Shot the Smith Carbine Today. Not sure this is in the right place.

[RustyReel]

Picked up a repo Smith Carbine at the last gunshow I went to. Not really a muzzleloader but not really a cartidge gun either. The "plastic" cases I ordered arrive and I loaded up 5 with 35 gr FFg and an SPG lubed boolit. Wasn't sure the CCI caps would be hot enough to light it off but it went bang. One 3 shot group went into 1.5" at 50 yds.

Lots of dirt and smoke and it sent some blowback into my face.....just enough to let me know I was shooting very old technology. I think I'll try putting in 40 gr to see if it will seal better and now that I know it works may load 10 next time and make a more serious effort at shooting a group.

Anyone else have one of these they mess with??

[dondiego]

Yes, wear safety glasses for sure and load it full, but still capable of easily closing up. It is an interesting rifle. I have had mine for years but I always pull out the Zouave for some reason..

[Ithaca Gunner]

Make sure you use a filler, like COW when using lighter than case capacity loads. Lodgewood Mfg. sells a bullet seater for the Smith, $44.00. I don't know if they're worth it or not, it's been a while since I had a Smith and never used a tool. The Smith is my favorite non self contained cartridge breech loader, have fun with it!

[carbine]

Great Gun. Lots of Smith shooters over on N-SSA.Org bulletin board and an Exploring the Smith Carbine group on FB

[bedbugbilly]

Rusty - google "Yore Supply" - he makes a soft, surgical rubber like Smith cartridge tube which has a lined flash. I have the usual plastic tubes that have been around for years and a few brass ones for my Smith - but I bought a 100 of the Yore Supply tubes - jus didn't have a chance to try them before we headed back to Michigan for the summer. I did load some up the 2F Goex and Eras Gone Smith Carbine boolit and they loaded easily. I wanted to try them as they are soft tubes that should expand more like the original cartridges and seal better.

Enjoy your Smith - lots of fun!

[KCSO]

My hunting load for the smith is a black plastic case and 45 grains of Swiss drop tubed in and a spencer bullet seated with my home made seating stem on my arbor press. Actualyy shoots a little better than my Spencer.

[RustyReel]

Thanks guys. The tubes I got were the black nylon ones. Somewhere I read the load for these was 35 gr but I think I can easily get 40 and maybe 45 with a drop tube and some compression. The bullet I used is the Lyman 515139 (listed as 340 grain) as cast and lubed with SPG. Not an exact copy of the original Smith bullet but that and the 515's from Lee molds are my only option right now. The gun looks to be new or very lightly used and locks up tight. After giving it some thought I think maybe the burning particles hitting my forehead were from the musket caps???

Anyway, it's a cool rifle.

Just an FYI, I'm too cheap to join the N-SSA and I'm not a FB guy, so this forum is my go to place for cast bullet shooting info!