.577 Snider

Info

Appreciate all the info guys, still waiting for my dies and brass. Will have to slug my bore to see what the specs are before sourcing some bullets. I have not commited to casting my own lead yet, but may be in my future sooner than later.

M
 
Thanks cigar_man! Exellent info.
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I swear we do a disfavor to ourselves writing information on the Nutz about guns and antique firearms in general.

Everyone gets interested, next gun show, there’s nothing left, which in no uncertain terms drives price up. :(

In the end, I am always happy to share my experiences and knowledge to others.

Man, I must be getting OLD!

Enjoy.

In reality,
I’m only treasuring mine for the next person after I pass along.
 
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Hey, Sandermar

I see your in Acton, Ontari Ari Oh.

We shoot on Friday nights at Range Burlington on Black Powder night.

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Next time we are having a Snider Shoot, I will drop you a PM.

You can come along with your Snider if you want.

It’s worth the drive.
(could not resist that saying from the The Olde Hide House):p

Drop biggles a PM. He sources bullets for his Snider in Ontario.

biggles shoots at Range Burlington too.
 
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I shoot Sniders (and Martinis, .455 Webleys and such) in competition - Grand Army of the Frontier (sort of "Victorian-Era Military Action Shooting") ......

These photos were taken at the GAF National Muster in Texas, last November -

Snider2.jpg


Snider1.jpg
 
NIce!!!

That would be great, I'd love to come out and see some in action. I'll pack mine along and am sure to learn a few things as loading for this antique shooting is new to me.

Marcus

cigar_man said:
Hey, Sandermar

I see your in Acton, Ontari Ari Oh.

We shoot on Friday nights at Range Burlington on Black Powder night.

Next time we are having a Snider Shoot, I will drop you a PM.

You can come along with your Snider if you want.

It’s worth the drive.
(could not resist that saying from the The Olde Hide House):p

Drop biggles a PM. He sources bullets for his Snider in Ontario.

biggles shoots at Range Burlington too.
Click to expand...
 
Had the opportunity to try this cartridge recently in a couple of rifles owned by others. Fun! :D I was chronographing at the time, so put a few .577 rounds through the chrony. I was impressed that these big projectiles were pushing better than 1,100 fps.
 
Snider M.V.

CV32,
Do you remember what load were you using?.

Peter
(Burlington, Ontario)

CV32 said:
Had the opportunity to try this cartridge recently in a couple of rifles owned by others. Fun! :D I was chronographing at the time, so put a few .577 rounds through the chrony. I was impressed that these big projectiles were pushing better than 1,100 fps.
Click to expand...
 
IIRC the original military spec load for the Snider rifle was 65 grains of RFG Number 2 powder behind a 530-grain Pritchett-type bullet. This was later re-standardised with 65 grains of powder and a paperpatched 480-grain slug, hollow base AND hollow nose, base and nose filled with BOXWOOD plugs and the nose spun over to conceal the plug.

They were having a LOT of troubles with the accuracy they weren't getting and went through 9 Marks of ammunition in only a short while.

Their problem was that they were attempting to cure a problem with a BREECHLOADING rifle by using MUZZLELOADER solutions. Slug your bore and patch your slugs if need be; .578 mould works even better. Theoretical groove diameter is .584".

Mark III Sniders are a fair bit stronger than the older Mark I and Mark II models. The Mark III had that solid breech-lock instead of that little floating pin and it also had a STEEL barrel whch is MARKED as such. Older rifles (conversions) used the original IRON barrels.

BTW, Snider is also an excellent gun for GOPHERS. Doesn't matter if you hit 'em or not. The bullet hits the dirt and digs a great big hole, the gopher goes over to investigate, falls in and breaks his neck!
 
biggles said:
CV32, Do you remember what load were you using?.
Peter (Burlington, Ontario)
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No idea, Peter, sorry. They weren't my rifles. I was just happy to fire a few rounds through my chrony. I think they were trying a variety of bullet and powder combinations.
 
Here is something you don't see every day.

These are recovered Snider bullets from the Nigara on the Lake Range, Ontario. (former DND Range and training area)

They where recovered by a friend that scuba dives (Legal???) directly behind the range. (Niagara River, 10 to 15 years ago)

These are period bullets.

They fall into what smellie was talking about.

This area was used for the Military and as a training area since the War of 1812.

There are records of Military Rifle Matches and training within the archives of the City of St. Catherines, Ontario.

$3500.00 worth of Camera and I'm using Iphone pics.

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All the fired bullets seem to mic out around .576 to .578

I have plenty more from where these came from.

I actually have some verying interesting bottom of the river pick-ups from my buddy. (Niagara River), War of 1812 and up to when I trained there in the Reserves.

This area was used including the Golf Course for training.

Lots of pics in the archives.
 
The Royal Canadian Military Institute in Toronto would love one of those for their museum, if you could spare one, I betcha if you contacted them, they would give you tour of their facility. They have one of the nicest collections of firearms, muzzleloaders to todays issued C 7 .
Cheers nessy.
 
Rcmi

Used to be a member at the RCMI, nice new digs in the works I hear and an awesome collection of firearms and militaria. I used to attend their annual fundraiser auction for the museum, I cry when I think of all the awesome firearms and kit I should have bought at bargain prices, but money was pretty tight back then.

M.
 
RCMI, know it well.
I will drop an inquiry.

Another interesting find.

Red River Rebellion 1869-ish.

Four recovered bullets (Snider) that my late brother dug while he was living in Winnipeg, Manitoba.

These where found near-ish (new word), Gimli, Manitoba.

IMG_0718.jpg


Front
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Back
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I am trying to find the exact location. (18 years ago)

He turned his finding over to the The Manitoba Museum.
This interred a dig and changed the Battle site location of part of the Red River Rebellion.

My Father (English side of the family) Rosser, Manitoba and Mother (German side of the family) Melville, Saskatchewan.
My summers where spent gowing up in Western Canada, best of both worlds.

Ah, actually, I have never grown up.

The Red River Rebellion, a very interesting and colourful piece of Canadian History.

Next up some more finds, mouth of the Niagara River to Lake Ontario. (Fort George)

Not Snider related, but interesting.

Brunswick Rifle!

Notice the marks from the ram rods.

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War of 1812

The Battle of Chippawa that was fought on July 5, 1814

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I they are little short things, look like an 8mm Lebel but only about an inch long, they will be .297/.230 Morris. Fits the Morris Aiming Tubes that some Sniders, Martini-Henrys and a few LEs were fitted with for short-range target practice.

The rims usually are a bit dished and they have no headstamp.

Hope this helps.
 
smellie said:
I they are little short things, look like an 8mm Lebel but only about an inch long, they will be .297/.230 Morris. Fits the Morris Aiming Tubes that some Sniders, Martini-Henrys and a few LEs were fitted with for short-range target practice.

The rims usually are a bit dished and they have no headstamp.

Hope this helps.
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That describes them. Well. now I know what they are....Are they re-loadable?

Thanks, Steve.
 
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