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Thread: Best bullet for a Smith or Gallagher

  1. #1
    noonanda is offline
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    Best bullet for a Smith or Gallagher

    So I just picked up a smith carbine, and also just won an auction for a Erma works Gallagher. what would be a good mold that could be used with both rifles? Also do they share tubes, as Im not seeing gallagher tubes on Lodgewoods site
    Last edited by noonanda; 11-21-2019 at 05:36 PM.
    Daryl Noonan
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    mgmradio is offline
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    The best bullet for the Smith is the Eras Gone By mould if it's an original.
    The Erma Gallagher if it the original micro grove barrel the bore is close to .540 so you will have to find a bullet that will work. If it's been relined then the Smith bullet would work. The Gallagher cartridge is different from the Smith. I believe S&S has them.

  3. #3
    noonanda is offline
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    Quote Originally Posted by mgmradio View Post
    The best bullet for the Smith is the Eras Gone By mould if it's an original.
    The Erma Gallagher if it the original micro grove barrel the bore is close to .540 so you will have to find a bullet that will work. If it's been relined then the Smith bullet would work. The Gallagher cartridge is different from the Smith. I believe S&S has them.
    Thanks. Im gonna shoot the Gallagher first, but will likely try to get it relined in the future. Bullet compatibility between the two would be nice
    Daryl Noonan
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    "You see in this world there are two types of people my friend. Those with loaded guns, and those who dig. You dig!!"

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    Lou Lou Lou is offline
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    I?m partial to the 515-385 or 515-365 from Moose for the Smith
    Lou Lou Lou Ruggiero
    Tammany Regt-42nd NYVI

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    bobanderson is offline
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    I bought the 6 gang Lee mould from Lodgewood. It comes in 2 sizes, .515 for hard lead shooters and .518 for pure lead. I have the .515 and using hard lead I was able to whip up a LOT of bullets at about .517 diameter. The profile, length and weight combined in my Hoyt lined barrel to produce great groups and good hit times.

    Probably another gun I shouldn't have sold (sigh)
    Bob Anderson
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    gemmer is offline
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    Quote Originally Posted by bobanderson View Post
    I bought the 6 gang Lee mould from Lodgewood. It comes in 2 sizes, .515 for hard lead shooters and .518 for pure lead. I have the .515 and using hard lead I was able to whip up a LOT of bullets at about .517 diameter. The profile, length and weight combined in my Hoyt lined barrel to produce great groups and good hit times.

    Probably another gun I shouldn't have sold (sigh)
    If you have the Erma relined, go with a .515 groove for the Smith bullet and have it chambered for the Gallagher case. That's the advice I got from Bobby Hoyt when I brought mine to him, and he was right. I have the Lee 2 cavity Smith .518 mould and size to .517.

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    mgmradio is offline
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    A friend of mine shoots an Erma Galager with the original microgroved barrel. He uses a bullet that looks like a maxi ball that's .540 . He is an excellent shot and it shoots one raged hole at 50 yards off hand. He gave me a few that I will try in my original Gallagher this weekend. I've been using a 56-50 Spencer bullet for testing so far and have found it to be very accurate, though it is a little long.

  8. #8
    noonanda is offline
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    Quote Originally Posted by mgmradio View Post
    A friend of mine shoots an Erma Galager with the original microgroved barrel. He uses a bullet that looks like a maxi ball that's .540 . He is an excellent shot and it shoots one raged hole at 50 yards off hand. He gave me a few that I will try in my original Gallagher this weekend. I've been using a 56-50 Spencer bullet for testing so far and have found it to be very accurate, though it is a little long.
    how does it do at 100 yards? From all the old posts I have read, they do great at 50yds but not so much at 100yds due to the fast rifling.
    Daryl Noonan
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    "You see in this world there are two types of people my friend. Those with loaded guns, and those who dig. You dig!!"

  9. #9
    george7542 is offline
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    I have been shooting an noe smith bullet 517 four cavity mold out of a relined pietta a relined original and a yeck with its original rifling all three Smith's will the bullet properly sized and correct powder charge will shoot one ragged hole at 50 and 100 yards.
    Jesse

  10. #10
    WBR10654 is offline
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    well that is the first time I have hear that about the .515s for shooting hard lead... I had a Hoyt relined Maynard and it has a small Chamber and a TUBE with a .518 in it would not fit, so I shot a .515.

    I had two of the Lee gang molds and they just did not seem to hold up. I have Brass three four gang from Mike Owsiak that has been outstanding...

    I also know people who like the Moose Molds.

    I still buy a Lee mold every once in a while but just to figure out which bullet to shoot in a firearm and then buy a Steel one. I just do not think the Aluminum Holds up for the number of rounds I shoot.

    DPB


    Quote Originally Posted by bobanderson View Post
    I bought the 6 gang Lee mould from Lodgewood. It comes in 2 sizes, .515 for hard lead shooters and .518 for pure lead. I have the .515 and using hard lead I was able to whip up a LOT of bullets at about .517 diameter. The profile, length and weight combined in my Hoyt lined barrel to produce great groups and good hit times.

    Probably another gun I shouldn't have sold (sigh)
    David P. Baldwin

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