forming .577 snider

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antiqueguy

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So I finally got around to playing with the snider one problem I no longer have dies or a press that will do the job.
I am going to try something a little on the different side before I resort to anything serious.
I have heard that a Morse taper 2 is close in dimension to what’s needed close enough anyway that it can be made to work.
I ordered a cheap Morse taper 3 to Morse taper 2 sleeve that’s open on both ends going to give this a try and see how it works.
 
Have the proper dies really become that expensive? The fully formed Snider case (as per Lee dies) is not a uniform tapered form- there is a long, more or less cylindrical neck for seating the sub-bore minie. For use of .60" solids, a more simple, tapered form could work but, based on numerous chamber casts I've made, a large part of an original cylindrical 24g Magtech case needs to be re-shaped.

milsurpo
 
Dies are about $175 for a new Lee set. Rear of case is tapered up until the neck then it is straight. Anyone around you that loads 577 Snider ? Once formed to your chamber you can get a few rounds before they would need to be resized again. Or send your brass to someone that has the reloading dies and they can size them for you. If you want I can resize them for you.
 
I was lucky in the sense the new brass I bought chambered fine in my 1867 Snider, and I just use a lead round ball over black powder (wad & lube). I just keep reusing the brass so no press or dies for me.

YMMV
 
milsurpo said:
Have the proper dies really become that expensive? The fully formed Snider case (as per Lee dies) is not a uniform tapered form- there is a long, more or less cylindrical neck for seating the sub-bore minie. For use of .60" solids, a more simple, tapered form could work but, based on numerous chamber casts I've made, a large part of an original cylindrical 24g Magtech case needs to be re-shaped.

milsurpo
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It’s not just dies it’s the press as well biggest press I have currently is an old RCBS A2. While it has the removable top bushing it’s 1 1/4-18 not 1 1/4-12. In all you are looking at close to $500 all included for a press dies to my door.

I’m gonna give to Morse taper sleeve a shot since I paid a total of $300 or so for this gun.
 
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Look into CH dies. They will have the proper thread or custom make them. Mine are 1 1/4 18 CH dies. Cheapest option for dies that fit. I have an old Herters press.
Cheapest option for a press is Lee and their dies, over 500. I bought the Lee press when I bought my 577-450 along with their dies. Reloading this old stuff isn’t cheap to get set up for but if you want to shoot them it’s necessary to have proper gear.
Another option is making a set on a lathe. It’s what I used at first. Similar to the lee kits. Pound the sizer down over the case and tapped back out with a rod.
 
Snider shooter said:
Look into CH dies. They will have the proper thread or custom make them. Mine are 1 1/4 18 CH dies. Cheapest option for dies that fit. I have an old Herters press.
Cheapest option for a press is Lee and their dies, over 500. I bought the Lee press when I bought my 577-450 along with their dies. Reloading this old stuff isn’t cheap to get set up for but if you want to shoot them it’s necessary to have proper gear.
Another option is making a set on a lathe. It’s what I used at first. Similar to the lee kits. Pound the sizer down over the case and tapped back out with a rod.
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Ch4d dies are close to $300 US that’s around $420 Canadian and I have to buy a custom bushing to go from 1 1/4-18 to 1-14. The lee dies are cheap issue is their classic cast press is now no longer that cheap. Before I sold mine and my martini dies years ago they were right around $150 now their almost double.
 
Beater said:
snider brass is not hard to make from magtec brass. i simply trim to size with a mini cut off chop saw with a dedicated guide to hold the brass. then aneal it and run it through the sizeing die . here is a bunch drying in the sun right after anealing

XYR3dUs.jpg
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getting ready for gopher season :)

I have 2 presses that use the standard large dies, both I got at gun auctions in the boxes of misc stuff, just keep your eye on those boxes of junk, they normally go for under $50
 
I made my own dies and holders using 7/8 unf threaded rod on lathe & mill to fit regular Lee O-press. Although they do look slim, they are plenty strong & work great. Widened the opening on a Lee hand primer & made custom holders for same.
Quite easy to do & suprised few are doing the same.
Got a friend with a lathe ???
Cheers
 
Got myself a set of ndfs dies the Morse taper is basically an experiment.
I think it would work just fine if trimmed or a die made with the correct section of the taper.
It would atleast make something that can be fire formed. I like many will probably not be using the dies much after forming plan is to form then fire formed and just load by hand after.
 
Snider shooter said:
Are those dies 7/8’s. If they are they are known to crack or break. Case is too big and not enough steel in the die body.
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I was even going slow with it turn the die in increments wasn’t much force to size the cases. Back to the Morse taper I guess.

Wondering if I couldn’t just cut the unthreaded part and make it work. My snider will chamber a 24ga plastic shell that’s been cut down
 
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Buddy of mine was using plastic 24 ga. Shooting buy not grouping well. I helped him out and big improvement.
Well your die is already screwed so not much to lose in trying to fix it. I’d cut it back behind the break and chamfer the inside edge. Most of the sizing is about 1/2” from the rim and forward. So may work for you.
 
pcvando said:
Check out these YouTube videos. They are helpful. :)

Shooting the .577 Snider round is incredibly fun and rewarding.


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Not my first rodeo just don’t have the lee dies or a press that can take them anymore my gun won’t chamber a plastic case with a .600 round ball unfortunately it will barely fit one with a .570.
 
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