.577 Snider-Enfield Questions (Loads and Markings)

Nabs

Nabs

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Hello,

I have an 1869 Snider-Enfield that I bought from a friend a few years ago. After having reloaded for it finally, shot it and found it exceptionally accurate (5/5 shots at 100 yards on an 8" square target!)

I would like to learn as much about it as I can and I hope you friendly folks can assist me in that. I will upload pictures to assist in explaining and recognition:

Firstly, my friend told me it had been in his family for at least a generation. The quality and completeness of it certainly shows it has stood the last 148 years well! He also said it was very, very rare: A Canadian Broad Arrow Marked, DC Marked, Canadian Unit Marked, Mk.II** With A STEEL BARREL. He says exceptionally few Mk.II's were mated in Canada by skilled armoursmiths to Steel barrels, instead of being mated to Mk.III actions due to some kind of accuracy issues with those?

So, what I am looking for:

Tracking down the unit markings (which regiment, where etc, possible rifle saw action in Rebellions?)
Information on markings, and verifying exactly what I have.

Pictures are below, help would be very welcome!










Thx,
Nabs
 
Current load is 70 grains of Goex FG, topped with Instant Creme of Wheat and a small cake of pure lard. Then a 525 grain Minie bullet. Simple, easy and effective and keeps the fouling uniform.
 
For a better idea on reloading your Snider, take a look at Rob's detailed couple of movies on Youtube, britishmuzzleloading. Also, make the acquaintance of Martyn in Spokane WA - owner of X-Ring Services, and maker/supplier of the correct .600" diameter bullet for the Snider.

Most Minié bullets are very much undersize, and tend to caroom down the bore, occasionally making very brief contact with the shallow rifling, especially in the three-groove three-band rifle.

I notice that your rifle has the early form of breech-block, devoid of the later push-in latch. That strikes me as rather odd on a gun with an 1869 lockplate.

tac
 
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Tac,

I agree on the breech block, apparently it is a special "peddle scheme breech block, fitted to some Canadian rifles with early steel barrels.

Also, thank you for the info. I will talk to Martyn, however, I mic'd out my Snider bore and it came out at .589 so I wonder if a .600 would be too large? My skirted Minie balls do amazingly, but I hear there are some smokeless loads that increase accuracy, I would love to find some recipies!

Also I cannot find Rob's vids on youtube, could you link that to here please?
 
The unit markings are kind of oddball since if a rifle was issued to another unit the early stamps would often be "X'ed" out. Also many units used a number/letter designation. I'm assuming there's no unit initials on the rifle stock or butt. That said, according to my "Handbook of Identification Marks on Canadian Arms", "22" could be the 22nd. (Canadien-Francais) Btn. and "23" could be the 58th. Westmount Rifles, Montreal Btn. Interesting that both stamps are from Montreal. Did your rifle come out of Quebec at some point?
 
23 is 23rd Battalion St Marie Que, in 1885 it had authorized strength of 185 in 4 rural companies in 1885.
The shoe and breech block are made by London Small Arms Company, LSA Co entwined on block and X P inspector mark of LSA on the shoe. LSA was one of the civilian contractors which converted P53 MLs to Sniders.
The barrel bears Enfield inspector marks ,crown E 10, indicating it may have been rebarreled.
Never heard "peddled scheme" used in relation to Sniders.
The bore of the Snider is .577" parallel from breech to muzzle. The grooves taper in depth from .012" at the breech to .007" at the muzzle. If you slug the bore from the muzzle you will get a reading of about .590". The groove depth at the breech is about .600-.602". You need a bullet of .600" to seal the grooves at the breech.
 
Newly manufactured Mk III's had barrel marked with 1P and 2P (proofing before and after mating with shoe). The shoe on these would only have the 2P. The proof on the shoe on this rifle is of the type used on converted rifles so I suspect this rifle was merely rebarreled in service by an armorer using a steel barrel salvaged from a Mk III. An interesting one for the collection.

milsurpo
 
There is also a Snider Facebook page.


23rd Beauce Battalion of Infantry (St.Marie, PQ,,,,in 1869 then as the 23rd Battalion in 1871)) or

23rd Essex Battalion of Infantry (I doubt, Windsor, Ontario, formed 1866, disbanded unofficially 1868 and officialy 1870)

23rd Brockville Battalion (I doubt, formed in 1863, disbanded in 1866)

My money is on 23rd Beauce - 23rd Battalion of Infantry.

I have two marked 23rd

1st was 23rd Essex and later stamped the 29th of Waterloo

2nd was 23rd Beauce Battalion and then onto the 17th Levis Battalion

Looks like a new barrel - re-barrel long ago to me, I'm not sure at Battalion Armorer's level, but a Depot Armorer's level which would be in Quebec at the time.

Nice piece of Canadian History!

Excellent responses from everyone, that is why I love these old Historic Canadian War horses.


I am having amazing results with a .58 Cal Wilkinson

.58 - 450

moosemoulds.wixsite.com/mm2013/wilkinson

70 grains of 1F or 2F

"Corn meal" as it does not seem to compact as hard as Cream of Wheat

Magtech converted brass
 
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Hello everyone. I'm new to. The site and not sure if this allowed on here. But I am searching for some 24 gauge brass for reloading for my snider. It seems to be difficult to come by right now unless I'm not looking in the right spots.

Any help would be awesome.

Thanks
 
Snider577 said:
Hello everyone. I'm new to. The site and not sure if this allowed on here. But I am searching for some 24 gauge brass for reloading for my snider. It seems to be difficult to come by right now unless I'm not looking in the right spots.

Any help would be awesome.

Thanks
Click to expand...

Welcome to the site - yup the 24 gauge brass is hard to find at the moment but Rustywood has some formed:
http://www.rustywood.ca/shop_home/577-snider-brass-formed-from-24-ga-brass/

In mine though they end up pretty straightwalled after fireforming but hey...

I have seen some primed Cheddite 24 gauge hulls somewhere if you wanted to go that route
 
There is a fellow based in Washington State who sells shortened and sized Snider and Martini chow/casings. You can find him on Facebook or online on The British Militaria Forum, https://www.tapatalk.com/groups/bri...-577-snider-unprimed-cases-t16005.html#p15661
Snider577 said:
Hello everyone. I'm new to. The site and not sure if this allowed on here. But I am searching for some 24 gauge brass for reloading for my snider. It seems to be difficult to come by right now unless I'm not looking in the right spots.

Any help would be awesome.

Thanks
Click to expand...
 
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