Ed in North Texas
09-25-2017, 10:39 AM
The oldest cartridge I have goes with my .50-70 NYSM RB*. A Frankford Arsenal produced Benet inside primed .50-70. Best I can tell, Frankford switched production of the Benet cartridges to .45-70 in 1873. With no headstamp (IIRC Frankford started headstamping in 1877), it isn't possible to determine the exact year of production. More than one source puts production from 1866 to 1872. These cartridges have a cast lead 450 grain inside lubed grease groove boolit (400 grain/55 grains BP for carbine loads).
* The Benet primer explains why the RB has a firing pin which looks like it is trying to get through the primer cup of modern cases. When I first fired it I worried about the depth of the pin indentation, and replaced the FP. The replacement was an exact replacement and it still is a hugely deep indentation, but hasn't pierced a primer yet (likely because of the low pressure of BP loads). When I get a Roundtuit I'll shorten the FP replacement (not the original).
* The Benet primer explains why the RB has a firing pin which looks like it is trying to get through the primer cup of modern cases. When I first fired it I worried about the depth of the pin indentation, and replaced the FP. The replacement was an exact replacement and it still is a hugely deep indentation, but hasn't pierced a primer yet (likely because of the low pressure of BP loads). When I get a Roundtuit I'll shorten the FP replacement (not the original).