#1 and #2 musket questions 500/450

[Valiant]

Westley richards marked 52 bore 2.5". I'm guessing this is a 500/.450 #2 musket?
I've been web searching and I'm not seeing any brass anywhere in North America.
Lots of places don't want to deal with Canada anymore. Heck I can't even find ffg in Alberta anymore.
Have any of you tried to ship black powder? How expensive was it?
Another question about a different rifle. If a snider rifle is marked 450. Is this a 500/450? #1 or #2?
Again where to get reloading stuff for these and what would the cost be?

 

[milsurpo]

Martyn at X-Ring Services, in Washington State may be able to help you. He has provided me with brass for my .45" Snider which, if I recall correctly, is close to #2 musket. A chamber cast didn't really show a chamber perfectly matching any specific type but #2 musket seems close enough. For bullets I use my paper-wrapped Martini bullets. You should consider joining British militaria Forums where things like this are often discussed.

milsurpo

 

[Valiant]

Martyn at X-Ring Services, in Washington State may be able to help you. He has provided me with brass for my .45" Snider which, if I recall correctly, is close to #2 musket. A chamber cast didn't really show a chamber perfectly matching any specific type but #2 musket seems close enough. For bullets I use my paper-wrapped Martini bullets. You should consider joining British militaria Forums where things like this are often discussed.

milsurpo

I found him on Facebook. No prices etc but he might be a source.
Looking at his brass on Facebook the snider won't have enough action space to chamber the #1 musket so it's probably the number 2 musket?

Those snider rifles I guess were manufactured by different,makers or do they have different names on them because of the gun shops that sold them?

How do you even establish values on these old British guns? I Google and don't find much on evencommonstuff like sniders. $1000 I'm guessing is top price for one? Then if it is chambered in something besides 577 I'm guessing worth less because harder or more expensive to load?

 

[milsurpo]

My .45" Snider has a much longer receiver ("shoe") than a standard .577" Snider. You might ask Martyn if he would send you a single piece of brass to see if it fits in the action and chambers.

Names found on these commercial rifles can be either a manufacturer or simply a seller or both or neither. I have a Webley Snider that has their logo and name stamped on the lock but I doubt that they manufactured the barrel and shoe.

The market value for Ordnance Sniders is erratic. In a recent auction a run of the mill 2-band went for $2000 while a friend bought an excellent 2-band with important Riel Rebellion unit markings for $600. Commercial examples are even tougher to estimate but I strongly suspect a really high-condition Commercial rifle could bring well over $1000. Some (but not all) commercial rifles had higher quality wood, checkering, and metal finish. I suspect .45" Sniders could be quite valuable if it could be documented exactly what old .45" round they take and what the source of uasable components is.

milsurpo

 

[Valiant]

My .45" Snider has a much longer receiver ("shoe") than a standard .577" Snider. You might ask Martyn if he would send you a single piece of brass to see if it fits in the action and chambers.

Names found on these commercial rifles can be either a manufacturer or simply a seller or both or neither. I have a Webley Snider that has their logo and name stamped on the lock but I doubt that they manufactured the barrel and shoe.

The market value for Ordnance Sniders is erratic. In a recent auction a run of the mill 2-band went for $2000 while a friend bought an excellent 2-band with important Riel Rebellion unit markings for $600. Commercial examples are even tougher to estimate but I strongly suspect a really high-condition Commercial rifle could bring well over $1000. Some (but not all) commercial rifles had higher quality wood, checkering, and metal finish. I suspect .45" Sniders could be quite valuable if it could be documented exactly what old .45" round they take and what the source of uasable components is.

milsurpo

I found 500/450 case making instructions in a old book I had. Apparently easy to make cases from .475 nitro express or 475 #2 Jeffery. So I googled and I can get 20 rounds for $170 Australian money plus shipping!
I bet forming dies will be a good deal to ( laughter)