.577/450 cartridge dimensions?

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Barnaby

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I have been trying to find all the dimensions for this cartridge, but I haven't been able to find the neck length, shoulder length or the length of the main body. I have a project I am thinking about, and this lack of information is the only thing hindering it, so any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks in advance - Barnaby
 
If you are thinking of making chamber inserts that allow you to shoot alternate cartridges in the gun, I would suggest making a chamber cast. Chambers tend to be fairly generous. If you are thinking of making your own loading dies, pick up a loaded factory shell in a gunshow and go from there. The published dimensions of shells are not always correct in my experience

cheers mooncoon
 
Thanks for the help so far guys. Mooncoon, I think I will probably go with the chamber cast idea, never even thought about that so thanks again. And thanks for the diagram CM
 
As others have already indicated, there was a fair amount of variance in chamber dimensions of the Martini-Rifle, in two senses: the specified dimensions varied somewhat from the Mark I through Mark IV rifles, and there was an allowed variance in the actual chamber dimensions within those specifications.

The cumulative dimensional variance was fairly significant, but was not as much a problem as it might be in a modern firearm, because throughout almost the entirety of the service of the M-H, the cartridges were not solid drawn brass .... rather, they were significantly "softer bodied", being much less rigid composite construction, with the main body of the cartridge formed of coiled brass foil. For all intents and purposes, cartridges of somewhat variable dimensions - or even if fairly deformed - would "swage" into the chamber .....

For what it may be worth to you, here are two diagrams from "Military Breech-Loading Rifles; With Detailed Notes on the Snider and Martini-henry Rifles, and Boxer Ammunition", by Captains Majendie and Brown, of the Royal Arsenal, Woolwich, published in 1870. They give dimensions of the provisionally approved Mark I rifle's chamber (top) and Mark I cartridge.

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Grant, those were EXACTLY what I was looking for, thank you very much kind sir. I couldn't find anything like those for the life of me.
 
I fully intend to that too Ben, but at the moment I am not set up for the larger sized dies and all that, and I will not consider re-barreling one of these magnificent rifles. So I figured I might try an adapter for a bit. If it works, it works, if it doesn't, I suppose i'll be getting a new press sooner :p
 
I have a more cost effective idea on something that I really like to do, buy 1 proper case, from say Williams, a nail, and some 7/16" dowel, and a small hammer.
Prime case with the dowel and a hammer, throw right amount of BP, including drop tube, this is done at the range, it has to be pre-determined so bullet touches or is into rifling, and sits on top of powder in the case, seat bullet by hand into case. After firing, use nail and hammer to deprime, and start process over. You need no dies, and is quite similar to breach seating, but you don't need a breach seater or plugged case.
These simple hand tools are/were included in the case with fancy British rifles of the day, they just did them up fancy, but they did the same thing.
 
Interesting. I will definitely check that out. This is why I love this forum, I always learn new things to try that I never would have thought of. Thanks Ben.
 
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