Help with m1860 56/56 Spencer

[Charlie White]

Hello all I?m a new owner of a 56/56. I?m looking for some help on bullet size and a mould. The gun did come with some brass and a set of dies but no really reloading information. I slugged the barrel and used calipers and it came out to .5385 is what I was getting.I?m just not sure what bullet/mould and sizing die to use and not sure on the powder charge.
Any advice and suggestions would greatly be appreciated

[Carolina Reb]

Go over to the CAS forum, www.cascity.com. There is a BB section on Spencers that has an archive on loads, bullets, feeding problems, etc. LOTS of useful information. The rifling groove depth tapers toward the muzzle, and each groove was individually cut. If you measured at the muzzle, you will want a mould around 0.54" or even a little more.

[Jim_Burgess_2078V]

I have an original M1860 Spencer carbine (.56-56) that I shoot just for fun. It has an atrocious trigger pull and not much is left of the front sight blade so it is difficult to shoot well. I prefer not to modify original guns in the interest of preserving their collector value. Thus I shoot a Uberti Henry for N-SSA repeater competition. My .539 diameter heeled Spencer bullet mould, loading dies and brass all came from Buffalo Arms. It took nearly a year to get the bullet mould (special order) so patience is a virtue. The load I was using was 25 grains of GOEX 3Fg with a little cream of wheat to fill the short case. I can't claim this is an optimum load since I haven't been able to get good groups due to the issues mentioned above. It at least puts holes in paper at 50 yards.

Jim Burgess
15th CVI

[Charlie White]

Go over to the CAS forum, www.cascity.com. There is a BB section on Spencers that has an archive on loads, bullets, feeding problems, etc. LOTS of useful information. The rifling groove depth tapers toward the muzzle, and each groove was individually cut. If you measured at the muzzle, you will want a mould around 0.54" or even a little more.

Ok thanks for the information

[Charlie White]

I have an original M1860 Spencer carbine (.56-56) that I shoot just for fun. It has an atrocious trigger pull and not much is left of the front sight blade so it is difficult to shoot well. I prefer not to modify original guns in the interest of preserving their collector value. Thus I shoot a Uberti Henry for N-SSA repeater competition. My .539 diameter heeled Spencer bullet mould, loading dies and brass all came from Buffalo Arms. It took nearly a year to get the bullet mould (special order) so patience is a virtue. The load I was using was 25 grains of GOEX 3Fg with a little cream of wheat to fill the short case. I can't claim this is an optimum load since I haven't been able to get good groups due to the issues mentioned above. It at least puts holes in paper at 50 yards.

Jim Burgess
15th CVI

Ok thanks for the information
charlie

[mgmradio]

I have 2 1860 rifles and 3 or 4 65 Spencer?s. For the 56-56 rifles I use the Buffalo Arms 56-56 bullet mould that I had them modify the middle band (the top of the heal) to .540. The bullet shoots as well as any 56-56 bullet I?ve used and better than most. The 56-56 is not as accurate as the 56-50.

[Charlie White]

I have 2 1860 rifles and 3 or 4 65 Spencer?s. For the 56-56 rifles I use the Buffalo Arms 56-56 bullet mould that I had them modify the middle band (the top of the heal) to .540. The bullet shoots as well as any 56-56 bullet I?ve used and better than most. The 56-56 is not as accurate as the 56-50.

Thanks for the information
Charlie