Smith Carbine

[Tom-ADC]

I bought one yesterday Pietta just ordered the plastic cases for it and PM's Jeff at mastercaster for a 100 of their Boolits. Will probably use either Goex FFg or Swiss 1.5Fg and see what it likes.
Anybody shooting one of these that can lend so more insight?
Thanks Tom

[gunsbrad]

I do not shoot one of those but I am covetous.

let us know how it shoots

Brad Hurt

[Tom-ADC]

I got a great buy but have to put other project on hold temp.
Hope to make a range trip in a week or so.

[NickSS]

I have one of those and have used several different cases including aluminum, brass, and a couple of types of plastic ones. The brass and aluminum cases only hold about 30 gr of powder and I use FFFG in them. One type of hard plastic cases holds around 40 gr of powder and another (really only a pollyethelene pipe cap with a hold drilled by me in the base) will hold 60 gr. Mine shoots fairly well with a 370 gr cast flat point bullet i got a mold for. I size the bullets to .515" and lube with black powder lube. The smith is a quick loading breach loader and with the right loads shoots pretty well and it is also a lot of fun. I mostly use the metal cases as they last forever and at 50 yards it is pretty accurate shooting groups of aroung 3 inches. I only hunted with it one time and used my modified pipe caps for that with 60 gr of FFG and my same bullet. Net results were one shot one deer. I could not use it during the ML deer season so used it during the regular deer seasom.

[Tom-ADC]

Nick how about a couple of pictures of your home grown cases..

[oldhickory]

I bought one of those after they discovered the problem with the barrels, (they rifled them backwards, choking the breach instead of the muzzle). I bought one of the "bad" ones at about 1/2 price, new from Navy Arms, this was about 1997-1998 or so. It didn't shoot all that bad, just had to make sure the boolits were cast soft. Bob Hoyt sleeved hundreds of those early Smith re-pops.

[SmuvBoGa]

Master Tom,

I shoot a Smith with the North South Skirmish Assn - I use the brass reduced load tubes, they hold approx 40 g of FFFG, I use an "off the shelf" Lee .515 solid base conical with approx 4 lube grooves at the base, use a 50/50 lube mix of B'wax & Crisco, dip the base into the pot, pull out & let it cool. A "trick" you may try - 1st. cover the flash hole in the tube (brass or plastic) on the OUTSIDE with a sticky dot; 2nd. add your powder 3rd. push you booleet into place, smuve out the lube & you got a loaded round.
Surf over to the NSSA web page & find tons of info the Smith. They are good shooters out to 100yds (lenght of my range).

JohnMc

[Tom-ADC]

Here's the new rifle:
I've been checking out the NSSA boards also thanks for the tip.

http://i28.photobucket.com/albums/c221/JCHiggins/SMITH%20CARBINE/CIMG3345.jpg

[tonyb]

Master Tom,

I shoot a Smith with the North South Skirmish Assn - I use the brass reduced load tubes, they hold approx 40 g of FFFG, I use an "off the shelf" Lee .515 solid base conical with approx 4 lube grooves at the base, use a 50/50 lube mix of B'wax & Crisco, dip the base into the pot, pull out & let it cool. A "trick" you may try - 1st. cover the flash hole in the tube (brass or plastic) on the OUTSIDE with a sticky dot; 2nd. add your powder 3rd. push you booleet into place, smuve out the lube & you got a loaded round.
Surf over to the NSSA web page & find tons of info the Smith. They are good shooters out to 100yds (lenght of my range).

JohnMc
Them 100 loaded brass smith rounds are heavy. I shot with Old Dominion Dragoons '84 - '90

[Tom-ADC]

What I don't have is a manual anybody know where I can buy one?
I've read about a clean out screw? what and where is it?

[jhrosier]

I've been thinking about buying a Smith.
Anyone know where to get one for a decent price?

Jack

[SmuvBoGa]

The Clean Out screw is beside / below the nipple. It can be a PIA, it is VERY small with fine threads - easy to booger up, cross thread. Keep it clean, lite grease, it should not cause problems. Sometimes it has been said to have "blown out" during shooting. Many of the shooters drill & tap the clean out screw hole for a larger, more common screw - larger being better (?). The Smith is a simple rifle but pay 100% attention when you take it apart. Keep the top tang screw tight, the hammer screw tight & the larger butt stock screw tight - should have few problems. DO FLUSH out the flash hole - tube channel & blow out with WD40 or can air, air compressor. Fun to shoot.
The brass tubes do get heavy but seem to fit & last better than the old black plastic tubes - esp the flash holes. There is a "new plastic tube" around - I've not tried it nor seen it.

JohnMc

[Bob S]

Tom,

Google is your friend. :wink:

http://www.pietta.it/pdf/Manuale_Avancarica_ENG.pdf

This is the generic Pietta Black Powder Manual. The exploded parts diagram and parts list are the last two pages of this 61 page document. Hope this helps ....

Resp'y,
Bob S.

[Tom-ADC]

Got my black plastic cases and a 100 .515 345 gr boolits so off to the range next week, will try 40 grs of FFg Goex and maybe a few with the some load of 1.5 Fg Swiss.

[cwskirmisher]

I too have competed with these in the N-SSA. If you are only going to punch paper, then 21-28 grains 3F topped with cream of wheat and a 350-370 grain pure lead boolit seated with the top grease groove exposed will be very accurate out to 100 yards.

If you are going to hunt, then ok definitely max the powder load slightly compressed, enough powder so the boolit seats with top groove just inside the case (to keep dirt/crud out of the lube).

Sights as issues will be on paper with a 25-30 grain load 3F, but about 6 inches high at 50 yards, and pretty close to POA at 100 yds.

If you choose 2F or Swiss 1.5F, you may get away with not having to cover the tube's flash hole - but maybe not (powder leaks out). The suggestion to use the small sticky dots is a good one, and you can shoot right thru it - no need to remove it when you load. If you are going to hunt with the Pietta, best to snap about 5 or 6 caps on an empty chamber before you head afield - the repros are notorious for not firing on the first several caps on a clean breech (the bolster area has too much 'space' in it and the flash from the cap does not always get to the loaded round with enough energy), but once it fires the first time, it continues to fire. I have cured this by filling the inside of the bolster up to the flash hole (be careful not to cover it) with JBW to reduce the cavern in there. Originals do not have this large area, but only a fine hole drilled directly to the breech.

Trigger pull out of the box will be about 7-12 lbs. To lighten it, most of us have replaced the sear spring with a handmade coil of light gauge music wire - to about 3.5 lbs. They are not hard to make yourself, but are available pre-made from a couple of sources within the N-SSA - check out their website links to the sutlers - Gator Den, S&S, and Lodgewood specifically have carried them.

Good luck - let us know how you fare.

[Tom-ADC]

cwskirmisher, I have 3F you think I should try it instead of the other two?
BTW 40 grs by volume or weight?

[cwskirmisher]

cwskirmisher, I have 3F you think I should try it instead of the other two?
BTW 40 grs by volume or weight?

I would advise you to try what you have first - the gun may just like it! You will get a bit more muzzle velocity and a bit cleaner burn from 3F. I weigh my charges, but you really don't have to if you are going to use full case loads. Fill the case so that a bullet will seat all the way up to the first grease groove/front driving band, then use that charge to set your powder measure. Once set, just pour them all, seat the bullets and you are set.

[Tom-ADC]

Thanks I'll try that, hope to get out Wednesday, want to take this new Smith out along with my Trapdoor.
If you wanted to reduce case capicity couldn't you just trim the cases shorter?

[cwskirmisher]

Thanks I'll try that, hope to get out Wednesday, want to take this new Smith out along with my Trapdoor.
If you wanted to reduce case capicity couldn't you just trim the cases shorter?

No, do not trim the cases shorter. Just fill the space on top of the powder with cream of wheat and seat the bullet on top of that to keep the same OAL. Trimming the case will cause lots of problems - the case's flash hole will be too far from the breech for reliable ignition, and you will not be able to get the empty case out once fired unless you knock it out using a rod from the muzzle end. Keep it simple, just fill up the space with cream of wheat.

[Tom-ADC]

I set my Lyman 55 BP powder measure at 38.6 or so varies a .1 or so but close.
These came to 1/4 inch from top of case and allowed me to seat the bullet with compression and the top groove on the bullet showing.
Off to the range Wednesday.