usually keep 5 shots inside a 4" circle at 100 yards. Many of the people who post on the British militaria web site do somewhat better than that: http://britishmilitariaforums.yuku.c...m#.Vf03L5pRGUk
Full charges stop being fun after 15 or 20 shots as the recoil is pretty stout. This may affect my ability to shoot better.

[303Guy]

Thanks. I wonder how the 577 Snider recoiled!

[sthwestvictoria]

Was this thread supposed to be in the BP paper patching subforum, or do have smokeless load for the MH?

[skeettx]

My Snider Saddle Ring Carbine hurts BAD

Smokeless for the 577-450, yes have loads

https://www.mail-archive.com/cybersh.../msg02066.html

http://www.amazon.com/Handloader-Mag.../dp/B00876DLJQ

http://forums.gunboards.com/showthre...0-Bored-Rifles

[303Guy]

Was this thread supposed to be in the BP paper patching subforum, or do have smokeless load for the MH?

I suppose it could have been in the military rifles subforum too. I didn't think it through. I'm just pleased to get the responses and those great photo's. I was thinking in terms of smokeless, not thinking that it was actually a BP rifle.

[curator]

It is actually easier to get a "smokeless" powder load to perform well in the MH 577-450 than using Black, just not as much fun. I have found SR4759 or IMR4198 to perform quite satisfactorily using 400-475 grain PP boolits if one uses a bit of dacron to keep the powder held back against the primer.

[Ballistics in Scotland]

It is actually easier to get a "smokeless" powder load to perform well in the MH 577-450 than using Black, just not as much fun. I have found SR4759 or IMR4198 to perform quite satisfactorily using 400-475 grain PP boolits if one uses a bit of dacron to keep the powder held back against the primer.

I don't know about in easier, if the black powder is really coarse, but it works. You should under no circumstances use a slow powder that way. The existence of a large air space (and Dacron pretty well is air) introduces the possibility of a dangerous pressure wave with those. I think Dacron (or kapok, which even has hollow fibres) is the best kind of filler to use, though. If the rounds are to be carried about much, especially in a motor vehicle, a paper disc behind the Dacron might reduce the slight chance of mixing. Fillers with intrinsic weight and volume of their own are likely to vary in how much they get crammed up into a near-solid by pressure, especially in a case with the .577/.450's pronounced shoulder.

[303Guy]

I witnessed a guy shooting a Martini Henry using a powder close to Varget. It gave a fizz-bang effect. There seems to be a controversy with the use of Trail Boss - pressure spikes.

[sthwestvictoria]

There seems to be a controversy with the use of Trail Boss - pressure spikes.

There is a thread here with pressure traces provided by user Southernfi:
http://castboolits.gunloads.com/show...ressure+strain

Interestingly the AR2207/H4198 gave lower pressures than BP, we know it works in nitro for black roles.

[iron brigade]

this guy has some cool video's on martini henry's.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwhwkiZ-zgs

[303Guy]

this guy has some cool video's on martini henry's.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lwhwkiZ-zgs

That was awesome! Wow, 400 yds and hitting a man sized target with each shot fired! That Martini is a substantial gun. Thanks.

[iron brigade]

your welcome. I have spent hour's watching his video's. it would be neat to have a place like that to shoot. while I don't have a martini, I have two trapdoor springfield's that I play with.

[303Guy]

your welcome. I have spent hour's watching his video's. it would be neat to have a place like that to shoot. while I don't have a martini, I have two trapdoor springfield's that I play with.

Yes indeed. That fellow is real interesting in his presentation. Quality videos too. I'm sitting here watching some of his videos and that of another fellow on the Canadian Ross rifle. I'm going to start a thread in Military Rifles on it. Very informative. We have forestry places like that here in NZ and I'm wondering how I might get permission to shoot on them.

I wish I had bought a Martini 303 when I had a chance many years ago. I tried for an action recently but it went above my budged (or maybe I was too cheap).

[iron brigade]

At a gun show last year I saw a MH in .303 for $500. did not have enough green with me. next show is in December, maybe it will still be there.

[zuke]

I use 15gr of 700X topped with 2 square's of toilet paper. Kick's like a 410