Any Maynards here?

[Bigslug]

Just assisted in the teardown and cleaning of an 1865 .50-50 percussion rifle. Other than knowing of Dr. Maynard as "the tape primer guy", these had never made it onto my radar.

Apparently, the later, internal-primer versions were competitively accurate well into the decades of the classic single shots. Color me curious.

[Green Frog]

There is a small but dedicated number of Maynard enthusiasts scattered around. Of course the Civil War Skirmish contingent goes for the percussion types while others, particularly those in the American Single Shot Rifle Association, enjoy collecting and shooting the 1873 (big rim) and 1882 versions using self contained cartridges. A good breech piece (the “official name” for the receiver and butt stock) and a few barrels and the shooter is ready for all kinds of shooting on the range and in the field. Don’t forget the 64 caliber smooth bore... it’s essentially a 20 gauge shotgun, enabling bird hunting as well.

Not until the invention of the Thompson Center Contender about a century later was such a versatile and flexible firearm developed.

Froggie

[Bigslug]

I found it a very intriguing system. Like so many of the guns invented around that time, once you get in under 150 years of grime and patina, you see a lot of genius that indicates the inventors and manufacturers were not cavemen banging rocks together.

The specimen in question was a curious combination of conditions. The exterior indicated that it had probably been baking/freezing in an attic for most of its existence, but the interior shows a lot of functional - not decorative - color casing. All the screws warranted a good Kroil soak but weren't knarfed excessively or at all. The nipple and flash tube were clogged and in need of Kroil & heat for removal and cleaning. The lock was barely operative due to a failing hammer/mainspring interface stirrup that gave its last gasp on removal and came out in three pieces (replacement ordered from Dixie for $7.50) The barrel. . .hee!. . .has a band of lead streaking starting ahead of about 1" of almost pristine bore ahead of the chamber and ceases after about 2-3" showing nothing but almost pristine bore ahead. Couldn't properly deal with that for want of a proper large-thread rod adapter for the big brush required, and could only get so far with a one-way push-through proposition. Should be short work once that's rectified - slugging and mold order to follow . Pop's got 60 cases - weird things - so this should be fun.

A little like the early Ballard - a real world beater when viewed in the context of muzzleloaders, and maybe even in the context of the paper-cartridge Sharps, and also in that it made the jump to internal priming. I wish to meet more of these. Could get costly.

[Green Frog]

A couple of things about shooting the percussion fired Maynard 50-50; brass, both full and reduced capacity is available from Dixie, Lodgewood, S&S, and other places you can probably find through the N-SSA forum. I've dealt with all three of the ones listed. Second, you may wish to replace the nipple with a fresh one... it will insure good ignition. Third, there are a couple of really good bullet moulds available... I shoot mine with bullets from an old Ideal 515139 mould and Emmert's Lube over 24 gr FFg in reduced capacity brass.

A bonus hint: you'll need a shell holder from S&S or Lodgewood then you can use a standard set of 50-70 dies to do your loading. Actually, I only use one die from the set. I put powder and the bullet into an unsized case then use the FL sizing die (with decapping rod removed) as a sort of "factory crimp die" so rounds pass the plunk test in my chamber.

Froggie

PS I had most of a 2nd Model Percussion Carbine that I had planned to rebuild, but then got a repro 1st Model built by Larry Romano so I sold the project and shoot the one that was ready to go. I also have an 1873 that came in 40-40 and to which I've added a 64 shotgun barrel and a 22 barrel specially made with offset chamber to allow it to be used on the original, unaltered breech piece.

[Bigslug]

Thanks Froggie! Good intel. That S&S site should prove to be a treasure trove.

Found some perfect profile photos of cavities from both the early conical and later flat point period bullet molds, and may use those in conjunction with chamber and bore slugs to scale up a blueprint to clone the real thing. I'm guessing about 350 grains just by the look of the things. Should duplicate the "giggle factor" of .50-70 nicely. This consists of pulling the trigger on a milk jug at 100 yards, having time to utter the phrase "waaaaait for it", and also the time for the "boom" to dissipate so you can clearly hear the "SPLOCK!" of the impact.

OK. . .so I'm easily amused. Whaddya want?

One thing that clearly shows this to be an EARLY cartridge gun is that Maynard did not see fit to put a wooden foregrip on them. Who in 1859 would have figured that a barrel can get HOT?

[Green Frog]

Well, once Maynard begin making self contained cartridges they added a variety of calibers, sights, and barrel lengths. In the 3 or 4 highest grades they also added a fore end. As a matter of fact, my new made barrel has a 9" octagon section and a neat little "splinter type" fore end.

Those of us that shoot the percussion versions in competition frequently do so wearing a leather glove on the left (support) hand to keep from getting burned on the barrel.

I was quite fortunate on my 1873 in 40-40. The brass is easily fabbed up using 30-40 Krag brass as a donor and adding a custom ring made by John Bly. Also I sent the late Barry Darr a picture of the original bullets (from a repro catalog) along with bore specs and he cut new moulds for me, in the two profiles that were available originally. Yep, that's fun too!

Froggie

[uscra112]

Yes, I have a later model chambered .32-40. Not much to look at, but it can be fired. One of the tangs has been broken and repaired with riveted fishplate, which is loose again. Bore isn't great either, so she's a safe queen.

Am always impressed with the way the barrel is pulled down tightly in its' bed by the toggle linkage. A feature which surely helped the Maynard score well in competition. Why it's never been copied mystifies me.**

**Edit: I lie. The Stevens Marksman does the same thing. Shame on me for forgetting; I only own half a dozen in various calibers. What it does NOT have is the lug underneath that fits into the frame when closed, to take the forward thrust of the barrel on firing, and thus allowing the pivot to be not more than a hook, enabling the easiest barrel removal of any break-open rifle ever.

BTW Stevens Tip-ups had no forend wood, except for the deluxe grades.

[Battis]

I bought an 1873 Maynard smoothbore last year. I fit a .410 sleeve and it shoots the modern .410 shells very well.
Then, shortly after I bought the Maynard, I found a .40-40 barrel on GB, sold locally. I made up some cases from .30-40 Krag brass, brass rings from John Bly, and an Accurate mold. Great shooter.
On the wall - Maynard with .40-40 barrel. Smoothbore barrel under it. Stevens .22 under that.
Last pic - I tried shooting trap with the .410. Fun but not many birds broke (until they hit the ground)
There's some good advice and tips over at the ASSRA, especially from Green Frog and John Bly.

[Green Frog]

Battis,

John made at least one or two runs of his adaptor rings for the 64 cal. They convert modern made brass 20 ga shot shells (with slight FL sizing - I got a push though die made by Tom Crone.) Basically you end up with a break open 20 ga single shot. I bought 50 rings and two boxes of Mag Tech brass for mine. I just have to get a round tuit and assemble them.

Froggie

[Battis]

I bought a box of the Mag Tech brass shells but then I got wrapped up in loading and shooting the .40-40 and never came back to the 20 ga. I have to get a sizing die. Is Tom Crone still making and selling them?

[Bigslug]

Well. . .Expectations are high.

I went over to help Dad with pounding out the bore and chamber sluggings last night. We deliberately did all our calculations before looking at the specs Accurate's catalog. What we came up with was so close to the 52-390S that he ordered one straight up with no modifications other than to shrink the as-cast diameter by a thou to fit that particular bore. Looks like it was designed specifically for a 2nd Model .50-50 using the Lodgewood brass with the step about .375" inside the case.

Measurements ended up being .500 bore at the muzzle, though the .501 pin gauge went in a few inches from the chamber (a tapered bore, oh DARN! ). Groove came out at .517, so we'll cast at .519, size to .518. Spec'd the mold for 25-1 so we can fudge to more or less tinny as needed.

Between an old 20 gauge brush and some scraping from the snug pin gauges, the chamber end leading is just about gone. Either some small freckles of it left or some very light pitting, but the front 75% is still quite reflective.

Sooo. . .probably a couple weeks until first rounds downrange. To Be Continued. . .

[Green Frog]

I bought a box of the Mag Tech brass shells but then I got wrapped up in loading and shooting the .40-40 and never came back to the 20 ga. I have to get a sizing die. Is Tom Crone still making and selling them?

I haven’t talked to Tom since before the Plague, but the sizer he made for me was a “to order” job, not a production item. Many of the things he makes are to order like this, so it wasn’t an unusual thing for him to do. I’m sure he’d make one for you, and if you mention my name, he probably still has the specs on file. If you need the specs I have one original case I went by, so if Tom didn’t keep them, let me know and I will provide.

Regards,
Froggie

[Green Frog]

Big slug, if your bore is as nice as you say, I believe you will find it to be very forgiving of slightly over or under sized bullet in that relatively soft lead with black powder. I just take the bullets that drop out of my old Ideal 515139 mould of nearly straight lead (just enough tin to get a good fill) pan lube them with Emmert’s Lube and seat them in unsized (reduced capacity) cases and “factory crimp” them with the 50-70 sizing die. If I do size the bullets, I use my Lyman lubrisizer with a .515 die to just true them up a little.

Froggie

[Bigslug]

Froggie, it worked out pretty nicely - Pop already has a .518 sizer die for something that was already in the stable, so ready to rock on that score.

Propellant will be Triple 7 since the P.R.C. likes to interfere with the supply train on real BP. Once we figure out what the reduced/equivalent charge needs to be for the full-cap cases, we'll get into what's required for spacer wads, but my spider sense tells me that the felt we run under his paper patched Whitworth hexagonals may be just the ticket. Lube will undoubtedly be SPG.

The theoretical fit of the 52-390S was kind of spooky in that "somebody-has-been-here-before" kind of way. I was tempted to push for trying to replicate from the original Massachusetts Arms mold photo for sake of pure authenticity, but the scrawny rear band got me re-thinking - - we HAVE learned a thing or two since 1865.

[Bigslug]

Probably a question for The Frog about the original-era percussion cartridges. . .

Does anyone know if any kind if sealing was done on the flash hole at the base of the case? I have to figure that in the era of ramrods, loose powder, and paper cartridges, folks would be used to the practice of keeping things dry, and reducing the points for moisture entry to that tiny pinhole would be seen as a great leap forward. All the same, it seems like a weak point they'd have thought to address.

New hammer stirrup installed & reassembly complete. Just need a mold now.

[Green Frog]

Some of my teammates use those little 1/4” sticky dots from a stationary store (Staples, etc) and peel them off right before putting them in their cartridge boxes while preparing to go to the line. I don’t do anything to keep the powder inbecause it’s pretty tightly packed during the loading process. I do take a nipple pick and make sure each flash hole is clear after I get the rounds all lined up in my cartridge box. I’ve never noticed any powder dribbling out.

Froggie