Got A Couple of .577 Snider Carbines!

[Reale1741]

I won these at an auction recently and couldn't be happier with them. One is a British Snider Cavalry Carbine made in 1870 and the other is a Portuguese Snider Artillery Carbine made in 1877. Both are fairly rare. I've actually been looking for a Snider Carbine for over 10 years, so it's nice to finally have them in my collection. They are chambered in the massive .577 Snider cartridge. I can't wait to get out and shoot them! As an added bonus, the Cavalry Carbine still had the original two piece cleaning rod behind the buttplate!

Here's the Cavalry Carbine...

 

[Reale1741]

Here's the Artillery Carbine...

 

[Magyars]

Congratulations! Looks like a thumper on both ends!

 

[DoggyDaddy]

Very cool! Beefy things aren't they?! Bores look great too.

 

[Slow Hand]

Those are very cool! I love short, big bore guns like that. Those bores look amazing, ought to be good shooters and easy cleanup!

 

[Slow Hand]

Just a heads up, I saw that BPI has 24 ga brass shells on sale for half price now.

MagTech 24ga 2-1/2 empty brass shotshells for reloading

Magtech Brass Shotshell hulls are ideal for traditional black powder loads. Mix 10 boxes of any guage to receive case pricing. When choosing wads for brass cases, choose one gauge larger for proper fit: For example, use 11-gauge cards in a 12-gauge brass case. Magtech brass shells use large...

www.ballisticproducts.com

 

[Magyars]

How are the sights?
I've always found those old big bores have mighty inadequate sights

 

[Reale1741]

Just a heads up, I saw that BPI has 24 ga brass shells on sale for half price now.

MagTech 24ga 2-1/2 empty brass shotshells for reloading

Magtech Brass Shotshell hulls are ideal for traditional black powder loads. Mix 10 boxes of any guage to receive case pricing. When choosing wads for brass cases, choose one gauge larger for proper fit: For example, use 11-gauge cards in a 12-gauge brass case. Magtech brass shells use large...

www.ballisticproducts.com

Yep! I bought a full case a couple weeks ago when they went on sale!

 

[Reale1741]

How are the sights?
I've always found those old big bores have mighty inadequate sights

They're alright. I've been shooting muskets for over 20 years, so I'm kinda used to them. Definitely not made for precision shooting, but they're good enough for their intended purpose.

 

[Matt52]

Nice just got my Martini sorted out now I need a snider lol

 

[Slow Hand]

Ok, so I have been looking at Sniders recently. The carbines interest me more than a long rifle, but I’ve always liked shorter long guns, not sure why. On the Trapdoors, it was very common for folk to cut down rifles and make fake carbines. They are pretty easy to spot. Is/was this an issue with Sniders too? Any tell take signs of a rifle being chopped later one? I’ve seen a few of the cavalry carbines but I like the full wood and short barrel of the artillery carbines but they seem to be harder to find.

 

[Reale1741]

Ok, so I have been looking at Sniders recently. The carbines interest me more than a long rifle, but I’ve always liked shorter long guns, not sure why. On the Trapdoors, it was very common for folk to cut down rifles and make fake carbines. They are pretty easy to spot. Is/was this an issue with Sniders too? Any tell take signs of a rifle being chopped later one? I’ve seen a few of the cavalry carbines but I like the full wood and short barrel of the artillery carbines but they seem to be harder to find.

They're not as common, but there are fakes out there. I'm by no means an expert on them, but a few things to look for on an original Cavalry Carbine are the trapdoor in the buttplate, no ramrod/cleaning rod channel, screws in the wood stock on either side of the rear sight (for the leather rear sight cover), and a few other things I can't think of at the moment. SOME of the cavalry carbines were converted from rifles if I remember correctly, so they will have a filled cleaning rod channel. The Artillery Carbines are very rare and generally go for $1000+. The Portuguese made ones are even more rare, with only a few hundred known to exist (based on my research). I MIGHT consider selling my Artillery Carbine. I haven't decided yet. I'll probably decide after I shoot it, lol.

 

[Slow Hand]

They're not as common, but there are fakes out there. I'm by no means an expert on them, but a few things to look for on an original Cavalry Carbine are the trapdoor in the buttplate, no ramrod/cleaning rod channel, screws in the wood stock on either side of the rear sight (for the leather rear sight cover), and a few other things I can't think of at the moment. SOME of the cavalry carbines were converted from rifles if I remember correctly, so they will have a filled cleaning rod channel. The Artillery Carbines are very rare and generally go for $1000+. The Portuguese made ones are even more rare, with only a few hundred known to exist (based on my research). I MIGHT consider selling my Artillery Carbine. I haven't decided yet. I'll probably decide after I shoot it, lol.

Good info, thanks.

I have been doing some reading and YouTube watching on these. I don’t know what bullets you are shooting through them but I did see that Maplewood bullets on gun rocker has the .560 bullets that I have seen recommended. If you don’t cast or what to try some before you buy a mold, I can say that maple wood does quality stuff.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1063235360

Bullets

 

[Reale1741]

Good info, thanks.

I have been doing some reading and YouTube watching on these. I don’t know what bullets you are shooting through them but I did see that Maplewood bullets on gun rocker has the .560 bullets that I have seen recommended. If you don’t cast or what to try some before you buy a mold, I can say that maple wood does quality stuff.

https://www.gunbroker.com/item/1063235360

Bullets

I'm shooting standard .575 Minies to fireform the brass and then I'm going to reload them with that bullet. I've been talking to Martyn Robinson (the guy who makes that mold), and I'll be ordering one from him as soon as I can confirm that both guns are safe to fire on a regular basis. I had that mold years ago when I had my Snider rifle, but sold it with the gun. Wish I had kept it now! The downside to that bullet is that it won't work in newly formed cases, which have an ID of around .585-.590. They have to be fireformed first to accept that larger .600 projectile. It's a process, but well worth it in the end.

 

[Slow Hand]

I’ve read/watched exactly what you are saying about forming them brass and fitting bullets! I got my 24 ga brass Friday and y are definitely oversized as a 577 minié slips right in!

Looking forward to hearing how it w they work for you!

 

[DoggyDaddy]

I'm shooting standard .575 Minies to fireform the brass and then I'm going to reload them with that bullet. I've been talking to Martyn Robinson (the guy who makes that mold), and I'll be ordering one from him as soon as I can confirm that both guns are safe to fire on a regular basis. I had that mold years ago when I had my Snider rifle, but sold it with the gun. Wish I had kept it now! The downside to that bullet is that it won't work in newly formed cases, which have an ID of around .585-.590. They have to be fireformed first to accept that larger .600 projectile. It's a process, but well worth it in the end.

I’ve read/watched exactly what you are saying about forming them brass and fitting bullets! I got my 24 ga brass Friday and y are definitely oversized as a 577 minié slips right in!

Looking forward to hearing how it w they work for you!

You guys are so much more dedicated than I've ever been. Kudos to you both! The most "complicated" rounds I've ever created were 30-40 Krag from .303 Brit. And by complicated I just mean having to create brass to load. You guys take it to the next level for sure.

 

[Leadeye]

Everything black powder you tube channel has something about making cartridges for these out of plastic shotgun shells.

 

[Beowulf]

Everything black powder you tube channel has something about making cartridges for these out of plastic shotgun shells.

It’s pretty easy. You cut the shells down to length and then load them. You can basically do it by hand. Just a powder charge (maybe 70gr of FFFg), a cardboard wad, some kapok filler, drop a .600 round ball on top, and then cap it off with some black powder lube (I used 50/50 beeswax and lard).

 

[Sc1873]

Track of the wolf have lathe turned brass, bit heavier than shot shells, using them with my 2 band short rifle, and the .600 round ball for plinking loads.