chamber sizes

Support for the 1863 shooter. Discussions of powders, loads, bullets, etc.
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Rich Siegel
Posts: 610
Joined: Thu Sep 26, 2002 7:53 am
Location: Maine

chamber sizes

Post by Rich Siegel »

I've owned a few Shiloh percussion rifles over the years and am amazed at the different chamber lengths. All of my Shilohs were 54 caliber military guns. My Montana build carbine shoots a Rapine Christmas tree bullet with just enough room for a paper cartridge holding 50 grains of FFG GOEX. I had another Montana 63 rifle that had a chamber long enough to shoot the Rapine bullet with at least 70 grains of powder. I now own a 63 NY built rifle that again will only hold a cartridge with 50 grains of powder. My Robinson carbine, made in NY, has a short chamber and can only hold 40 grains of powder in a cartridge.

What have you guys found?

Rich
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Free_Stater
Posts: 1032
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2010 1:50 pm
Location: Brooklyn, Mississippi

Re: chamber sizes

Post by Free_Stater »

Both my Farmingdale rifles, a carbine and a musket, have "standard" chambers, I guess. I can get 65 grains of FF into a paper cartridge and chamber it without shearing, but that includes pressing the cartridge very firmly into the chamber on loading. A charge of 62 or so grains is optimal, though it doesn't seem to matter which bullet I use, so long as the overall length is consistent.
When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty.
BillyDixon

Re: chamber sizes

Post by BillyDixon »

I have a Farmingdale sporting rifle and I can put in 120grains of 2FG in the chamber. A lot of recoil sounds like the crack of a 30/06. I was reading that some guys were using 1FG. Paper cartridges work the best because u use less powder. Good luck.
BD
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Free_Stater
Posts: 1032
Joined: Mon Apr 26, 2010 1:50 pm
Location: Brooklyn, Mississippi

Re: chamber sizes

Post by Free_Stater »

I saw a Civil War vintage package of Sharps carbine cartridges that was marked "100 grain powder charge," so it would appear that there have been some different charges available. I wish I still had the photos of the package.

I can say that I would not want to shoot 100 grains behind a heavy slug in my carbine. :mrgreen:
When injustice becomes law, resistance becomes duty.
holdover
Posts: 38
Joined: Sun Dec 26, 2010 11:23 am
Location: SW VA

Re: chamber sizes

Post by holdover »

I shoot the rapine bullet in both my .54 carbine and rifle using Charlies tubes. The tube length for the carbine is 1.2 ' and i use 50Gr swiss , the rifle takes a 1.875 tube that I load 64gr of swiss and about 1/4" of pufflon filler. both are tack drivers.
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