Range day with the snyder enfield

[salpal48]

I purchased several years ago several 1864 Snyders from IMI nepal group of rifles. most were untouched and have been Cleaned. This thread is Not about the rifles. i decided to Go the Cheap route and Use 24 gage shot shell from Ballistic Products. , All were new.. i decided to use Trailboss. . I selected a 58 cal Maxi ball weighing 550 grains. I have used these before in my 577 NE.
Read the threads. . I used 21.5 grains powder.
I made a total of 8 rounds. all chambered fine but not a snug fit
let the first one go. and it had a stiff recoil . and was in the Black @ 50 yards. then unable to Open The trap. the fist shot blew The side of the rim and prevented the Trap to open. finally got it opened
The second shot again good recoil and again in the balck
This time the entire plastic hull separated from the brass and e slit the rim also.
Finally got it open. and stopped.
this rifle was a great shooter. The rifle was Quality built with good metal. I did Pick them Myself . i plan on reducing the Charge on the next loading
I posted some Photo'
the next try i will bring 2 others. next stop 24 gage brass cases from Magtech

[ndnchf]

Do you have any idea what pressures that load of Trail Boss is generating? While finely made rifles, they were made out of mild steel. Have you tried black powder or Pyrodex? I'd think that is a lot safer and more likely to produce good results. I've worked quite a bit with something similar, a Remington Rolling Block chambered in .58 Roberts. Using a. .590" minie loaded over 60gr of pyrodex P in solid head brass cases, I've had very good accuracy. Here's a pic of my cartridge next to a 22 short. What is the diameter of your maxi ball? I haven't tried those. My rifle's groove diameter is 594", so the minie only has to expand 004" to seal the bore.

[.22-10-45]

While TrailBoss gives low velocities, the pressure is quite high..Graem Wright speaks of locking up double rifles using this powder. I too have a Snider & only use Holy black.

[salpal48]

I don't use Black for any of my rifles. New, Old, antique. . I do use 777 . I plan On either reducing The TB or and switch to 777. . 777 has always worked well in any of my Rolling Blocks. or Other I have.
. Thanks for the advise
Sal

[enfield]

Oh My, 21 gr TB sounds scary !!!!! 777 is like pyrodex on steroids, I think I would stick with BP.

[fg-machine]

i have seen lots of guys use plastic hulls with the snyder before , but never with smokeless . it may be safe but i would do a lot of research first .
and i am with the crowd on saying 21 grains of trail boss sounds very very scary , trail boss in any large volume case is scary . if you want to use smokeless powder there are a lot of much much better choices out there .

for safety's sake stop what you are doing and take a deep breath , from your description of the fired hulls i think you need to thank your lucky stars you still have both your eyes and all of your extremities intact .

i might consider using smokeless in a good british made rifle , but i would not use smokeless of any type in a nepal made rifle , just because it looks the same doesn't mean it is , having forge welded iron barrels for one thing .

best course of action , use black powder . if you insist on using the substitutes reduce your loads .

[Argentino]

Trailboss is not available were I live but judging from the pics and fired shells condition, I would be reluctant to use that load/powder combination again.

Nepalese Sniders are known for having generous chamber dimensions so some deformation would be expected when using 24 ga plastic hulls. Just not that much deformation, though.

I would use BP only (That´s the only stuff I use on mine, loaded on 24 ga plastic shells too-they seem to last several reloads) but I remember some smokeless load developments for .577 Snider written up by Buckshot, in which he mentioned using Unique (I have to try this yet).

Here´s the thread:

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?166360-577-Snider-and-smokless-at-the-range-Tues

[Buckshot]

http://www.fototime.com/35572699B1D8361/standard.jpg

I have 2 Sniders. One is a cut down rifle to carbine length. The other is a 3 band. Both are Mk2's. If you're wanting to shoot them simply and easily then I'd suggest you buy a Lee .600" RB mould.

http://www.fototime.com/81B27EA5C8B88C9/standard.jpg

A 550gr Minie' on the left loaded over 80.0 grs of 2Fg (scattered all over) and on the right is the .60" RB over 24.0 grs of Unique. The brass is Jamison .577 Snider brass. I had said the above was Magtech (CBC) 24gr Shotshells. However, I have since fired the above smokeless load in the MagTech brass, using both the older cases which I'd converted to use the 209 Shotshell primer, and also the newer Boxer type with Large pistol primers. All to good effect.

http://www.fototime.com/EB27770FE2AF0F2/standard.jpg
577 Snider carbine @ 50 yards. Group 1.875". 24.0grs Unique, .60" Lee RB cast of WW alloy over .080" cardwad and lube disc. 1475 fps.



http://www.fototime.com/AD10AA21E7DA774/standard.jpg









The above were 6 different loads using BP under the Lee .60" RB and none were worth a hoot. A RB is generally the easiest to get shooting, and the common Snider twist is 78" so the RB would for sure be desirable. Only a few Sniders were made with the more desireable 48" twist. Check yours to see what it is.

If you have the Lee dies, they oversize the cases to huge degree. If you stick with the RB all you'll have to do with your brass is to de- and then re-prime the brass. Load the case and then thumb in a RB and you're ready to rock and roll.

.............Buckshot