Reloading in 1880s

How cool is this ?

When you brought a quality British military target rifle in the 1880s you could get a great set like this with your rifle

The cool thing is that the full instructions are inside the lid
Includes standard and competition charge weights
All there except the berdan primer chisel that goes in the deprimer

All the parts are numbered in the order you use them
There's a case length gauge and case trimmer
Caliber 500/450 no2 Musket

The rifle it belongs to is a Westley Richards Deeley Edge side lever falling block single shot.

Attachment 224632

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This is just spending time with me while I get my own 500/450 no2 musket going

Sadly there were 20 vintage cases with this kit, but all berdan primer or some weird boxer primer that is a different width and depth

I cant see a ladder or chronograph mentioned in that kit...must be a dud

80 grna of C&H #6 and thats it..no fiddling around with 1/10th of grain increases
oh the times were simple

The brass powder dipper is there
Looks like a little ale tankard

Powder measure 80 grains by volume
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Case length gauge
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Quote:

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Originally Posted by akaroa1

This is just spending time with me while I get my own 500/450 no2 musket going

Sadly there were 20 vintage cases with this kit, but all berdan primer or some weird boxer primer that is a different width and depth

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If you don't have the Berdan primers for it, the shells can be easily converted to Boxer. I convert Berdan to boxer for the modern calibers all the time so an older caliber shouldn't be a problem.....even the odd diameter primer pocket isn't hard.
Phil.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tararua Phil

If you don't have the Berdan primers for it, the shells can be easily converted to Boxer. I convert Berdan to boxer for the modern calibers all the time so an older caliber shouldn't be a problem.....even the odd diameter primer pocket isn't hard.
Phil.

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Have you done a write up on your conversion process anywhere Phil ?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tararua Phil

If you don't have the Berdan primers for it, the shells can be easily converted to Boxer. I convert Berdan to boxer for the modern calibers all the time so an older caliber shouldn't be a problem.....even the odd diameter primer pocket isn't hard.
Phil.

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these would have needed to be machined out and a brass bush brazed in to take boxer primers

and after all that effort the cases would probably split at the first firing because they aren't in very good condition

Quote:

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Originally Posted by akaroa1

these would have needed to be machined out and a brass bush brazed in to take boxer primers

and after all that effort the cases would probably split at the first firing because they aren't in very good condition

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Any cases that have been fired using mecuric primers will fail very quickly due to the mercury amalgamating the zinc making them brittle.
A sad fact for many with vintage rifles in exotic calibres

go on then..spin some up on lathe,you know you really want to...with side walls left a little on heafty side you wont fit in as much powder but the lifespan will be oh so much longer.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Marty Henry

Any cases that have been fired using mecuric primers will fail very quickly due to the mercury amalgamating the zinc making them brittle.
A sad fact for many with vintage rifles in exotic calibres

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Some of the old brass looked like it was painted red and brown inside
So there's been something brewing in there and the necks are very soft

If you have a heavy enough press on hand, it's quite conceivable to prang a case up from a sheet of gun metal brass. The hard bit is the correct heat treating etc etc...

Quote:

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Originally Posted by akaroa1

Some of the old brass looked like it was painted red and brown inside
So there's been something brewing in there and the necks are very soft

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Sounds very much like the mercuric primer reacting to the zinc... Forms chlorides and chlorites and strips the zinc out of the brass which stuffs the ductility of the material.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Jhon

Have you done a write up on your conversion process anywhere Phil ?

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Not as yet. I was thinking of doing a vid showing the process from go to woah & putting it on Y/T but don't really know how to go about it. I could do a bit of a write up on here with photos if there was any interest. The Xmil shells are pretty good quality & I've never had any issues with the firing & reloading of the conversions including good accuracy. It can be applied to steel cases as well with the same results.
When converting the corrosive primed shells always wet wash before reloading , so there's not old corrosive residue in the shells.
Cheers.
Phil.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Tararua Phil

Not as yet. I was thinking of doing a vid showing the process from go to woah & putting it on Y/T but don't really know how to go about it. I could do a bit of a write up on here with photos if there was any interest. The Xmil shells are pretty good quality & I've never had any issues with the firing & reloading of the conversions including good accuracy. It can be applied to steel cases as well with the same results.
When converting the corrosive primed shells always wet wash before reloading , so there's not old corrosive residue in the shells.
Cheers.
Phil.

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Yes please!!!!!!

OK, Will start the process over the weekend.
Cheers,
Phil.

I formed another 4 cases today and used this original kit to gauge my forming.

Because I'm using thin rims nitro express brass I have adjusted the shoulder location to head space on that.
This leaves the front of the rim 0.5mm off the breech face.
But does make the case rim back face make light contact with the breech block

Attachment 224836

best of both worlds then..... might also help with case life. sort of a bit like the small O=RING trick with .303brit loads