How to make the cheapest and easiest round for your old Snider Enfield rifle. Making 577 Snider brass from Magtech 24 gauge brass shotshells • Making 577 Snider bras...
Someone probably makes an expensive tool to trim hulls but I just pinch the plastic and cut it with a pair of my wife's scissors. We get stuck cases all the time and have to use a rod to tap them out. Some brands of hulls stick more than other.
Back when I lived in Visalia, I had to trim 400 walmart 12 gauge hulls for recast slugs slugs. I ended up doing in front of the TV with a harbor freight razor knife. They came out good enough to run through a semi auto.
There are some nice ready made items. Personally I use either a sharp craft knive, similar to this or I have 3D printed some jigs for lengths I cut a lot of and then use various sharp blades with those (craft, thicker razor etc).
Yep.. surprising what polishing a chamber can do. I know you are talking about actually enlarging the chamber , but I have taken quite a few Mosin Nagants that would hardly extract(sticky bolt) and fixed them with a dowel chucked up with steel wool wrapped in 800 grit sand paper and just a few seconds and it’s done… never another sticky extraction.
I didn't know this was a thing. To me, stuff like this is great. Any way to make ammo simple and cheap, making antique firearms capable of being used is always a great thing. Running Period Correct ammunition is great, but ammo that can be used economically for everyone is far more important.
Magtech full brass shot shells will get you there. Very effective and due to the obturation properties of brass it won't stick in the chamber. Cool to see someone discussing the big old cartridge fed black powder bangers!
Little known fact, your short rounds have been done before. The Dominion Cartridge Company which was in business 1886-1910 produced two lengths of factory .577 ammo loaded with black or smokeless powder. Their short version was about same length as yours. The smokeless DCC rounds use a cardboard tube inside the case to reduce capacity. All done with balloon head drawn brass.
Long time Snider shooter here. I use brass shells myself, but the stuck firing pin is a common issue-- it may be worth considering primer flow. Original Snider ammo is more in line with an FFG charge, so FFFG and oversized bullets might be combining and producing sufficiently high pressures to encourage the primers to flow around the firing pin and thus binding it up. I have noticed that moving to an FFG powder has dramatically reduced the issues with stuck firing pins.
That works just fine, and a hit out at 180 yds is really good, it is called a clearing rod, for reasons that you have now discovered. Many thanks for posting ! Chris B.
Great vid! Back in the day, I wasn't able to get any new Dominion brand .577 ammo any longer but found some Berdan primed Kynoch, only ten rounds if memory serves. I drilled them out and soldered in a shotshell battery cup and then was able to use Boxer shotshell primers. I had many old shotguns and used 20, 16, 12 and 10 gauge brass shells but never did come across any 24 gauge. My buddy and I used 12 gauge plastic shells with plastic wads and black powder for casual trap shooting with old doubles. The plastic wads would coat the inside of the barrels, reaching the choke after fifty rounds. Flushing the barrels with a garden hose would wash it out, looked like a big snake skin! Cheers.
Snider Brass is being made by the Bertram Bullet Company in Australia. Bertram does have sales agents around the world, so getting his quality brass - in a HUGE variety of calibres - is not a problem, especially with the monetary exchange rates at the moment making them cheaper.
Cheap way to shoot the Sneiders but up here, in Canada, the plastic shells are almost impossible to find. In the past I used to order them from a shop in Alberta but last time I checked both brands ( Cheddite and Fiochi) were out of stock so I stick to my brass magtec cases.
@@fokkerd3red618 Yes you can. Now, there's a temporary freeze on handguns, you cannot buy them but if you own them already you can keep them and that ban doesn't involve antique status handguns. There's also a ban on AR 15. There's also a lot of back and forth on bill C21 which, if it passes ( I hope not) will make a lot of models illegal. BUT none of those bans concern antique status guns( so far). Antique status guns can be owned and purchased without any licence, all you need is to be at least 18 years old and you cannot have a firearms interdiction on your criminal record. Sniders fall into this category so no licence and no registration required to buy them and to shoot them at the range and wherever it is allowed by law but if you want to hunt even with antiques you need to buy a hunting permit ( either provincial or federal for migratory species). In order to buy your hunting permit you need to take the provincial hunting course and pass the exams with at least 80%. In order to take your hunting course you need to take the ( federal) canadian firearms safety course and to pass the exam with at least 80% if I remember correctly , it's been a long time ago. Also, if you want to buy ammo even for your antiques you need your PAL( posession aquisition licence) but if you are a reloader you don't need a licence because brass cases or shotgun empty shells are not considered ammunition, primers also, lead bullets or shot are not ammo either and black powder falls into another cathegory and it's regulated by the explosives act so you can buy it without a licence as long as you're not a minor but you need to comply with transport and storage regulations.
@@Aviator747a In fact they are considered antique firearms, most of the sections of the criminal code concerning firearms don't apply to them but some are: Certain weapons deemed not to be firearms (3) For the purposes of sections 91 to 95, 99 to 101, 103 to 107 and 117.03 of this Act and the provisions of the Firearms Act, the following weapons are deemed not to be firearms: (a) any antique firearm; Exception - antique firearms (3.1) Notwithstanding subsection (3), an antique firearm is a firearm for the purposes of regulations made under paragraph 117(h) of the Firearms Act and subsection 86(2) of this Act.
@@elenas4878 I know what our laws are here. Like I said by firearms standards, no license is required to own it, PAL. If you walk into a bank with it and say this is a hold up, you will be charged with a weapons related offence.
Love the smoke out the end of the muzzle after removing the cartridge. I never tried the plastic hulls. Just stuck with the brass when I was lucky enough to get them back when. Looks like fun to try.
Possible reason for the longer shot shells getting stuck. Straight walled rifle cartridges tend to taper inwards. Plastic shoot shells seem to flare outwards just a little bit. The longer the case the greater the flare. I’ve never used 14 gauge but they’re probably like 12 and 20 gauges.
Great video. Someone recommended your channel when I asked about making powder, and then your most recent video was about a gun I’ve been wanting to get! Hoping to follow you for a long time
I ran into one of these rifles at a shop i frequent. I was veeeery perplexed by the rifle design. This video is just as intriguing. I knida wanna go back and get it now.
Great video, thanks for sharing. There is another way. Not better, not worse but it works. Before the net and when I could find no ammo, I made a solid brass case and drilled it through and chambered it for 38 special. I charged the case with 7 hrs of 700X, placed a cardboard wad over powder with a couple of drops of white glue to seal it. Place your 577 dia mini ball partially in the bore and let the insertion of the adapter push it in the rest of the way so the two are as close together as possible. Then insert the 38 cal charge and close the breach and fire. This is not dangerous because as you know, only in the snider, the bullet is the same size as the bore. The same charge cartridge could be made from 45 LC if you prefer to use black powder. It’s a bite of a pain but I got to shoot and that’s all that counts. Take care.
Blowing out the chamber after each shot allows the used powder to be moistened. Makes it easier to chamber and remove subsequent rounds.. Swabbing after every five or six at the bench will really help. But in the fight, they blew the chamber...
When I bought a bag of shot shells, they were already primed. Bonus in this day and age. I never thought about just making a shorter round, since my nepaleese snider won't chamber a full length shell with a .60 ball
I’m going to be doing this soon. Also going to test light loads of shot. My hulls are from fiocchi shotshells that I bought with the intent of finding a 24ga shotgun. The plastic hills are not currently available up here in Canada. The Nepalese sniders are crude to say the least but they filled the role for them.
Dominion cartridge company up here in Canada loaded .57 snider until ww2 these were 1 5/8 cases people think these were for the Canadian Cadet carbines(just normal long rifles cut down for cadet use). In reality they did this bc brass was expensive and they didn’t need all the extra case capacity. They loaded both conical and birdshot with black powder and either bull semi smokeless(BP sub) or a bulk smokeless that was able to load like black powder.
@@Aviator747a yeah eventually I am too just not right this second. Eventually depending on how the shot loads work I will probably just use plastic for them.
Very cool old rifle. I get my loose shot for my smoothbore flintlock from Ballistic Products - thank goodness that companies like it exist or I wouldn't be able to go duck hunting, as our local sporting goods stores only carry lead shot. As always, thank you for the fine content.
Thanks for taking the time to make the great video and for sharing it. Also, that is a nice looking hat you are wearing. Would you mind sharing the make and model of it?
You are good at your show I've learned at from you I've got past relatives that never expanded things like that to me as a kid t9 go hunting or target shooting even I got to 14/19 yrs. Old
you can still get the brass hulls from several online vendors, they typically run a bit over a buck a hull, which these days isn't really that bad I guess. The plastic hulls definitely seem like a more economical choice to get out on the range with it. I'm a little jealous, economical and 50/90 doesn't really live in the same area code. LOL
Just found your channel, really amazing stuff. Used to be an avid shooter, but the Marines made me lose a lot of interest. Finally after years I'm starting to get interested again and I am fascinated with older weapons. Anyway, you have a new subscriber, thank you for making videos and posting them for everyone.
I love to see you and your freinds shooting, you all look like your having so much fun that i wish i could go to the range with you. Not to mention how informative your videos are. Keep it up, you are apreciated.
I have often wondered why Snyder breech blocks were bruised with dents, never giving a thought of continued stuck cases. Especially being NOT a Snyder shooter. Now, I know! But I must say good shooting, especially with round ball. How good of a group will they actually give? Oh, by the way, great video!
ive seen guys polish there turkish double barrel shotgun chambers for cowboy shooting competitions. so that the shells extract super easy. one guy just took fine sand paper and wraped it around a used shot shell and just did some twisting and upping the grit until the chamber was glass smooth.
i believe clearing rod was the term you were looking for will!! i'll have to try that loading technique on my 12 gauge ball loads and save roll crimping the bastards! and i get at least 12 loading in most plastic hulls running hunting charges of 75 to 100 grains which i consider pretty descent! wonder if aguila makes a 24 gauge in their mini shells? save ya some trimming!
Used to have an old single shot shotgun that the breech was over sized and the shells would stick. I carried a 16 penny nail with me and dropped it down the bore to pop the shells out.
A lot of nepalese.577 Snider rifles were converted to a unique shotgun round based on the Snyder brass. If you got a rebarreled ,arsenal refurbished rifle that was a shotgun conversion, that could explain the slight differences in extractor tolerances.
I would also look into a chamber reamer (finishing) to maybe remedy some of those issues if you want to shoot longer shells with more powder and would probably benefit extraction ?
Thank you for this video, especially for someone being limited to intake. Guns and black powderprobably a lot easier than muzzle. Loading and a lot quicker they get. Shots off I wonder if the cartridge is required less cleaning.
I tried the plastic hulls at first when I got my Snider, but I had the same problem--they wouldn't chamber. Now I use the X-Ring brass and bullets, and I can't imagine why I ever wanted to use the plastic.
@@Everythingblackpowder Hey, I made no criticism! Any shooting is better than no shooting, and the cheesy alternative does work. Mostly I was just commiserating over the problems you had with the plastic hulls. Actually, this was the first brass cartridge I had ever loaded for any weapon, and I thought it would just be too hard/expensive/tedious to use brass, so I went crazy trying to find plastic hulls, and eventually had to make a deal with some crazy old coot for some, only to find that after that they didn't work! We could, however, discuss period-correct rifle tools...
Very cool! the Snider is one of those guns I have always wanted but never really cared to buy one cuz I didnt think Id be able to shoot it. May have to find one now
You should try getting skived hulls. (Or a skiving tool) They are essentially taper reamed so the plastic towards the opening is thinner. I have a suspicion that the people who were successful with this load were using hulls like this.
@@Everythingblackpowder your typical big box home depot, lowes or menards or hardware store has them, but I don't think they would work good as the hull is pretty soft and just might flex instead of cut. They work great on pex though. I think mine was around 15 bucks but I use it on pex.
@@luuk-out-below9804 I procceses a bunch of shells to make blanks for perimeter alarms it worked great. I used the blue one that looks kinda like a chip bag clip. You just clip it around and spin it. I wish I could post pictures. I'll see if I can post a link.
Just pulled up price for brass Snider casings on Track of the Wolf. $205 for 50. MagTech 24ga brass for #35 for 25. Couldn't find any plastic on Midway, everywhere else "check for availability.".
Try a paper cylindrical liner for the plastic shot shells 2 turns with the length starting a bit longer than the shell, greased or waxed paper crimped in as a wad with the round ball.. or is this just going to be another firework.. Wax the inside of the plastic shells?
A guy on another chan. tried out his Snyder at maybe 30 yards and it was hitting 3-4' high at that range. 😅 You probably would need to machine an auxilliary front sight like I saw on one of the forums some sport made for his Swiss Vetterli. Same sort of problem. I have heard the Snyder is not really that great in the accuracy and consistency department. In their day they were arms of probability rather than marksman's tools. I like your quality content.
Great video as always. Both informative and entertaining 👍🏻 I do have an "off topic" question (for everyone). Does anyone have any recipes or techniques for lubing felt cushion wads for 12ga? I'm about to experiment with some d.i.y. felt wads and want to try some sort of lube on them to see if it helps fouling/cleanup.
I shoot British made Sniders(1 long rifle and 1 Cavalry Carbine). I would really appreciate it if you would do a video about how to clean a Snider properly, since it is a breech loader that you cannot insert a cleaning rod into from the breech.
@@noturfather1106 I use an old aluminum funnel with a flexible PU clear tube about a 12" long and 5/8" outside diameter that I insert into the breech chamber and pour warm soapy water thru. I made a wooden trough to seat the muzzle in , which drains the liquid away on the pavement outside. Then I pour scalding hot water in to rinse. The rifle or carbine buttstock rests in a cutout on my outdoor work bench. I then use my hickory Muzzle loading ram rods + brass cleaning tips to clean out the barrel from the muzzle with cotton patches. For the first time ever, I used a nylon 20 ga. cleaning brush like you suggested, and also used it covered with a cotton patch to clean the chamber from the breech. Then dry patches, then WD-40 to remove any lingering moisture, and dry patches again, Finally swap with 3 n 1 oil .
Clean it down the muzzle end. Or take a brush, insert it into the chamber, slide the rod down. Screw it in, and pull it out. it shouldn’t be too difficult to clean.
It is original (made 1866 to 1874 )and still shoots well after 150 years....? If it were mine I would get a gunsmith who could handle polishing the breech to get rid of a century and a half of corrosion and reestablish the correct dimensions so as to fit the modern shot cartridges in a relatively smooth breech.... just like it was when originally made.
Is this some strange cartridge that British people used to hunt rhinos in Africa 100 years ago? Never heard of it but it sounds like an obscure African safari cartridge.
The British .577 Snider-Enfield was a breech-loading rifle. The American inventor, Jacob Snider created this firearm action, and the Snider-Enfield was one of the most widely used of the Snider varieties. The British Army adopted it in 1866 as a conversion system for its ubiquitous Pattern 1853 Enfield muzzle-loading rifles, and used it until 1874 when the Martini-Henry rifle began to supersede it. The British Indian Army used the Snider-Enfield until the end of the nineteenth century.
3:00 Yo, my Nepalese spider's chamber isn't even circular, it's significantly oval-shaped. It's so bad you can LOOK at the cartridges after they've been fired and see the asymmetry. I think the problem is that the Nepalese guns are poorly made junk.
Oval chambers can also be caused by over-enthusiastic cleaning without a rod guide, something that is fairly common in old military arms. I once saw a 1892 Springfield Krag with both an oval chamber and muzzle crown.
Love your sucky vids… so I don’t have to make sucky vids… hey you mentioned spg lube for 44-40…. Id like an update on that cartridge with bp and spg and r7 powder and pure 20-1 alloy…
@WillardMcBain (or anyone) - I have a blackpowder Lemat 3rd version pistol that I am going to shoot. It has a centerfire 6 inch shotgun barrel chambered in 24 gauge. I have some brass 24 gauge shells, but I am wanting a few plastic shells to shorten and use instead. The brass ones don't fit as I would have to cut it down so far that it is as short as the case head on the plastic ones. I have two questions: 1) Can you spare 2-3 24 gauge hulls so I can see if they will work? I can buy them from you or I can send you brass ones in trade? 2) I plan on using #3 buckshot as that is pretty close to the original size that was used in this pistol. I was planning of starting out with a 25gr FFF charge to see how it goes. Any thoughts on that? Thanks, ~Brian
hey jake, i cut down my 24ga brass shells using a 1/2 inch extension and a regular pipe cutter. slip the case onto the square end of the extension and the shaft should be damn near perfect size to fit into the case (manufacturers might vary). do *not* try this with a wooden dowel as the cutter will crimp the brass onto the wood and youll have a neat looking fire poker... any recommendations for making a snider more accurate? ive got a british, admittedly a bit rough in the barrel, that couldnt hit the side of a barn from inside... current load is 60gr FF, cornmeal filler, and the X ring bullet with cloth wrap. these can get me 10 inch group at 100y and aim VERY high for some reason.
Not quite pure, I got a bunch of old 38 wadcutter bullets that were too oxidized to use, melted them, skimmed off the oxidation, and mixed a bit with melted store bought 50cal round balls. The wadcutters are not a lot but noticably harder lead and I go by about a 70% soft 30% hard mixture. End up with a nice 440gr bullet that I can just barely scratch with my fingernail. I use the same mixture to cast 43 Dutch bullets and those have good accuracy
@chasebh89 I would try using pure lead and maybe upping the powder charge and see what happens. The pure lead round will obturate more than the harder lead mix. Hopefully that will help.
Using homemade plastic cartridges in a 163 year old rifle is something I never thought I'd find so intriguing
I make acetal shells for my pinfire shotgun
Someone probably makes an expensive tool to trim hulls but I just pinch the plastic and cut it with a pair of my wife's scissors. We get stuck cases all the time and have to use a rod to tap them out. Some brands of hulls stick more than other.
Yeah I’ve seen some nice ones but I just don’t need one.
Back when I lived in Visalia, I had to trim 400 walmart 12 gauge hulls for recast slugs slugs. I ended up doing in front of the TV with a harbor freight razor knife. They came out good enough to run through a semi auto.
150 years of crud in that breech.
Might be time to use a reamer to bring out all the crud and recut the chamber to the original and correct size?
There are some nice ready made items. Personally I use either a sharp craft knive, similar to this or I have 3D printed some jigs for lengths I cut a lot of and then use various sharp blades with those (craft, thicker razor etc).
I always shoot original vintage ammo, works like a charm !
Scotch brite pad wrapped around a rod chucked in a drill to polish the bore would likely give the clearance you need for the shotshells
Good idea
Yep.. surprising what polishing a chamber can do. I know you are talking about actually enlarging the chamber , but I have taken quite a few Mosin Nagants that would hardly extract(sticky bolt) and fixed them with a dowel chucked up with steel wool wrapped in 800 grit sand paper and just a few seconds and it’s done… never another sticky extraction.
@@guaporeturns9472Probably caused by decades of lacquer from steel case rounds building up in the chamber
@@JamesThomas-kx5sj pretty sure that’s exactly what it is
I didn't know this was a thing. To me, stuff like this is great. Any way to make ammo simple and cheap, making antique firearms capable of being used is always a great thing. Running Period Correct ammunition is great, but ammo that can be used economically for everyone is far more important.
Magtech full brass shot shells will get you there. Very effective and due to the obturation properties of brass it won't stick in the chamber.
Cool to see someone discussing the big old cartridge fed black powder bangers!
Use a pex cutter to trim the shells. Super fast and perfect cut
That was one of the Greatest closing statements for a UA-cam Video I have ever seen. Kudos.
Thank you
That rifle is just badass
Thank you
Little known fact, your short rounds have been done before. The Dominion Cartridge Company which was in business 1886-1910 produced two lengths of factory .577 ammo loaded with black or smokeless powder. Their short version was about same length as yours. The smokeless DCC rounds use a cardboard tube inside the case to reduce capacity. All done with balloon head drawn brass.
Interesting
Yes, the short version is actually called 577 Canadian.
Long time Snider shooter here. I use brass shells myself, but the stuck firing pin is a common issue-- it may be worth considering primer flow. Original Snider ammo is more in line with an FFG charge, so FFFG and oversized bullets might be combining and producing sufficiently high pressures to encourage the primers to flow around the firing pin and thus binding it up. I have noticed that moving to an FFG powder has dramatically reduced the issues with stuck firing pins.
Interesting. Thank you
That pretty well parallels my experience. To cut the plastic hulls I put a wooden mandrel in them and used a small tubing cutter.
You guys do some really cool stuff I’m getting ready to do some .22 lr black powder rounds keep ya posted
Thank you
Jake has uploaded and i must watch!
That works just fine, and a hit out at 180 yds is really good, it is called a clearing rod, for reasons that you have now discovered. Many thanks for posting ! Chris B.
Thank you
180’ with a make-shift pumpkin ball in an antique 577 snider 1 out of 3 shots…”I’ll take it!!”
Great vid! Back in the day, I wasn't able to get any new Dominion brand .577 ammo any longer but found some Berdan primed Kynoch, only ten rounds if memory serves. I drilled them out and soldered in a shotshell battery cup and then was able to use Boxer shotshell primers. I had many old shotguns and used 20, 16, 12 and 10 gauge brass shells but never did come across any 24 gauge. My buddy and I used 12 gauge plastic shells with plastic wads and black powder for casual trap shooting with old doubles. The plastic wads would coat the inside of the barrels, reaching the choke after fifty rounds. Flushing the barrels with a garden hose would wash it out, looked like a big snake skin! Cheers.
Snider Brass is being made by the Bertram Bullet Company in Australia. Bertram does have sales agents around the world, so getting his quality brass - in a HUGE variety of calibres - is not a problem, especially with the monetary exchange rates at the moment making them cheaper.
Cheap way to shoot the Sneiders but up here, in Canada, the plastic shells are almost impossible to find. In the past I used to order them from a shop in Alberta but last time I checked both brands ( Cheddite and Fiochi) were out of stock so I stick to my brass magtec cases.
If you don't mind answering. Can you still own a gun in Alberta?
@@fokkerd3red618 Yes you can. Now, there's a temporary freeze on handguns, you cannot buy them but if you own them already you can keep them and that ban doesn't involve antique status handguns. There's also a ban on AR 15. There's also a lot of back and forth on bill C21 which, if it passes ( I hope not) will make a lot of models illegal. BUT none of those bans concern antique status guns( so far). Antique status guns can be owned and purchased without any licence, all you need is to be at least 18 years old and you cannot have a firearms interdiction on your criminal record. Sniders fall into this category so no licence and no registration required to buy them and to shoot them at the range and wherever it is allowed by law but if you want to hunt even with antiques you need to buy a hunting permit ( either provincial or federal for migratory species). In order to buy your hunting permit you need to take the provincial hunting course and pass the exams with at least 80%. In order to take your hunting course you need to take the ( federal) canadian firearms safety course and to pass the exam with at least 80% if I remember correctly , it's been a long time ago. Also, if you want to buy ammo even for your antiques you need your PAL( posession aquisition licence) but if you are a reloader you don't need a licence because brass cases or shotgun empty shells are not considered ammunition, primers also, lead bullets or shot are not ammo either and black powder falls into another cathegory and it's regulated by the explosives act so you can buy it without a licence as long as you're not a minor but you need to comply with transport and storage regulations.
@@fokkerd3red618 Ontario here, Sniders are not guns by firearm standards, they are antiques and no license is required.
@@Aviator747a In fact they are considered antique firearms, most of the sections of the criminal code concerning firearms don't apply to them but some are:
Certain weapons deemed not to be firearms
(3) For the purposes of sections 91 to 95, 99 to 101, 103 to 107 and 117.03 of this Act and the provisions of the Firearms Act, the following weapons are deemed not to be firearms:
(a) any antique firearm;
Exception - antique firearms
(3.1) Notwithstanding subsection (3), an antique firearm is a firearm for the purposes of regulations made under paragraph 117(h) of the Firearms Act and subsection 86(2) of this Act.
@@elenas4878 I know what our laws are here. Like I said by firearms standards, no license is required to own it, PAL. If you walk into a bank with it and say this is a hold up, you will be charged with a weapons related offence.
Love the smoke out the end of the muzzle after removing the cartridge. I never tried the plastic hulls. Just stuck with the brass when I was lucky enough to get them back when. Looks like fun to try.
Possible reason for the longer shot shells getting stuck. Straight walled rifle cartridges tend to taper inwards. Plastic shoot shells seem to flare outwards just a little bit. The longer the case the greater the flare. I’ve never used 14 gauge but they’re probably like 12 and 20 gauges.
150 years of crud in that breech.
Might be time to use a reamer to bring out all the crud and recut the chamber to the original and correct size?
Great video. Someone recommended your channel when I asked about making powder, and then your most recent video was about a gun I’ve been wanting to get! Hoping to follow you for a long time
Glad to hear it. I have several videos on making black powder. Enjoy
Rocky Mountain Cartridge can make you some solid brass 24 Gauge hulls!
I ran into one of these rifles at a shop i frequent. I was veeeery perplexed by the rifle design. This video is just as intriguing. I knida wanna go back and get it now.
How much were they asking?
Great video, thanks for sharing. There is another way. Not better, not worse but it works. Before the net and when I could find no ammo, I made a solid brass case and drilled it through and chambered it for 38 special. I charged the case with 7 hrs of 700X, placed a cardboard wad over powder with a couple of drops of white glue to seal it. Place your 577 dia mini ball partially in the bore and let the insertion of the adapter push it in the rest of the way so the two are as close together as possible. Then insert the 38 cal charge and close the breach and fire. This is not dangerous because as you know, only in the snider, the bullet is the same size as the bore. The same charge cartridge could be made from 45 LC if you prefer to use black powder. It’s a bite of a pain but I got to shoot and that’s all that counts.
Take care.
Blowing out the chamber after each shot allows the used powder to be moistened. Makes it easier to chamber and remove subsequent rounds.. Swabbing after every five or six at the bench will really help. But in the fight, they blew the chamber...
When I bought a bag of shot shells, they were already primed. Bonus in this day and age. I never thought about just making a shorter round, since my nepaleese snider won't chamber a full length shell with a .60 ball
FONLY I'd bought a Snider when I had the chance. Oh well, guess I can't have everything! Thanks for the video, Jake!
Nice video again. You're a really bad influence on my wanting more antique propellant guns. Lol
That is a common side effect
I’m going to be doing this soon. Also going to test light loads of shot. My hulls are from fiocchi shotshells that I bought with the intent of finding a 24ga shotgun. The plastic hills are not currently available up here in Canada. The Nepalese sniders are crude to say the least but they filled the role for them.
Dominion cartridge company up here in Canada loaded .57 snider until ww2 these were 1 5/8 cases people think these were for the Canadian Cadet carbines(just normal long rifles cut down for cadet use). In reality they did this bc brass was expensive and they didn’t need all the extra case capacity. They loaded both conical and birdshot with black powder and either bull semi smokeless(BP sub) or a bulk smokeless that was able to load like black powder.
Canada here as well. I went the brass route.
@@Aviator747a yeah eventually I am too just not right this second. Eventually depending on how the shot loads work I will probably just use plastic for them.
Very cool old rifle. I get my loose shot for my smoothbore flintlock from Ballistic Products - thank goodness that companies like it exist or I wouldn't be able to go duck hunting, as our local sporting goods stores only carry lead shot. As always, thank you for the fine content.
Thank you
Thanks for taking the time to make the great video and for sharing it.
Also, that is a nice looking hat you are wearing. Would you mind sharing the make and model of it?
@@ronmcelroy9293 it’s a Stetson my wife bought me a few years ago. I made the hat band. That’s all I know.
You are good at your show I've learned at from you I've got past relatives that never expanded things like that to me as a kid t9 go hunting or target shooting even I got to 14/19 yrs. Old
That’s pretty cool
Every time you do a video on the Snider, I kick myself for not getting one when the getting was cheap.
Ditto!
you can still get the brass hulls from several online vendors, they typically run a bit over a buck a hull, which these days isn't really that bad I guess. The plastic hulls definitely seem like a more economical choice to get out on the range with it. I'm a little jealous, economical and 50/90 doesn't really live in the same area code. LOL
That’s the truth
Just found your channel, really amazing stuff. Used to be an avid shooter, but the Marines made me lose a lot of interest. Finally after years I'm starting to get interested again and I am fascinated with older weapons. Anyway, you have a new subscriber, thank you for making videos and posting them for everyone.
Glad to hear it. Thank you
I wish 24 gauge hulls would come back in stock, it’s been years. I have some but not a ton.
I’m keeping my fingers crossed
Jake's videos are so much fun to watch. I got to do some pigeon shooting in South Africa with a 24 gage snider shot gun.
410 hulls have gone up a little too but IF you can get shot the rest isn’t unreasonable
I love to see you and your freinds shooting, you all look like your having so much fun that i wish i could go to the range with you.
Not to mention how informative your videos are.
Keep it up, you are apreciated.
Thank you
I have often wondered why Snyder breech blocks were bruised with dents, never giving a thought of continued stuck cases. Especially being NOT a Snyder shooter.
Now, I know!
But I must say good shooting, especially with round ball.
How good of a group will they actually give?
Oh, by the way, great video!
Thank you
ive seen guys polish there turkish double barrel shotgun chambers for cowboy shooting competitions. so that the shells extract super easy. one guy just took fine sand paper and wraped it around a used shot shell and just did some twisting and upping the grit until the chamber was glass smooth.
That's a neat work around.... if you can find 24 bore shells....
That’s the trick
i believe clearing rod was the term you were looking for will!! i'll have to try that loading technique on my 12 gauge ball loads and save roll crimping the bastards! and i get at least 12 loading in most plastic hulls running hunting charges of 75 to 100 grains which i consider pretty descent! wonder if aguila makes a 24 gauge in their mini shells? save ya some trimming!
Thank you for all the reloading info , appreciate your humour
Thank you
That's hilarious asf. I am also very guilty of buying a new knife instead of just sharpening my blades XD
Used to have an old single shot shotgun that the breech was over sized and the shells would stick. I carried a 16 penny nail with me and dropped it down the bore to pop the shells out.
Interesting
@@Everythingblackpowder I’d think a piece of brass rod would be safer for the rifling.
A lot of nepalese.577 Snider rifles were converted to a unique shotgun round based on the Snyder brass. If you got a rebarreled ,arsenal refurbished rifle that was a shotgun conversion, that could explain the slight differences in extractor tolerances.
😂😂😂 dude the map room chronograph was the funniest thing I’ve seen in days 😂😂😂
Glad to hear it
I would also look into a chamber reamer (finishing) to maybe remedy some of those issues if you want to shoot longer shells with more powder and would probably benefit extraction ?
I always look forward to your videos. Never shot a Snider, what is the recoil similar to?
Thank you. This load is very mild but I have loaded brass 577 snider rounds with 120gr and a 500gr conical bullet and it really wallops.
5:08 What's the expression? "If it looks stupid but works, it ain't stupid"
Agreed
Thank you for this video, especially for someone being limited to intake. Guns and black powderprobably a lot easier than muzzle. Loading and a lot quicker they get. Shots off I wonder if the cartridge is required less cleaning.
I tried the plastic hulls at first when I got my Snider, but I had the same problem--they wouldn't chamber. Now I use the X-Ring brass and bullets, and I can't imagine why I ever wanted to use the plastic.
I’m know. I figured you and Brett wouldn’t appreciate the plastic hull cheesiness
@@Everythingblackpowder Hey, I made no criticism! Any shooting is better than no shooting, and the cheesy alternative does work. Mostly I was just commiserating over the problems you had with the plastic hulls. Actually, this was the first brass cartridge I had ever loaded for any weapon, and I thought it would just be too hard/expensive/tedious to use brass, so I went crazy trying to find plastic hulls, and eventually had to make a deal with some crazy old coot for some, only to find that after that they didn't work! We could, however, discuss period-correct rifle tools...
Start wrapping your own paper hulls and reuse the brass bases.
Very cool! the Snider is one of those guns I have always wanted but never really cared to buy one cuz I didnt think Id be able to shoot it. May have to find one now
You should try getting skived hulls. (Or a skiving tool) They are essentially taper reamed so the plastic towards the opening is thinner. I have a suspicion that the people who were successful with this load were using hulls like this.
This made me want to get a Synder
What a great way to shoot a Snider.👌🏼😂
.577 snider short was a legit cartridge
You should try a pex tubing cutter for the shell modification. Fast, straight and simple
Where can I buy one?
@@Everythingblackpowder your typical big box home depot, lowes or menards or hardware store has them, but I don't think they would work good as the hull is pretty soft and just might flex instead of cut. They work great on pex though. I think mine was around 15 bucks but I use it on pex.
@@luuk-out-below9804 I procceses a bunch of shells to make blanks for perimeter alarms it worked great. I used the blue one that looks kinda like a chip bag clip. You just clip it around and spin it. I wish I could post pictures. I'll see if I can post a link.
@@hunterrick4 There you go! 👍
Good hack, oh and it would be an 'extractor' rod in this case I guess!
I suppose so!
Do a chamber casting using Cerrosafe. Maybe one rifle has a different chamber length than the other
I had the same issue and came up with the same solution. I load mine with 40 grains of 3F instead of 35 and I did chrono mine at 988 fps.
Just pulled up price for brass Snider casings on Track of the Wolf. $205 for 50.
MagTech 24ga brass for #35 for 25.
Couldn't find any plastic on Midway, everywhere else "check for availability.".
Always call your target after the shot, that works best for me.
Cheers mate. From Nepal
Howdy
Try a paper cylindrical liner for the plastic shot shells 2 turns with the length starting a bit longer than the shell, greased or waxed paper crimped in as a wad with the round ball.. or is this just going to be another firework.. Wax the inside of the plastic shells?
A guy on another chan. tried out his Snyder at maybe 30 yards and it was hitting 3-4' high at that range. 😅 You probably would need to machine an auxilliary front sight like I saw on one of the forums some sport made for his Swiss Vetterli. Same sort of problem. I have heard the Snyder is not really that great in the accuracy and consistency department. In their day they were arms of probability rather than marksman's tools. I like your quality content.
Makes me regret not picking up a Snyder when I had the chance. First thing through my mind was "ammo is gonna be hell" and decided not to buy
Very cool
Thank you.
Thank you
Hollow point bullets in .577 might be fun to hunt with 👍
Great video as always. Both informative and entertaining 👍🏻
I do have an "off topic" question (for everyone). Does anyone have any recipes or techniques for lubing felt cushion wads for 12ga? I'm about to experiment with some d.i.y. felt wads and want to try some sort of lube on them to see if it helps fouling/cleanup.
Melt 50/50 beeswax and lambs tallow, throw some wads in to soak and pull em back out and set on a wire rack or paper towels to dry
Dido
@@noturfather1106 Thanks matey! 👍🏻
11:35 🎵Skip, skip, skip to my Lou ...🎵 😅
I shoot British made Sniders(1 long rifle and 1 Cavalry Carbine). I would really appreciate it if you would do a video about how to clean a Snider properly, since it is a breech loader that you cannot insert a cleaning rod into from the breech.
Stick the rod down the bore brushless amd screw the brush on at the breech, then pull it through
@@noturfather1106 I use an old aluminum funnel with a flexible PU clear tube about a 12" long and 5/8" outside diameter that I insert into the breech chamber and pour warm soapy water thru. I made a wooden trough to seat the muzzle in , which drains the liquid away on the pavement outside. Then I pour scalding hot water in to rinse. The rifle or carbine buttstock rests in a cutout on my outdoor work bench. I then use my hickory Muzzle loading ram rods + brass cleaning tips to clean out the barrel from the muzzle with cotton patches. For the first time ever, I used a nylon 20 ga. cleaning brush like you suggested, and also used it covered with a cotton patch to clean the chamber from the breech. Then dry patches, then WD-40 to remove any lingering moisture, and dry patches again, Finally swap with 3 n 1 oil .
@@robertrobert7924 that rifle ought to love you! I like using bore snakes with the end dipped in 3 in 1 to give my barrels an oil swab.
Clean it down the muzzle end. Or take a brush, insert it into the chamber, slide the rod down. Screw it in, and pull it out.
it shouldn’t be too difficult to clean.
@@gunsforevery1 You better be careful how you word your comments. or YT may sanction you for lewd and lascivious speech.....LOL.
If the shells don’t want to come out at least if you forget your knife you still have the ram rod
It is original (made 1866 to 1874 )and still shoots well after 150 years....?
If it were mine I would get a gunsmith who could handle polishing the breech to get rid of a century and a half of corrosion and reestablish the correct dimensions so as to fit the modern shot cartridges in a relatively smooth breech....
just like it was when originally made.
Got to get me one of them huge muskets
24 gauge shot-shells are extremely hard to come by!
Not really you can just order them from a million different sites, including federals website. Problem is they definitely aren’t cheap lol.
@@theshotgunscientists Nope! Tried and no one has them. Graff and Sons has brass 24 gauge but then I’d have to cut them down. Can’t do that.
@@duigiud oh I assumed you were talking about loaded ammo for a shotgun my bad man
Awesome thanks 👍
Thank you
Dam,cool
Is this some strange cartridge that British people used to hunt rhinos in Africa 100 years ago? Never heard of it but it sounds like an obscure African safari cartridge.
Yes it was used for that
And Zulus.......
The British .577 Snider-Enfield was a breech-loading rifle.
The American inventor, Jacob Snider created this firearm action, and the Snider-Enfield was one of the most widely used of the Snider varieties.
The British Army adopted it in 1866 as a conversion system for its ubiquitous Pattern 1853 Enfield muzzle-loading rifles, and used it until 1874 when the Martini-Henry rifle began to supersede it.
The British Indian Army used the Snider-Enfield until the end of the nineteenth century.
It’s a necked case. Very slightly but necked. Buy loading dies.
I have loading dies. I make my own 577 brass cases out out 24ga brass hulls
Very cool ❤
I thought polishing might help as well…could be a slight bur or something
3:00
Yo, my Nepalese spider's chamber isn't even circular, it's significantly oval-shaped. It's so bad you can LOOK at the cartridges after they've been fired and see the asymmetry. I think the problem is that the Nepalese guns are poorly made junk.
Oval chambers can also be caused by over-enthusiastic cleaning without a rod guide, something that is fairly common in old military arms. I once saw a 1892 Springfield Krag with both an oval chamber and muzzle crown.
Nice, I've been waiting to see another way. Now might be alot of extra work but how well would it be to cut the brass one down
I’m looking for anything Martini-Henry to shoot out my Martini.
did you ever take a casting of the breech ,mine had a taper ,and why 3f that gauge should be at least 2f,wonder what the LUP would be with the 3f
Ballistic products has a wad popper, get those stick hulls right out of there ✔
I wonder if you put a Mylar wrap around your charge if that would eliminate burning the hill?
Worth a try
24 gauge? I’ve never in my life heard of such a round, much less ever seen them.
Perhaps you should get out more? 😉
KOOL.
Have you tried the brass shot shells ? price at 1.44 each but would look snazzy.
Yes, I make 577 snider cases out of 24ga brass shot shells
Cool. costly but cool :)
My only conversion is from 6.5 swede to 7.5 French which is darn easy. I may soon try to make some 6.5 Dutch from .303 Brit.
Love your sucky vids… so I don’t have to make sucky vids… hey you mentioned spg lube for 44-40…. Id like an update on that cartridge with bp and spg and r7 powder and pure 20-1 alloy…
Does the old oneness a home?
Is the bullet tumbling? I can hear a hissing every time you take a shot
No. It just whistles like that
An internal tube made of heavy pasteboard might solve your swelling problem.
@WillardMcBain (or anyone) - I have a blackpowder Lemat 3rd version pistol that I am going to shoot. It has a centerfire 6 inch shotgun barrel chambered in 24 gauge. I have some brass 24 gauge shells, but I am wanting a few plastic shells to shorten and use instead. The brass ones don't fit as I would have to cut it down so far that it is as short as the case head on the plastic ones. I have two questions:
1) Can you spare 2-3 24 gauge hulls so I can see if they will work? I can buy them from you or I can send you brass ones in trade?
2) I plan on using #3 buckshot as that is pretty close to the original size that was used in this pistol. I was planning of starting out with a 25gr FFF charge to see how it goes. Any thoughts on that?
Thanks,
~Brian
I'm confused. I'm not familiar with that gun. If it takes a cartridge.whu does it have a ram rod?
Or was you just using you ram rod from your muzzleloader?
It was originally a conversion from the 1853 Enfield muzzle-loader.
hey jake, i cut down my 24ga brass shells using a 1/2 inch extension and a regular pipe cutter. slip the case onto the square end of the extension and the shaft should be damn near perfect size to fit into the case (manufacturers might vary). do *not* try this with a wooden dowel as the cutter will crimp the brass onto the wood and youll have a neat looking fire poker...
any recommendations for making a snider more accurate? ive got a british, admittedly a bit rough in the barrel, that couldnt hit the side of a barn from inside... current load is 60gr FF, cornmeal filler, and the X ring bullet with cloth wrap. these can get me 10 inch group at 100y and aim VERY high for some reason.
Wow, I’m sorry to hear that. Mine shoots very well with the X ring bullet. Are you using pure lead to cast them?
Not quite pure, I got a bunch of old 38 wadcutter bullets that were too oxidized to use, melted them, skimmed off the oxidation, and mixed a bit with melted store bought 50cal round balls. The wadcutters are not a lot but noticably harder lead and I go by about a 70% soft 30% hard mixture. End up with a nice 440gr bullet that I can just barely scratch with my fingernail. I use the same mixture to cast 43 Dutch bullets and those have good accuracy
@chasebh89 I would try using pure lead and maybe upping the powder charge and see what happens. The pure lead round will obturate more than the harder lead mix. Hopefully that will help.