35-30 Maynard

[mdeland]

Thanks Woody, I've had zero experience with the system and always am interested to learn something new!

[Domino81]

John, did they change the rifling or the twist rate between 1865 35-30 and 1882 /1873 35-40?

[Domino81]

The reason I am really asking is that we came to an idea to prolong the chamber for 35-40 cases, so that would allow me to have more space for experiments with wads/cookies/charges/bullets.

I have found different types of .35 original molds on base.com:

http://www.pbase.com/halp/image/70670121
http://www.pbase.com/halp/image/70670205
http://www.pbase.com/halp/image/70670199
http://www.pbase.com/halp/image/70670314
http://www.pbase.com/halp/image/70670319

Even the 1882 Maynard Catalogue mentions at least 3 different types of moulds available for purchase. In the end of the day there is a question whether prolonging chamber would make sense, given that they have changed the rifling type or twist over time or not..

There is little information on the rifling types or twist rates in the litereture in general.. I wonder what would be the reason? I Presume that the rifling was the big secret to each gun making factory that was protected and not disclosed to broader audience..

[Domino81]

Finally - Maynard got his second life - time to work on the loads..

I have got sights from Red River, and couple of addons - cheek pad and forend.
Managed to secure 2 bullets for shooting...

[art ruggiero]

what a cool project! keep us informed art

[Domino81]

Hi All,

So I started shooting and from first shoot out I decided to first explore the larger bullet that drops 196grs with 8BHN Lead+tin+antymony.
It drops exactly .370 so 1 thousands larger than the grooves diameter beeing .369 with .354 bore. The nose is bore-rider with .454.

I pan lube them with SPG - no sizing. I put them in the case with hand.

this is how deep the bullet goes into the case.. the last groove is exposed.


When I put the bullet ahead of the case it stops 1/8th inch ahead of the case. I tried already breech seating with the Tool made by gunsmith, yet I got equally as good results by putting the bullet in the case so far @ 50 yards.

Cases are able to hold 30 grains of CH3 and CH3 - with almost no dfference in volume. I use drop tube from buffalo arms - the 24inch one. On top of powder i place felt wad that i produce using fred cornells press mounted wad cutter from BACO. Although I have ordered one for 38-55 - it drops wads that are .405 in diameter and I can't squeeze them in the case when I do cardboard wads - I can do that with felt wads and they are super tight. Once wad is on powder i apply minimal compression (almost no compression) with press mounted compression plug. Then I put every case on the press again on formatting die to reduce the inner case diameter from .379 to c.a. .371 do so that the bullet holds on SPG film. It remains an issue that after fire formatting i get 0.009 free space inside.

I have fired 10 shot strings from every BP granulation and noted the results on chrono.

I feel that it is going to the right direction, however would appreciate some advices on how can I improve. I have no idea about the velocities - so maybe someone more knowledgeble can comment. I know that 18 spread is better than 43, but i presume i know the answer to how to keep it on a better level - not all of the cases were equally cleaned resulting in differences in ignition..

I was cleainig every 5 shots.. 2 wet pathes, 2 dry patches.

I believe that despite beeing 153 years, the rifle and the barrel still hold potential for decent accuracy.

The distance was 100 metres - 110 yards.

[Domino81]

Lastly I have noticed that the fire formed cases that expanded to the shape of the chamber are .379 Inside where both bullets cast .369-.370 depending on the alloy. .369 is in the grooves. Can you please tell me If i understand correctly - what options do I have and which of them seems correct?
1. Use a simple breech seating tool to center bullets in the rifling and plug the case with a cardboard/fiber wad without resizing (limiting options to find a good load basically to granulation and brand of the BP)
2. Get the same oven design of the bullet from accurate that would meet inner diameter of a fire formed case .379 but shoot bullets nearly .01 inch larger than bore?
3. Size down neck to .371 inner diameter every time by 9 thousands of an inch so that I center the bullets in the case?


What kinds of results should I be going after at chronograph?