Snider pictures

[Beekeeper]

The first pics are as I got it and the second as it is today

[Cactus Farmer]

WOW, it sure cleaned up nice. Did they happen to have another one like yours? I need a back up for my 41 Swiss. ;>)
How does it shoot?Loading info?
I have a chamber reamer and a big Martini. Now where do I get a 577 barrel?;>)

[Hip's Ax]

Wow!!!!

[HORNET]

Cactus Farmer said:
Now where do I get a 577 barrel?
IIRC, Buckshot rebarrelled one of his Sniders with a .58 muzzleloader barrel....

BTW, Very nice restoration, probably didn't look that good when new..

[Boz330]

WOW! Is that an as is from the Nepal cache?

Bob

[badgeredd]

Nice work Beekeeper!!!!!! Like Hornet said...probably better than new!!!

Edd

[Beekeeper]

It is from the Nepal cache.
IMA didn't have any more short rifles when I last checked..
Atlanta cutlery had some, about the same condition but higher priced.
It shoots great.With the short barrel it will defenately make your shoulder sore at full load
The full load I used is the one Buckshot gave me.
70 grains goex FFG , a couple of card wads , a 1/4 inch lube cookie , and a .600 round ball seated 1/2 its diameter.
I dipped the ball in udder butter before shooting as Buckshot said the snider likes a lot of lube.

Got a lot of smoke but had a lot of fun as well

My first time to shoot black powder, it was a hoot.

Jim

[Southern Son]

QUOTE=Beekeeper;741880]

My first time to shoot black powder, it was a hoot.

Jim[/QUOTE]

WHAT A WAY TO START!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:bigsmyl2:[

[Buckshot]

.............Not to hijack Beekeeper's thread, but maybe interesting.

http://www.fototime.com/D41D95B7168B29D/standard.jpg

............Some size comparison with the 577 Snider. The die is a powder compression die I'd made.

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

31 rounds (6 different load combinations) all using the Lee .600" RB as the projectile.

http://www.fototime.com/AAA154F8ADB8308/standard.jpg

The best group fired with my carbine to date, 50 yards. The load was:

15.0grs Goex 3Fg, 50.0grs Goex 1Fg, two .060" cardwads, compressed .360", lube cookie, RB seated and crimped. Afterwards they were all dipped in melted lube.

http://www.fototime.com/35572699B1D8361/standard.jpghttp://www.fototime.com/1A15641CDD2AC93/standard.jpg

The carbine (before it had it's front sight) :-)

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

[mtnman31]

I should have a "new" untouched Snider here shortly. Hopefully, mine cleans up as nice as yours did. I'll post some photos once I have it in hand.

[bonza]

I have one coming cross-country in the Big Brown Truck even as we speak.....should be here Friday. Hope it looks as good as BeeKeeper's does, even in the uncleaned condition. I bought mine from IMA, have previously bought an unmarked/untouched Martini-Henry from them & was very happy with it so hoping for good results with this one too.

[Red River Rick]

Some clear photo's of the markings would be interesting, sidelock and top of the barrel.

RRR

[Beekeeper]

red river rick,
Being as it is from the Nepal cache I do not remember any markings.
Will get it out of the safe today and look but don't think there are any.


Jim

[bonza]

Being as it is from the Nepal cache I do not remember any markings.

The ones I've seen from Nepal just have some Nepalese script on the trigger guard tang & usually some similar stampings on the stock. Don't recall seeing any 'proof' or 'inspection' marks like on the British-made Sniders. Then again, there doesn't seem to be alot of consistency to these rifles either! Last one I saw, at a gun show a couple of weeks ago, seemed to have a twist-steel (iron?) barrel.

[Beekeeper]

Rick,
Took it out of the safe and inspected it.
It has no markings at all on the rifle itself.
On the trigger guard there is the number 71.
There are no cartouches on the stock either.
The wrist of the stock is checkered and other than a brass cap , trigger guard , and brass butt plate there no markings at all.
According to the IMA web site it is a MKII rifle as is noted by the breach block.( I couldn't tell the difference)
The stock is Walnut and even tho it has no distinctive grain is a nice piece of walnut.
About all the help I can give.


Jim

[Red River Rick]

Beekeeper:

One would then conclude that your rifle is a Kyber Pass copy. Yes, No?

I was reading on another forum were a person posted a thread relating to these old guns. The person stated that the lack of markings were due to the fact that alot of these surplus firearms were arsenal refinished, and the marking were polished off before rebluing. I doubt that this is the case.

Although they are probably excellent copies of the originals, one would wonder how safe are they to actually shoot?

I was interested in the markings, because I wanted to know what variants these old guns where, but due to the lack of such, we wouldn't know.

Here's a few pics of some original Marini-Henry markings and some Snider markings, just to show what should have been stamped on these, had they been originals.

Season's Greetings!
:drinks:

RRR


http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e239/RedRiverRick/MZRifles009x.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e239/RedRiverRick/MZRifles002x.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e239/RedRiverRick/MZRifles003x.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e239/RedRiverRick/MZRifles001x.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e239/RedRiverRick/MZRifles013x.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e239/RedRiverRick/MZRifles014x.jpg

http://i40.photobucket.com/albums/e239/RedRiverRick/MZRifles015x.jpg

[Beekeeper]

Rick,
They are not kyber pass knock offs. That much I do know.
I do not think the Kyber Pass people have figured a way to put 140 years of crud on a rifle.

They are part of the Nepal cache that was found in a temple in Catmandu Nepal and imported by IMA and Atlanta Cutlery.
You can read about finding them and importing them in a book called Treasure is where you find it published by the people that found and exported the cache from Nepal.

According to IMA they were built in Nepal by local gunsmiths under contract with the English Government to be used by the Gurka troops.
The one I have is said to be an Officers short rifle as is denoted by it having the checkering.
A Sargents short rifle had no checkering.
That is all I know about it but do know it is not a Kyber Pass knock off.


Jim

[Red River Rick]

Beekeeper:

Thanks for the info. I checkout IMA's website and browsed thru, some pretty neat stuff.

I noticed some original Martini-Henry parts made by some of the English gun makers, good to know that they are available and time to stock up.

I guess if these firearms were made under government contract, accourding to there specs, althought most parts probably hand made, then they're probably safe with BP loads only.

These old classics are fun to shoot, kinda takes you back in time. Enjoy it!

RRR

[dromia]

My "go too" accuracy boolit for the .577" Snider is Red River Ricks .590" Paradox boolit.

Review here:

Paradox (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=31451&highlight=Paradox)

I've since had the rifles and this boolit out to 100 yrds and interestingly the groups weren't much larger.

Nice restoration BTW.

Those Nepal Cache guns are good starting points if you are looking for a project gun.

I've a mind to get a Gahendra.

[Beekeeper]

dromia,
I have a Gahendra.They look like the snider did when I got it only worse.
I have it completed but have not shot it.
I bought it from IMA also and it cleaned up great except the wood was complete **** due to oil rot and blood rust.
Due to pitting on the outside of the barrel I was unable to get an acceptable blue so I duracoated it.
Know it isn't period but seemed the best course of action and it does make for a beautiful weapon
I made complete new stocks out of cherry ( which was a stock wood of the time)
Slugging the bore scared me at first and that is the reason I have not fired it.(didn't understand BP bores very well)The large taper from chamber to muzzle sure are diferent from smokeless barrels.
I think it is proper for the times and the fact that most of the work was done in a mom and pop gun shop in Nepal 120 years ago.
The next time I get a free day I will try and shoot it and let you know.
In the mean time it makes a great addition to my display case.


Jim