New Style Smith Tubes

[devisser]

Does anyone have any input on the orange Smith tubes that are on the market? I am interested in knowing if they are worth the investment and do they keep their shape after a skirmish season?

[jonk]

I tried them. Mixed feelings.

1. They do hold their shape.
2. They extract easily every time.
3. They hold a bullet better than a well worn, unsized black tube.

The bad:
1. The grommets fall out after 4-5 firings.
2. They hold a bullet WORSE than a new black tube or one freshly resized.
3. If you want to shoot more than about 30 gr, forget it. They are somewhat reduced capacity, and worse, due to the soft necks, you can't seat a bullet out that far or it won't hold it.
4. They are 2-3X the cost.
5. I had the action on my pietta pop open using them getting up to 30 gr of 3F. I think that even the plastic is providing enough support that there's less back pressure on the receiver than with the rubber, but the rubber doesn't grip the chamber walls at all.
6. Stickers won't stick to them... at all.

So... if you do well shooting 20-28 gr, they may be for you. IF you store them nose down all the time so powder doesn't leak.

I won't be buying more.

[devisser]

Thanks, that is all I need to know. I have used the black smith tubes for many tears had had no problem. It has been only the last several years I had problems with them (being oversize and not fitting into the chamber.) Plastics seems the way to go. When I had access to a machine shop I made tube from a nylon stock that lasted forever. I sold them when I sold my original Smith. A 5/8 rod bored out to .500" worked great. I wished I still had the access to the stockroom again

[Michael Bodner]

The black plastic Smith tubes are not expected to last forever. You should be replacing them when: The flash hole is getting 'big'; The bullet won't stay in tight; It's hard to insert/extract the round.

Some shooters recommend using the tubes for only one season... I used mine for MANY years (4-5) but made the mistake of beveling the front edge to allow for easier insertion. ended up reducing the amount of 'extra' lube on the bullet and dramtically killed accuracy. Went to new tubes with lots of lube to spare and it went back to tacki-driving (12 in a row on the pigeon board at Fall Nats).

Bottom line - Don't be cheap and use crummy tubes if you want accuracy. BUT if the gun is still shooting tight, then why throw them out?

-Mike

[ms3635v]

I have extended the life of my black plastic tubes by putting a brass eyelet in the base. Northeast Trader has them or you might be able to get them at a craft or leather store.

2776

[R. McAuley 3014V]

This year marks my 40th year since I joined the N-SSA, but I've heard older members tell of the days (before the advent of the Yeck Smiths with the white nylon tubes), when Smith carbines were shot as a muzzle-loader! So, there is another alternative to the current tube dilemma-- just not a very popular one.

[Maillemaker]

I have used the black smith tubes for many tears had had no problem.

My shooting also often results in tears. :)

http://www.avsforum.com/photopost/data/2231721/f/f2/f20d3b3f_male19-male-crying-tears-smiley-emoticon-000061-large.gif

Steve

[Mike w/ 34th]

There's a tube dilemma? I just got a nice original Smith and was hoping to get some tubes for it in the spring if not before. Is there a problem getting the black plastic tubes now? (Of course, why should they be any different, you can't get caps or lead now...)

[Michael Bodner]

Back Creek Gun Shop (Jackie) always has them on hand.

[Mike w/ 34th]

Thanks, Michael!

[Joe Plakis, 9575V]

I have been sizing my plastic Smith Tubes for years, and have the rivets in them as well. Since I size my tubes they load and extract with ease. I even made up the die to size them properly, since it is more than just a standard die.

I have been using the same tubes in three different Smiths for over 6 years.

[Dave Howard]

I also tried the orange tubes with little success. They are sitting in a bag under my loading bench. I tried them in an original Smith but maybe they work better in a repro. My first Smith (in 69) had been bored to .54 and I used garden hose with a plastic plug for the tubes. When we first starting shooting carbines the events were at 25 yards and it was a loading contest! When we moved to 50 yds my .54 couldn't hit the side of a building and the $65 dollars that I paid for it and sold it for went for a Smith that had been re-barreled at Wright Patterson AFB by using a shot out (at least for the Air Force stats) 50 cal machine gun barrel. Needless to say it had a very fast twist. I used nothing but the Yeck white tubes for about 15 years. Those were good tubes and lasted quite a while. To this day I believe they did well because of the lack of pigment in the material.
Fast forward to now: Today I shoot an original Smith that I was lucky to find at a gun show. It still has some of the case hardening and deep inspectors marks in the wood. It was fired many years ago by whoever but never cleaned. Most of the machine marks are still visible in the receiver and the gun is almost as tight as new. I have had the tube redone w/forcing cone. I use the black tubes with a grommet and with 30 grains of 3f with a sticker and seating the unsized smith bullet it works like a charm. Like cowboy action shooting, I rotate the black tubes with new ones as I would my cowboy brass as it wears. Maybe every 5-7 shots. When it boils down to it the tubes are the cheaper portion of shooting the smith. One tip that I have found using the sticker is to use a straight pin to put a small hole in the sticker so you don't have a pressure build up that wants to push the bullet out as you are trying to put in in. I wish they still made greenie stickum caps. Hope some of this rich compost of knowledge helps.