Found part for my model 1874 French Gras

[Olevern]

After looking stateside for almost a year and having a local gunsmith searching as well, I finally found a source for an extractor for my French Mle 1874 gras rifle in 11 X 59R mm.

Where else but in France.

Package arrived couple of days ago, got it installed yesterday.

Now I need a set of dies for the 11 X 59 mm Rimmed, anybody got a set (got a post in the classifieds, wanted section)

This rifle is about 137 years old, is Frances first breechloader, a single shot bolt action carbine.

It is my intention to use this rifle to take a deer after I do some load workup with black powder (or 5744) and a cast boolit. Got the boolit mold, now need to order some brass (formed from 348 Win. brass) from Buffalo Arms.

If necessarry, will order a set of dies new from Midway, but sure hoping someone has a set lying around I can buy at something less than what Midway is askin for theirs (must be made of gold or platinum or something).

Anyway, been on the search for an extractor for quite some time and glad that hurdle is out of the way....cost euro 30, that translated into about $47.00 American.

Can't wait to shoot this rifle, will be the oldest I have shot in many a year (used to have an old Springfield Trapdoor)

[condorjohn]

Howdy, What I did for my Gras, was annell (?) the case of .348 win down to the sholder and just fire-form them. They are a little short but work fine...

[Olevern]

condorjohn,
Appreciate the input, may try that after I order thirty or so from Buffalo arms, I believe when they make theirs they do something to the rim as well so would like to compare them against the 348 cases/rims. Anyway, at (IIRC) $2.38 apiece twenty or thirty won't break me, but it's good to know that there is an alternative to almost three hundred dollars of RCBS forming dies.

What loads are you shooting and with what boolit? Are you paper patching? Using black powder or smokeless?

[AkMike]

If you do a chamber cast for the dies and send it to dave at CH4D, I bet he's got a set on the shelf already to go. Call him and ask about it. He had a set for my 577/500 3 1/8 ready to go.

[de Guers]

After looking stateside for almost a year and having a local gunsmith searching as well, I finally found a source for an extractor for my French Mle 1874 gras rifle in 11 X 59R mm.

Where else but in France.

Package arrived couple of days ago, got it installed yesterday.

Now I need a set of dies for the 11 X 59 mm Rimmed, anybody got a set (got a post in the classifieds, wanted section)

This rifle is about 137 years old, is Frances first breechloader, a single shot bolt action carbine.

It is my intention to use this rifle to take a deer after I do some load workup with black powder (or 5744) and a cast boolit. Got the boolit mold, now need to order some brass (formed from 348 Win. brass) from Buffalo Arms.

If necessarry, will order a set of dies new from Midway, but sure hoping someone has a set lying around I can buy at something less than what Midway is askin for theirs (must be made of gold or platinum or something).

Anyway, been on the search for an extractor for quite some time and glad that hurdle is out of the way....cost euro 30, that translated into about $47.00 American.

Can't wait to shoot this rifle, will be the oldest I have shot in many a year (used to have an old Springfield Trapdoor)

Bonjour Olevern ,
see on the web : naturabuy.fr > acheter > accessoires armes et tir .
Enter " gras " in " recherche " = many Gras parts ;and one custom mold , beavel base ( 80 dollar ).
Désolé , je ne parle pas l'anglais .
Cordialement .

[Olevern]

AKMIKE

How's the quality of those dies?

[condorjohn]

Olevern, The rim on the 348 is a bit small but I didn't have any extraction problems. It's been so long sisce I shot the Gras I've forgotten the load I was using. Had it written down but, forgot where. I'm fairly sure it was pyrodex ff with a Lee .445 modern mini. It was a long time ago.
Got a 45/70 High Wall and havn't looked back...

[Olevern]

De Guers,
Thanksfor the link, I am not looking for any more parts at present as the extractor was all the gun was missing. I am looking for a set of used reloading dies if you should be able to point me to a source.
vern