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Friday, February 08, 2013
My inner gun nerd...
As you know, I am generally a proponent of practical firearms, although I also collect original antiques of historical provenance and generally look down on modern replicas of ... OH GOD SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY! .
Tam... I saw an original one once about 6 months of "fun shows" ago. Guy was asking a Grand. It had two breechblocks (one to use rim and one for centerfire ammunition as I recall), a handful of ammunition, dies, and empty casings...
I "squeed" a little. And my best friend, who was with me, just gave me this look...the same one I give him when he starts pawing something that he thinks is cool and I make fun of him for it.
Guess it's time to look for .44-40 dies. On the up-side; the ONLY brass for sale at our local big-box was .44-40, come to think of it. Wonder if it's still there...
One of these is on my bucket list of guns, although I'd prefer the rifle:
http://www.chiappafirearms.com/product/816
I have a many-greats grandfather who was with Wilder at Chickamauga (even has his name on the tower). I understand the Lightning Brigade used the rifle and not the more common carbine.
They list distributors. The distributor's websites show prices. Navy Arms appears to have a couple of antique originals for not much more that the replicas. A nicely made and finished replica has it's own appeal and can be shot with modern ammo.
I have drooled (O.K., lusted) inanely over the same lovely weapon for years. But it would have to be in 56-50 centerfire, even if I had to turn and form every individual case myself. And even if I had to make my own tong-tool reloader for it.
Anybody know what they use for a bore diameter? I havw an original 1871 rolling block in 50-70 that I use Lyman .515's in, and if I could use the same molds, how cool is that?
The absurdity of this world is that a loading tube for an original carbine, holing 8 rounds, would be illegal in New York as some kind of high capacity assault magazine. As if I needed another reason to want one.
About two weekends ago I had a Masonic memorial to attend next county over. Our Lodge's former Secretary did the lecture, I acted as Chaplain.
After the ceremony and before said former Secretary had to leave for his grandson's hockey game, we went to a small gun show not far from the cemetery.
Wouldn't you know it, not only did the guy have the first original Spencer I've seen outside a museum case in decades, he had 3 of my "Bucket List" guns as well: o Winchester 1895 o Vetterli o Springfield 1881 Trapdoor
Chiappa has shell cases, bullets, and dies for .56-50 under the accessories tab then vintage then loading. I couldn't find a place to order them or a price, however.
www.buffaloarms.com has everything you need to load 56-50 centerfire. I load for mine, and it is a HOOT. I would sure love to poke and elk with one. I would also like a 56-50 revolver from Hamilton Bowen, but that is another story.....
Btw. Tam, I notice that Governor Patrick of Mass and a couple of other Governators have suspended the US Constitution. I base that on them announcing that anyone on the public roads after 4pm (Eastern) will be arrested. There goes the right of unrestricted travel!
Worried at the slow erosion of our rights under the guise of protecting us.
You can't make an omelet without breaking a few laws errr I mean eggs. And all of those other well meaning platitudes that are smokescreens for power grabs. No one in MSM even seems to have thought it thru.
I never heard of Chiappa until they put out that Rhino monstrosity...just dismissed them. But now, Great Horny Toads that is one fine looking example of craftsmanship! I normally discount foreign products, but.....
CDNN had some Spencer replicas a few years back. I forget which manufacturer they were. I would have got one, but they were all in oddball calibers (no 44-40 or anything)and I was a bit concerned about ammo availability and prices.
Yeh, Last time I looked 56/50 was north of 100$ a box-BUT- Thats a 480 to 505 gr. soft lead mini-ball at 1300 fps with black powder. That carbine has the fastest reload time of all the GEN-1 repeaters. That was the wepon caried by the 7th US cav. untill one week before they left for the little big horn.
But.... It's a Chiappa. Even their hand-picked show specimens that they had on display as exemplars at the NRA convention last year had TERRIBLE triggers. AD and I laughed ourselves hoarse.
Well, maybe they can apply 20th century technology to a 19th century carbine, and sell it in the 21st century.
Factory guns have terrible triggers. Some are just more terrible than others. ;)
Is anybody positive this isn't actually a Pedersoli? The Italian gun companies are in and out of bed with each other more frequently than the characters in a Fellini movie.
I have been shooting one of Taylor and Co 1865 Spencer Carbines for several years in N-SSA. They are wonderful guns: easy to reload the 56-50 centerfire ammunition (brass, dies, and molds are available with no problem), accurate, and pleasant to shoot.
enjoy....
ReplyDeleteSQUEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!
ReplyDeleteMy only way to avoid spending money on this thing is if it sports some absurd MSRP...
ReplyDeleteJeez... I too try to be more or less practical but now and then see something riduculous like Rossi's Ranch Hand/Mare's Leg and get all lusty.
ReplyDeleteMy other weakness is the replica Sharps. I mean, hey, Quigley...
Tam...
ReplyDeleteI saw an original one once about 6 months of "fun shows" ago.
Guy was asking a Grand. It had two breechblocks (one to use rim and one for centerfire ammunition as I recall), a handful of ammunition, dies, and empty casings...
I "squeed" a little. And my best friend, who was with me, just gave me this look...the same one I give him when he starts pawing something that he thinks is cool and I make fun of him for it.
Tam,
ReplyDeleteCheck your Book of Face messages.....
http://smg.beta.photobucket.com/user/Mossyrock/media/Spencer1.mp4.html
ReplyDeleteI'm going to have to agree with you on all points Tam.
ReplyDeleteTo make it easier to decide, the long colt is deer legal in indiana.
ReplyDeleteGuess it's time to look for .44-40 dies. On the up-side; the ONLY brass for sale at our local big-box was .44-40, come to think of it. Wonder if it's still there...
ReplyDelete"Deserve's got nothin' to do with it"
ReplyDeleteIn which chambering?
ReplyDeletethey said .45 colt, they said...
ReplyDeletei think i just lost the argument.
Dammit.
ReplyDeleteThe only problem is I don't currently load or shoot any of the three calibers. I'd be double-screwed if it came in something I already stocked.
Chris
You know, if you are short of Cash, there's a Zed Drei that could probably fetch a nice chunk of change on the Used Car Market.....
ReplyDeleteAND you could probably even find, er.... buy enough Ammo to Feed it on a Regular Basis!
I know, I know . "Get Thee Behind Me Satan!" But also remember that Heinlein wrote that one should budget the Luxuries FIRST.
Just Saying,,,,
Can 56/50 ammo be had or made, or is that chambering just an historical piece?
ReplyDeleteOne of these is on my bucket list of guns, although I'd prefer the rifle:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.chiappafirearms.com/product/816
I have a many-greats grandfather who was with Wilder at Chickamauga (even has his name on the tower). I understand the Lightning Brigade used the rifle and not the more common carbine.
Rob
Thank You God that they didn't chamber that in .44 Special. Or I'd have to sell a case of .223 or 10 Pmags to get one.
ReplyDeleteHow about that triple barreled shotgun?! What's stopping them from making a quad barrel or even a penta?
ReplyDeleteIt is purty.
ReplyDeleteReminds me, I still need to post about Chiappa at SHOT...
They list distributors. The distributor's websites show prices. Navy Arms appears to have a couple of antique originals for not much more that the replicas. A nicely made and finished replica has it's own appeal and can be shot with modern ammo.
ReplyDelete"I'll see you in hell, William munny! "
ReplyDelete*sound of Spencer hammer being cocked back*
"Yeah.."
I have drooled (O.K., lusted) inanely over the same lovely weapon for years. But it would have to be in 56-50 centerfire, even if I had to turn and form every individual case myself. And even if I had to make my own tong-tool reloader for it.
ReplyDeleteAnybody know what they use for a bore diameter? I havw an original 1871 rolling block in 50-70 that I use Lyman .515's in, and if I could use the same molds, how cool is that?
The absurdity of this world is that a loading tube for an original carbine, holing 8 rounds, would be illegal in New York as some kind of high capacity assault magazine.
ReplyDeleteAs if I needed another reason to want one.
About two weekends ago I had a Masonic memorial to attend next county over. Our Lodge's former Secretary did the lecture, I acted as Chaplain.
ReplyDeleteAfter the ceremony and before said former Secretary had to leave for his grandson's hockey game, we went to a small gun show not far from the cemetery.
Wouldn't you know it, not only did the guy have the first original Spencer I've seen outside a museum case in decades, he had 3 of my "Bucket List" guns as well:
o Winchester 1895
o Vetterli
o Springfield 1881 Trapdoor
And I was in no position to buy whatsoever =^(
gvi
Chiappa has shell cases, bullets, and dies for .56-50 under the accessories tab then vintage then loading. I couldn't find a place to order them or a price, however.
ReplyDeletewww.buffaloarms.com has everything you need to load 56-50 centerfire. I load for mine, and it is a HOOT. I would sure love to poke and elk with one. I would also like a 56-50 revolver from Hamilton Bowen, but that is another story.....
ReplyDeleteStarline makes 56/50 brass,though the website says it is for the Taylor reproduction Spencer. Roughly $1 a case and it's actually in stock right now
ReplyDeleteDammit, stop showing me things like this! I'm already in lust with the idea of one of their Little Sharps in .30-30, and now...
ReplyDeleteAnd I didn't even want a Spencer before.
Love the idea of owning a Spencer in 45LC!
ReplyDeleteBtw. Tam, I notice that Governor Patrick of Mass and a couple of other Governators have suspended the US Constitution. I base that on them announcing that anyone on the public roads after 4pm (Eastern) will be arrested. There goes the right of unrestricted travel!
Worried at the slow erosion of our rights under the guise of protecting us.
Anon 4:00, if it save just one child's life then it's worth it.
ReplyDeleteWhat's the matter, why do you want children to die?
Picked up one of the Chiappa mini Sharps rifles in .22 Hornet.
ReplyDeleteIt's a cute, fun little gun.
A Spencer might be next on my list.
Regards,
NMM1AFan
You have an inner gun nerd too?
ReplyDeleteSteve Skubinna,
ReplyDeleteYou can't make an omelet without breaking a few laws errr I mean eggs. And all of those other well meaning platitudes that are smokescreens for power grabs.
No one in MSM even seems to have thought it thru.
I never heard of Chiappa until they put out that Rhino monstrosity...just dismissed them. But now, Great Horny Toads that is one fine looking example of craftsmanship! I normally discount foreign products, but.....
ReplyDeleteKinda surprised they didn't include a modern .50 cal calibre among the options. Like .500 S&W or .50 Beowulf.
ReplyDeleteDoes it come with an RFID tag?
ReplyDelete:D
CDNN had some Spencer replicas a few years back. I forget which manufacturer they were. I would have got one, but they were all in oddball calibers (no 44-40 or anything)and I was a bit concerned about ammo availability and prices.
ReplyDeleteRob (Trebor)
If you open the breech and put your ear to it you can hear the Sioux screaming as they ride up the hill.
ReplyDelete"If you open the breech and put your ear to it you can hear the Sioux screaming as they ride up the hill."
ReplyDeleteIf I open the breach of my Trapdoor carbine and put my ear to it, I can hear cavalrymen saying "Oh shit".
Odd.....
ReplyDeleteWhenever I put an ear to any of my guns all I hear are squeaky little voices saying "feed me."
:shrug:
Guess I need some older stuff.
BGM
I am all cured of wanting one.
ReplyDeleteFound the price for one at Cimarron.
$1,455.
I think the more pedestrian Marlin 1894 Cowboy model for $700 is more my pocketbook's speed.
Yeh, Last time I looked 56/50 was north of 100$ a box-BUT- Thats a 480 to 505 gr. soft lead mini-ball at 1300 fps with black powder. That carbine has the fastest reload time of all the GEN-1 repeaters. That was the wepon caried by the 7th US cav. untill one week before they left for the little big horn.
ReplyDeleteBut....
ReplyDeleteIt's a Chiappa. Even their hand-picked show specimens that they had on display as exemplars at the NRA convention last year had TERRIBLE triggers. AD and I laughed ourselves hoarse.
Well, maybe they can apply 20th century technology to a 19th century carbine, and sell it in the 21st century.
Mikael,
ReplyDelete"Kinda surprised they didn't include a modern .50 cal calibre among the options. Like .500 S&W or .50 Beowulf."
Even with modern metallurgy, the action may not be up to those kinds of strains.
MattG,
ReplyDeleteFactory guns have terrible triggers. Some are just more terrible than others. ;)
Is anybody positive this isn't actually a Pedersoli? The Italian gun companies are in and out of bed with each other more frequently than the characters in a Fellini movie.
A rolling block carbine could easily take a .500 S&W. or a .50 Beowulf.
ReplyDeleteJohn Moses Browning for the win.
BGM: You know what sound a .50 Quad make when you shoot it?
ReplyDeleteTwenty dollars, twenty dollars, twenty dollars, twenty dollars, twenty dollars, twenty dollars, twenty dollars, twenty dollars, twenty dollars, twenty dollars, twenty dollars, ...
But, Honey, when you buy an M16 you HAVE to have four .50 cals to go with it.
ReplyDeleteI have been shooting one of Taylor and Co 1865 Spencer Carbines for several years in N-SSA. They are wonderful guns: easy to reload the 56-50 centerfire ammunition (brass, dies, and molds are available with no problem), accurate, and pleasant to shoot.
ReplyDeleteI hate to burst your bubble, Tam, but those gorgeous replicas are made by the idiots you cited in this post:
ReplyDeletehttp://booksbikesboomsticks.blogspot.com/2011/07/your-comment-is-awaiting-moderation.html
Sorry.
Antibubba