.577 Snider breech loading rifle
- Thread starter sidvicious
- Start date
Antiques, I think. Made before 1898 and the ammo isn't readily available. Ammo can be found, though, but cheap it ain't. If you have access to a lathe and the skill to use it, go here for a how-to for making a reloadable cartridge.
http://lweb.net/tom/577-450.PDF
http://lweb.net/tom/577-450.PDF
Lots of places sell the brass. Kynoch and Bertram make it. The dies are around too from Lee, RCBS and CH4D, but honestly you won't need dies as the BP loads are mild enough that you don't need to resize and can seat the sabots with thumb pressure. Make sure you anneal the cases is you get lathe-turned brass though!
Easiest is to get the brass made from swaged 24 gauge shells. It doesn't need anealling, is cheaper, and is more than adequate for .577 Snider pressures.
They are 100% for sure antiques - no registration required though some morons have resitered some before. I de-register every one I find.
Same goes with the Martini Henry.
Easiest is to get the brass made from swaged 24 gauge shells. It doesn't need anealling, is cheaper, and is more than adequate for .577 Snider pressures.
They are 100% for sure antiques - no registration required though some morons have resitered some before. I de-register every one I find.
Same goes with the Martini Henry.
Hi SV
Check out http://pub7.ezboard.com/bbritishmilitariaforums
A great amount of info on the Snider on this site.
Also check out http://www.oldyoti.com/moulds.htm for supplies. Coyote is A-1 and ships to Canada.
Cheers
Jaguar
Check out http://pub7.ezboard.com/bbritishmilitariaforums
A great amount of info on the Snider on this site.
Also check out http://www.oldyoti.com/moulds.htm for supplies. Coyote is A-1 and ships to Canada.
Cheers
Jaguar
First time I've heard of sabots wrt reloading .57 Snider. Are these .58 ml sabots and what bullet is ordinarily used in them? Info required so I can feed my II * once I get the rest of the crud out of the bore and recut the muzzle back to round section after some idiot beat on one side with ??? and peened it over very noticeably. And build a new firing pin for it. Picked this great old DC diamond marked piece up in June in SW MB with multiple pieces of iron and steel bits and pieces jammed in the bore - finally got it all out and started cleaning up the bore. Maybe a shooter before Xmas.
The original bullet is a hollow base conical with a base plug. many (most?) guys use one of the .58 cal Lee Sabot moulds to cast projectiles though as it's WAY cheaper than buying or making historically accurate projectiles :idea:
My dad has one of these. We were always fascinated by it as kids. The only problem is that it will not stay cocked - something is worn out in the lockwork. I'd LOVE to be able to shoot it. I know that there were modern reproductions built so maybe the lock parts are somewhat readily available. And if ammo is available? This could be fun! It sounds like we have at least two CGNs who are loading for it. Would it be possible to get some loads made up as I am not into reloading?
Grouse Man
Grouse Man
577 snider
Thanks for the information. I hope to see the actual piece this weekend and then decide if I buy it. If it's a shooter I'd be tempted to pay the money and buy ready-made ammo if there's a Canadian source for it. Pardon my ignorance but what is that short length of chain with the piece of metal on the end used for? Protecting the top of the firing pin? Also, is it easy to tell a steel barrel from an iron one?
Thanks for the information. I hope to see the actual piece this weekend and then decide if I buy it. If it's a shooter I'd be tempted to pay the money and buy ready-made ammo if there's a Canadian source for it. Pardon my ignorance but what is that short length of chain with the piece of metal on the end used for? Protecting the top of the firing pin? Also, is it easy to tell a steel barrel from an iron one?
The nipple protector was used to protect the nipple on P1853 muzzleloaders and firing pin on Sniders when dry firing. A steel barrel will be stamped "STEEL" on the left of the barrel ahead of the receiver. No one makes complete Snider ammo today. It is strictly for handloaders.
Sniders and ammo....
The little metal "thingy" on the chain is a nipple protector. Most rifles do not have one attached and to replace with an original will cost about $75.00. I shoot mine all the time and have accumulated brass...dies and moulds so I can be independant. The Mark3 actions have steel barrels as a rule but if in good condition the iron barreled ones shoot just fine with black powder loads. The barrels are also marked "steel" and the top of the receiver ring is marked with "111" if it is a Mark3. These also had a more secure locking mechanism as well with a bolt latch protrusion which is mechanically pushed to open a latch in the rear of the bolt. "Ray-ner-Shine"....Doug Rayner, in Saskatchewan (306-689-2654) usually has the cheaper 24 guage drawn brass for sale at about $1.00 each. Kerry Jenkinson in British Columbia" will have dies, moulds........and much good "free" advise just for the asking....I can't find his info right now but many old gun enthusiasts know him. I received the same advise about not requiring dies when I started...BUT....you will need them! Recently "LEE Precision" has started marketing them rather cheaply compared to others.....best of luck and enjoy. Moulds are also available from various manufacturers and if you intend to shoot much at all they are cheaper than buying custom bullets. Dave
The little metal "thingy" on the chain is a nipple protector. Most rifles do not have one attached and to replace with an original will cost about $75.00. I shoot mine all the time and have accumulated brass...dies and moulds so I can be independant. The Mark3 actions have steel barrels as a rule but if in good condition the iron barreled ones shoot just fine with black powder loads. The barrels are also marked "steel" and the top of the receiver ring is marked with "111" if it is a Mark3. These also had a more secure locking mechanism as well with a bolt latch protrusion which is mechanically pushed to open a latch in the rear of the bolt. "Ray-ner-Shine"....Doug Rayner, in Saskatchewan (306-689-2654) usually has the cheaper 24 guage drawn brass for sale at about $1.00 each. Kerry Jenkinson in British Columbia" will have dies, moulds........and much good "free" advise just for the asking....I can't find his info right now but many old gun enthusiasts know him. I received the same advise about not requiring dies when I started...BUT....you will need them! Recently "LEE Precision" has started marketing them rather cheaply compared to others.....best of luck and enjoy. Moulds are also available from various manufacturers and if you intend to shoot much at all they are cheaper than buying custom bullets. Dave
I shot my Snider Enfield Canadian Cadet Carbine last weekend and will post results with pics when I can. Used Fiocchi 24ga plastic hulls and the Lee R-E-A-L 58 cal Minie paper patched over smokeless. Got about 850 fps so have to move it up a bit. Reminded me of the "pop-guns" of my youth.
Claven, a MkII Snider with a steel barrel is not necessarily a rebuild. In Skennerton's ".577 Snider Enfield Rifles and Carbines" Enfield produced 80 II** Sniders with steel barrels and 400 MkIIIs with iron barrels. Just examined a II** ,but stamped II*, with a steel barrel dated 11/71. Similar anomalies in short rifles and carbines are also known.
2nd on kerry.
what he doesn't know about these rifles isn't worth knowing.
he's got parts too.
i had a 2 band for a while before i swapped it to catnthehat.
he can really shoot that thing. steel chickens at 200 metres.
i managed about 3 shots@3" at 100 yards.
neat old rifles.
what he doesn't know about these rifles isn't worth knowing.
he's got parts too.
i had a 2 band for a while before i swapped it to catnthehat.
he can really shoot that thing. steel chickens at 200 metres.
i managed about 3 shots@3" at 100 yards.
neat old rifles.
- Location
- Ft. Mac. Alberta
The Snider I got from hornhead is a real gem, for sure!
I have another that was cut down to a carbine, but it has a windage and elevation adjustable rear sight.
As far as the die thing goes, if lee is making them, this is a good thing.
The CH dies are VERY expensive!
I got a mold from Hornhead that ws designed by Kerry Jenkinson, a double cavity .
It works very well.
i would not bother with sabots , or the Minies.
The Minies do not work as well as a solid, and a saboted bullet in an original rifle like that would not be what I would want to shoot.
I plan to silver solder on a taller extension to the front sight, as the POI is way to high for normal hunting and shooting! Levelling the front with the TOP of the rear " V ", with the elevator all the way down, 6"oclock hold , will ring the chicken at 200 meters in the center regular like ( benched , of course!)
I have to bury the front in the rear sight and gap about 8" + to hit at 100.
This is fun at the range but a royal pain in the field!
Cat
I have another that was cut down to a carbine, but it has a windage and elevation adjustable rear sight.
As far as the die thing goes, if lee is making them, this is a good thing.
The CH dies are VERY expensive!
I got a mold from Hornhead that ws designed by Kerry Jenkinson, a double cavity .
It works very well.
i would not bother with sabots , or the Minies.
The Minies do not work as well as a solid, and a saboted bullet in an original rifle like that would not be what I would want to shoot.
I plan to silver solder on a taller extension to the front sight, as the POI is way to high for normal hunting and shooting! Levelling the front with the TOP of the rear " V ", with the elevator all the way down, 6"oclock hold , will ring the chicken at 200 meters in the center regular like ( benched , of course!)
I have to bury the front in the rear sight and gap about 8" + to hit at 100.
This is fun at the range but a royal pain in the field!
Cat
