Hey I’ve fallen down the muzzleloader rabbit hole over the last few months and now here I am looking at snider rifles and in turn reloading for the rifle as well. I’ve read thru all the forums, what I’m wondering is where everyone gets their supplies from in Canada or abroad for reloading this cartridge. I’m looking for plastic 24 gauge shot shells to start and can’t find them anywhere. As well I was wondering what the most economical tool there is to reprime cartridges. I’m not afraid to spend money on quality tools but I’m also not trying to break the bank. Any guidance on the most effective use of my money to get a snider to shoot as much as possible is very much appreciated thankyou
Snider loading for noob on the cheap
- Thread starter Kalinka
- Start date
15 or 16 years ago when I set out to get my Sniders shooting I saw all the youtube vids about "hillbilly" loads using 24g shotshells, roundballs, etc. I probably would have tried that approach if I had ever been able to find 24g ammo or plastic hulls. Instead I ended up going what is now the conventional route—24g brass cases fireformed with .575" and then used without resizing with .60" bullets. The easiest way to do this is to buy a set of Lee dies (requires a press that accommodates the large dies like my 50 year old Rockchucker), some .575" minie bullets, and a .60" mold. Many Snider shooters now buy formed brass from X-Ring services but you can easily make your own with the die set. With formed brass you also use the dies to flare the mouth and seat the bullet. With .575" minies you can get a group on paper and then with .60s you can shoot surprising groups.
I know guys who load Snider using only home-improvised equipment but if you're not that sort then buying the proper tools makes sense. After you have 50 or 100 cases fireformed to your rifle you can sell the dies easily enough. I've kept mine, as I shoot many Sniders and, like any rifle, fireformed brass from one may not work in another. With a proper investment in equipment up front you can be seeing good results with your rifle in a surprisingly short time. But get the brass now. If that ever disappears everything changes. I have some homemade Snider rounds from years ago, when proper components weren't available, that used copper pipe for the case and American pennies for the rim! We have it good right now.
milsurpo
I know guys who load Snider using only home-improvised equipment but if you're not that sort then buying the proper tools makes sense. After you have 50 or 100 cases fireformed to your rifle you can sell the dies easily enough. I've kept mine, as I shoot many Sniders and, like any rifle, fireformed brass from one may not work in another. With a proper investment in equipment up front you can be seeing good results with your rifle in a surprisingly short time. But get the brass now. If that ever disappears everything changes. I have some homemade Snider rounds from years ago, when proper components weren't available, that used copper pipe for the case and American pennies for the rim! We have it good right now.
milsurpo
I sent you a PM
Cat
I have friends who prime their CBC cases without tools and one who made his own functional dies out of plumbing supplies. Many use a large nail (with ground down tip) to punch out the primers. Some guys are really talented at improvisation (not my cup of tea). The copper pipe cartridges are something I picked up cheap at auction just for fun. The rounds were loaded with BP and some grease groove bullet. Definitely haywire! My main point is that the best way to load for Snider is to do it the way you would for any modern cartridge. Buy the proper equipment and spend your time perfecting loads not inventing hillbilly tricks. I moved on to Snider from years of smokeless reloading and I think that helped me actually get functional rounds quickly. Really accurate rounds came years later after picking up tips from other Snider shooters. But, with Sniders generally running close to $1000, the price of reloading equipment is no big deal.
milsurpo
lol I was a logger and now I’m a plumber hillbilly tricks are my bread and butter haha. Unfortunately for now after diving down the rabbit hole a couple of days and finally pricing out a rifle and cost for dies, molds, reloading press, etc. I think I’ve bit off more than I can financially chew for now I’m so interested in loading for the snider and martini Henry too but my oath it is a rich man’s game
