Hello, I have enjoyed this forum.
I have a Farmer 1863, sn# 713, in 45. It is a carbine. 22in barrel.
I want to start shooting this gun. I shoot allot but I am not experienced with these old guns. What would you guys suggest I start with as far as powder, bullets, primers ect. Shoot loose powder or make cartridges.
Thanks Chris.
Need advise on my 1863
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Chris,
Sorry that nobody has responded to your question but I guess we do not have experience with a 45 cal model '63. I would make two general suggestions though. First try some 45 cal bullets made for the cartridge guns. 400 grain bullets would be a good place to start with a round nose. Just drop the bullet into the chamber with the muzzle pointed down, seat the bullet with a dowel so that it's fully into the chamber, then pour FFG powder into the chamber until it's full. Close the breech, cap and shoot.
The other suggestion is to have a custom bullet mold maker make a ringtail, Christmas tree style bullet like the ones we use in the 54 cal '63s. Then, either load like above, with loose powder or make paper cartridges attached to the bullet.
Try option 1 first to see what bullet weight and diameter your gun might like best. Then decide if you want a mold made.
Good luck.
Rich
Sorry that nobody has responded to your question but I guess we do not have experience with a 45 cal model '63. I would make two general suggestions though. First try some 45 cal bullets made for the cartridge guns. 400 grain bullets would be a good place to start with a round nose. Just drop the bullet into the chamber with the muzzle pointed down, seat the bullet with a dowel so that it's fully into the chamber, then pour FFG powder into the chamber until it's full. Close the breech, cap and shoot.
The other suggestion is to have a custom bullet mold maker make a ringtail, Christmas tree style bullet like the ones we use in the 54 cal '63s. Then, either load like above, with loose powder or make paper cartridges attached to the bullet.
Try option 1 first to see what bullet weight and diameter your gun might like best. Then decide if you want a mold made.
Good luck.
Rich
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Thanks Rich. I have some 405 grain bullets that we cast for a 45/70.
I going to get it out and have at it soon. Evidently this gun in .45 isn't that common. It is sn# 713 so it must be one of the first. I did talk to a lady at Shiloh a couple of years ago and she thought that there were 1000 or 1500 made in Farmingdale but she didn't have the paperwork from that far back handy. She was very polite BTW.
I will play with it. I have enjoyed this forum and picked up allot of good info. I would like to get hooked with some other shooters in my area sometime. I live in KY.
I going to get it out and have at it soon. Evidently this gun in .45 isn't that common. It is sn# 713 so it must be one of the first. I did talk to a lady at Shiloh a couple of years ago and she thought that there were 1000 or 1500 made in Farmingdale but she didn't have the paperwork from that far back handy. She was very polite BTW.
I will play with it. I have enjoyed this forum and picked up allot of good info. I would like to get hooked with some other shooters in my area sometime. I live in KY.
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45 '63 Carbine
Catfish
Been away from the site lately - shooting!
I've only seen one .45 '63 and I recall it having a really whippy barrel compared to my .50's and .54.
If I had a '63 in .45, I'd start with a 405-420 gr bullet and whatever powder the chamber would hold. Let us know how much it will hold.
I just checked, and the paper tubes I got from Charlie Hahn let me socket a sized and lubed 45-70 bullet just fine. Cutting the tubes to length, charging them with powder and seating a bullet would make into a really good paper cartridge.
Seat a bullet and measure from the base to the end of the chamber. Charlie can supply tubes custom cut to that length.
Have fun!
Been away from the site lately - shooting!
I've only seen one .45 '63 and I recall it having a really whippy barrel compared to my .50's and .54.
If I had a '63 in .45, I'd start with a 405-420 gr bullet and whatever powder the chamber would hold. Let us know how much it will hold.
I just checked, and the paper tubes I got from Charlie Hahn let me socket a sized and lubed 45-70 bullet just fine. Cutting the tubes to length, charging them with powder and seating a bullet would make into a really good paper cartridge.
Seat a bullet and measure from the base to the end of the chamber. Charlie can supply tubes custom cut to that length.
Have fun!
"From birth to the packing house, we travel between the two eternities ....." Robert Duvall in "Broken Trail"
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lead
Catfish
I'm not religious about my lead mix. I get free wheel weights and I was gifted with a supply of scrap plumbers lead, both of which I melted down into ingots using a mini-muffin tin.
This lets me control the alloy for reasonable consistency and I have settled on a 4 to 10 ratio - four lead to 10 wheel weight. This gives me a bullet that I can mark with a thumbnail and all my BPCRs shoot well with it.
I have friends who shoot 100% wheel weights in their BPCRs and are happy with that, but I out shoot them. I've shot them with smokeless and they work in that application.
I'm not religious about my lead mix. I get free wheel weights and I was gifted with a supply of scrap plumbers lead, both of which I melted down into ingots using a mini-muffin tin.
This lets me control the alloy for reasonable consistency and I have settled on a 4 to 10 ratio - four lead to 10 wheel weight. This gives me a bullet that I can mark with a thumbnail and all my BPCRs shoot well with it.
I have friends who shoot 100% wheel weights in their BPCRs and are happy with that, but I out shoot them. I've shot them with smokeless and they work in that application.
"From birth to the packing house, we travel between the two eternities ....." Robert Duvall in "Broken Trail"
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- Joined: Fri Feb 29, 2008 3:57 pm
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