Harper's Ferry Arms Maynard Carbine

[threepdr]

I bought a gently used Harper's Ferry 2nd Model Maynard this past weekend at the Memphis Civil War show. The bore looks new and I will slug it, but does anyone know what the bore size is on these guns? I'm new to Maynards. Can bullets be thumb pressed into the brass cases or are these sized and reloaded similar to modern center fire ammo? Are the plastic cases any good? Thanks, sorry for so many questions!


62376238

[mgmradio]

Not sure what your Maynard will slug out to but my original is .518-.519. Your Smith mold bullets are just right for the brass cases and push right in.

[Chris Sweeney]

the Harpers Ferry Maynards have a larger-than-original chamber and require a unique case. the brass cases frequently split and the black plastic ones will blow apart. The cases that came with the un were hard white plastic. There is also a minimum serial number, below which they are not approved for NSSA.

[Lou Lou Lou]

I'm not a machinist, but couldn't the Chamber be sleeved to proper size?

[Kevin Tinny]

Hello:

Suggest that you please contact John Bly at 540-869-2411, about your chamber.

Respectfully,
Kevin Tinny

[John Holland]

The HF Maynards with the 1976 date were supposed to have an acceptable chamber diameter. The examples without the date were all intentionally made oversize. This was a marketing ploy by the owner of the company, who intended to market a product where you were forced to use only the cases he provided. That was one of the reasons they were originally rejected by the Board.

[rflmskt01]

I have a hard time getting respect from anybody. Thank goodness for Kevin Tinny.I concur! Kevin is a great asset and a true gentleman. Almost in a class with the esteemed John Holland...lol

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

[threepdr]

I was finally able to slug the bore of my Harpers Ferry Maynard. It looks like it is about .505 - .507. With three grooves it is hard to get a good reading.

The bullet I hoped to use is the same one that I use in my Smith and it is .516.

With soft lead, is it still safe to shoot these? If not, I may consider having molds made with the correct period style Maynard bullet.

These are the bullets that I had hoped to use. These are from the Smith molds that I had made at Eras Gone Bullet Molds.


Thanks

6284

[Kevin Tinny]

Hello:

Only way to determine optimum bullet diameter is to try different diameters.

Your pictured bullet might benefit from a slightly wider and deeper lube groove.
Not much more and try to keep the base band at least .010" high to eliminate chamber pressure from distorting it.

If you are saying that your GROOVE diameter is .507" ish, then your .517" bullet diameter will need a lot of sizing. Usually a final diameter of between .001" and .002" over GROOVE diameter will be good. More than .002" of diameter reduction via sizing is too much sizing. Excessive sizing reduces lube capacity and can distort the bullet. Trying to seat too large PURE lead bullets in metal Smith cases can distort the nose profile.

In pure, yours should be ok for an initial test with its fatter diameter IF you can load it. Look for tipped/oval bullet holes. If any tippage, then something is wrong with bullet fit/length.

I use 33gr Swiss 3F and a Bly modified (shortened onelube groove) Lyman 515141 with .516" OD in PURE lead. It is loaded, unsized and dip lubed with either John Dewald's "MDM" or Rebel Tradong Post's LEN'S LUBE.

But that is in an original with roughly .504" land and .515" groove diameters.
Shoots the "golf ball" groups of 1.5" center-to-center at 50 yards OFF A BENCH when my eyes are working.

My cases are custom that match my chamber and bullet diameter.

My original, unaltered Smith Second Model's chamber is .6595" at rifling end and .6615" at breech end. So there is approximately .002" of chamber taper.

A better contact number than my earlier HOME posted one for John BLY
is his CELL at 540-550-3850.

Would be WISE to speak with him BEFORE doing test firings.
If your HF needs work, he can do it!

Please keep us posted. All the best.
Kevin Tinny

[R. McAuley 3014V]

One of my team members had a Harpers Ferry Arms Maynard that he lent to me to shoot at the first Nathan Bedford Forrest skirmish held at Union City, Tennessee, in July 1977 or 78. The skirmish was held at a local city park on the edge of town, where was a large open field, in which the host team had erected hay bales about 8 feet high (and about the same deep) for a backstop. Being held in July, it was blazing hot, and I had bought a brand new pair of doe hide cavalry gauntlets from Dixie Gun Works, which I wore while shooting the HFA Maynard. By the time I was done, the left hand gauntlet was cooked, the barrel being so hot to hold, I swore off Maynards and bought a Yeck Smith.