.43 Spanish Rolling Block info

[David LaPell]

I am looking at maybe getting a Remington Rolling Block in .43 Spanish, the gun I am familiar with, but I don't have a lot of experience with the round itself. I see that Buffalo Arms has most of what I need to start reloading, but how does .43 Spanish compare to say .45-70 in power, and I have had a hard time finding reloading info for it, I noticed that even the latest Lyman cast bullet reloading manual has nothing on it (didn't really expect it to). But for the cost of the gun, compared to other more popular rounds, I can probably afford this, a replica .45-70 would be three times the price and about the same for a Sharps replica.

[John Boy]

First, determine that the diameter of the Lyman 439186 is the proper groove diameter for your rifle. In the Argentine 43 Spanish, the 439186, cast 1:30, is correct . 0.439"
Brass - Dies, ect. and 43 Spanish Variation Information ... https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categ...ASE-43-SPANISH
Loaded Ammunition - https://www.buffaloarms.com/43-spani...-20-amo43spanb
Bullets - https://www.buffaloarms.com/439-385-...x-of-50-439385
Mold - https://www.opticsplanet.com/lyman-r...6-2640186.html

Loads:
* 78gr Fg powder
* Duplex: 72gr FFg & 5gr 4759 or 5744
* 11gr Unique
* 28gr 3031
* 26gr 4759

That's all there is to it except the size of your credit card for the purchases, including a loading press if you don't have one and ... Shooting the .43 Spanish Rolling Block. Croft Barker, Cistern Publishing 2003.

The 43 Spanish is closely comparable to the the 45-70 yet is closer to the accuracy of the 44-77

[curator]

.43 Spanish brass is more expensive than .45-70 cases. Ballistically it is very similar to the .45-70 with 400 grain bullets. Some .43 Spanish rolling blocks have bores larger then the specified .439 groove diameter. I have two rollers in .43 Span. One has the correct groove diameter of .439" and the other is .442". The good news is the guns are usually chambered so one can shoot soft lead bullets of .443" diameter as long as your brass is not overly thick. I simply laped out my Lyman #439186 single cavity out to cast at .443' from 1 in 40 tin/lead alloy. Buffalo Arms brass is re-formed .348 Winchester cases with the rim swaged to give proper headspace as the original .43 Spanish cartridge has a much thicker rim. The converted cases are accommodating for larger diameter bullets too.

[Guesser]

I've been casting, loading and shooting mine for about 18 years now. I buy Bertram cases, they will run 60$+ for 20, but the quality the last 10 years has been good, before that it was spotty. I cast soft and load over 65 Gr. of American Pioneer 2Fg BP substitute. Is a lot of fun to shoot, the powder is easy to clean up after using. I neck size only as the cases are pricey. With the long barrel of the Infantry rifle and the short butt stock it can be uncomfortable. I find it fun and a little challenging. I seat the bullets long as will easily chamber. Tried the formed/turned 348 cases with poor service life, worth the money to go for the Bertram.

[webfoot10]

I don't know why you are having trouble with the reformed 348 brass. I have two friends
that use the 348 brass made by Bob Hayley in Tex. They just first fired formed them to
their rifles, then anneal and neck size. They bought the cases about four years ago and
shoot them through the summer and have not had any split cases yet. At $1.80 a case
they are cheaper then the Bertram cases. I think that Bob makes cases for Buffalo Arms.
Bob Hayley's address is BOB HAYLEY, 211 NORTH RIVER , P.O. BOX 889, SEYMOR TX.
76380. Phone # (940) 888-3352. Call in the evening as he works during the day. He
guarantees the cases to fit. I payed $1.80 per case, but he may have went up, depending
on the cost of 348 brass. Give him a call, but be prepared to talk awhile. Have fun shooting
your .43 Rollingblocks.
webfoot10

[Guesser]

in my chamber the 348 cases will not chamber and cannot be initially sized in a Lyman Full Length sizing die, the case fwd of the rim is too big, thick to be sized down and must be turned. That weakens the case and separation will occur in that area. I tried a box of the old Brass Extrusion Laboratories Limited cases; B.E.L.L.; the were drawn way, way too hard and didn't last. I have a box of Old Western Scrounger; Dangerous Dave: BP ammunition that he loaded in B.E.L.L. cases. I seriously doubt I will ever fire them.

[15meter]

If you have access to a Lee manual check that for data. I'm 99% sure there's data in it. If I remember correctly, the recommendation that I found when I first started looking for load data for my 43 Spanish was to use 45-70 data reduced ten percent. I cast with range scrap with perhaps a little solder if the mold doesn't fill out well.

I use the Lyman mold.

[webfoot10]

in my chamber the 348 cases will not chamber and cannot be initially sized in a Lyman Full Length sizing die, the case fwd of the rim is too big, thick to be sized down and must be turned. That weakens the case and separation will occur in that area. I tried a box of the old Brass Extrusion Laboratories Limited cases; B.E.L.L.; the were drawn way, way too hard and didn't last. I have a box of Old Western Scrounger; Dangerous Dave: BP ammunition that he loaded in B.E.L.L. cases. I seriously doubt I will ever fire them.

Guesser: Give Bob Hayley a call and explain your problem. He has been making reformed brass
longer then most. The brass I got from him fits my 43 rollingblock with no problems and the two
friends have no problem. You may have to send him a case to measure, but I think he can help
you. I just hope that he is still alive, as he is in his 80's and I haven't had any contact with him
for a couple of years. I guess I should order some more brass before he does pass. Hope he can
help you.
webfoot10

[Guesser]

I'm perfectly satisfied with the way I'm doing things now. I ironed out a few small problems as time went by. I don't shoot but 20 rounds at a time and about 3 times a year. I've got everything I need including 43 caliber Walters Wads for over powder/under bullet use. I may try some of the newer BP alternates, but I'm well stocked. Thanks.

[Harry O]

You can take this or leave it. I have read many times that the .43 Spanish is very close to the 44-77 Sharps caliber. That was a lesser known, but fairly popular (at the time) buffalo rifle. They are not interchangeable, but you should be able to kill anything up to a buffalo sized animal with the .43 Spanish. The 44-77 did. Keep in mind that I have no personal experience with either caliber, but I have an 1867 Remington Rolling Block in 45-70 caliber. It was also used as a buffalo gun, but not as often as the Sharps calibers (of course there were several of the Sharps calibers).

[Guesser]

When I came into my 43 Rolling Block I was in conversation with a old BP shooter that used a Remington Hepburn in 44-77. He gave me a lot of tips that made life for me, a beginner BP cartridge shooter, a lot easier. He clued me to primers, wads, seating, loobing, sizing and maybe some other stuff that I don't remember. Lots of nice people around, that's for sure; and it doesn't need to be a competition. There's plenty to go round........
Come to thing about it he also shot a Peabody Martini in 44-77.