Help with Smith

[Scott Lynch 1460V]

Got a new Smith carbine with Rapine and Pietta Molds, any imput on which mold to use and a recomended powder charge? Will be using brass reduced capacity cases. Thanks Scott Lynch

[Phil Spaugy, 3475V]

I would use the Rapine, with 35 grains of 2F...if the reduced cases would hold that much. If not try 30 grains.


Phil

[Scott Lynch 1460V]

Thanks Phil!

[ms3635v]

Scott,

I use a Rapine .520 diameter, 350 grain bullet sized to .518 and I use 28 grains of 3f with the black plastic full-capacity cases. This combination works well in my original and I have seen it work well in reproduction Smith carbines.

Mike Santarelli 3635V
Co. B, 1st Pa Cavalry
Middle Atlantic Region

[oscarlovel]

Scott:

I had bought the Pietta mold that was being sold on Ebay a couple of years ago. It cast a bullet that was way too small for my Pietta Smith. You need to check the diameter on yours. It was more like 50 cal than 52 cal.

[ms3635v]

Scott,

I recently helped a friend with a Pietta Smith and when we slugged the bore we discovered that a bullet with a .518 diameter filled-out the rifling nicely. The friend shot his Pietta Smith at the Fall National (last year) with bullets sized at .515 (only bullets available to him at the time) and they were too small - the rounds keyholed. As Oscar pointed out, with regard to the Pietta mold being too small and that the bore seemed more like .52 caliber, he was on point. The original Smith carbines fired bullets that were manufactured to .525 diameter. I have several original Smith bullets in my collection, including two that are still in the original India rubber cases. The bullets all measure in the .525 range, +/- one or two thousandths.

Mike Santarelli 3635V
Co. B., 1st Pennsylvania Cavalry
Middle Atlantic Region