Snider MK 2 project

[tokguy]

I've reached the next plateau in the Snider project.
Been treating the stock with BLO for about a week and a half. It's now reached the saturated point and needs a polish.
The bbl is quite pitted (on the outside) from the muzzle to about 12-15" from the chamber. So it's waiting for rain to banish me to the garage, then...haircut time. I've reviewed the antique Reg's posted here and I'm certain I won't be inviting disaster legal wise as it's an antique with both 577 snider and 24 gauge cartridges. BTW if I'm wrong I'm listening for input from members.
But I'm still stuck on the firing pin dimensions. The one that came with the rifle was in pieces.If anyone here has a pic or schematic of one it'd be much appreciated. OA length is the most important as I don't want to pierce the primer of course
Ray'ner Shine sent me a box of Mag-Tech brass 24 ga shell casings. I've everything short of dies to brew up a load ( and with virgin brass I'll get one free kick at the cat before dies are req'd anyhow). Fg, FFg, FFFg as well as several synthetic versions. A 530 gr HB mold as well as a .31 cal mold for a buck loading. I'm thinking of going with a light buckshot load to test it out. Maybe 6-7 balls over...any suggestions how much charge? That's got to be easier on the old gal than trying to push a 530 gr slug.
And I'm going now to go attack my disaster of a work bench as pic's will be req'd. One does just ask for assistance and not post some pic's; just not considerate old chap.
Thanks all

 

[smellie]

TEXT BOOK OF SMALL ARMS - 1909 gives Lngth of Bullt for the Snider as 1.042", Diameter as .573", Weight as 480 grains and hollow-based dsign with a Boxwood or clay plug.

Regulation Charge is 70 grains, powder type was RFG2 (Rifle Fine Grain Number 2: somewher between FFg and FFFg. Muzzle Velocity was taken as 1240 ft/sec, which gives you 1639 ft/lbs ME: the power of a .30-30 and the impact on striking of Thor's Hammer.

Cartridge OVER-ALL Length was 2.45 inches but CASE Length was 2 inches and military cases were the BOXER type: 2 brass cups, case walls of rolled brass foil, paper base wad, iron base/rim and the whole held together by the shotgun-type primer.

NOTE CAREFULLY that case walls were STRAIGHT but the Chamber was tapered slightly. The later Drawn Brass cases (such as your Magtech brass) were tapered and shouldered slightly and fit the Chamber MUCH better. Late-type commercial brass Drawn cases also had a rolled-and-shellacked SLEEVE inserted into them, this to LIMIT the amount of Powder which could be dumped in and, at the same time, obviate the necessity of a complicated system of Wads. This paper SLEEVE was .030" THICK, tubular in Shape and was 1.225 inches in length (I just measured an original from a Kynoch case). These are NOT hard to make. Outside diameter is .590" at the top; you can just make them up and shove them down inside, add powder and seat the LUBRICATED Bullet on top, with a thin card wad separating powder from bullet. By the way, Magtech brass is made specially for Large PISTOL primers.

I just stole the firing-pin from Janice's Mark II**(don't tell her, fergawdssakes or she'll NUT me!). Length is 2.75" precisely. The SHANK is 4 different diameters and they are as follows:

TOP section (closest to the Hammr) diameter .136", length .795"
SECOND section (bears against the Spring) is .230" diameter, .262" long
THIRD section (Spring wraps around) is .162" diameter, 1.325" long, tapers at lower end to TIP diameter
FOURTH section (the firing Tip) is .109" diameter and has a ROUND tip to strike the primer.

NOW I have to get Jan's rifle back together before she wakes up!

Hope this helps.

 

[twosteam]

AHAAAA!, Caught ya!

But since it is for Tokguy I'll let ya git away with it.
Must encourage the restoration of wonderful Sniders.
Hope it helped you Guy....
Janice

 

[tokguy]

Thank you very much Smellie & Twosteam. Now I'll have what I need to make one up.
Much appreciated.
That trick with the paper tube is awesome, I'm going to use that for sure.