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Hi, my friend! Long time, I hope you are well. I have not been very active with the Sniders and the Westley Richards monkey tail, due to lack of time due professional duties. But did not stop collecting and now have the 4 monkey tail models used by Portugal in the XIX Century, and an...

Just completed my Monkey Tail collection made for Portugal! As you are aware of, 8.000 carbines, 2.000 short carbines "clavinas" and 1.000 pistols were purchased by Portugal on 1866. I am happy to send herewith a photo of all 4 models - including two variations of pistols that although being...

Well done! It's a shame that the sole MKIII "steel" that I own is a cavalry carbine and I do not expecte such short barrell to give good accuracy! All my other Sniders are conversions with - maybe- an exception of an artillery carbine built by the Portuguse arsenal "FA" on 1878 with barrels...

Indeed! I gave a look to the JBM site and was surprised with the handfull information contained therein! Will take time to absorb... Many thanks!

As previously mentioned, I am by no means educated on BP rifle loads! I am just starting with older BP rifles and trying to learn as much as possible. This is why I am abusing your knowledge, trying to understand the main differences of the game! Being a competition benchrest shooter where we...

Many thanks, I was surprised as well! Found this. Do you know? http://kwk.us/ibsw.html

The site for the BP calculations is: https://www.p-max.uk/cgi-bin/black_powder.cgi

Found a software for black powder calculation. Input Snider data for your 520gr bullet and 70 gr black powder. Here is the result! Noticed that the pressure curve is faster growing than with your test with 30gr of 5744 !

These are the bullets I have ready available here, made by ARES, a company from Slovakia (https://www.ares-gun.sk/perkusne-ares.html ) . They produce lubricated lead bullets and powder coated. I am trying the powder coated for the time being for as long as I do not have an appropriate bullet...

Here photos of the HMCC and Snider cartridge page. Notice that the proposed donor cartridge to convert to Snider .577 was the .577 NE (BELL) - an expensive rarity nowadays!

I have the 13th edition, same loads! Also, although restricted to 30gr of 4198, in "The Handloader's Manual of Cartridge Conversions", one of my mail tools for old guns...

Many thanks for the prudent advice on the WR... Point taken! I was impressed with your graphic - will look closer to the pressure building timing for the future and compare the various similar loads on such particular point.

Yes, single and double base powders really have a different behavior - I use a lot N140 and N540 in my 6Norma BR benchrest loads. They are very different in reaction to weather conditions, namely heat and humidity. After a few years I prefer single base powders - more stability and less barrel...

New calculation with a slightly faster powder - Vihtavuori N105 It is incredible that this software forecasts 1210 fps with a such low chamber pressure producing 8378 PSI only! Does this make sense to you?

Now the calculation of a similar load using Vihtavuori N110 - sightly lower pressure and more 87fps speed!

Calculations for 5744 28gr which seems to be a very good load!

Test with TrailBoss - for the average speed of 1200 fps, need to load 21.5gr, which will produce a chamber pressure of 21.148 PSI, a clear no-go load!

I will run more tests in due course for the powders you mention and similar. In the meantime as importing anything related to guns is a nightmate with customs here, have you tested LEE MOLD R.E.A.L. .58 CAL. 440GRS, the sole aparently available in Europe? I have tried these so far without great...

Great, simple, very practical setup!

I experienced the same difficulties! Started with a small Proxxon table saw, but it did not work, unless I used a wood stick inside the cartridge to give support to the cut. Not practical! Then, as I have a mini lathe, thought that with a system to help fixing the cartridge would probably work...

Thank you, very informative. My WR Monkey Tail is serial number P 2308, one of the 8.000 carbines purchased by Portugal on 1866, this particular piece having been delivered on 1867. Attached herewith detail photos of the main components, which I believe evidence the good standing of the gun...

Curious - compare with 16gr of Unique, same bullet and about 1200fps speed range

Snider chamber pressure Data from another forum max average pressure...... 1500bar mean proof pressure........ 1875bar So average pressure is higher than expected: max average pressure...... 21.756 Psi mean proof pressure........ 27.195 Psi

I could not find an exact match for your bullet in the program - the most close was a 505gr Lyman Minie, so I have used this bullet for the calculations. Running the program for 20gr, 30gr and 40gr as suggested. Attach the correspondent files herewith. Hope this may help!

Thank you for the feedback. I mainly use QuickLoad to calculate the safety margins and develop loads for my rifles. Curious enough, it worked very well for the 8mm Kropatschek (the same cartridge developped for the famous "Guedes" rifle) with the various loads I have tried, although it was...

Very clear, Thank you. I have found that 5744 is placed somewhere between Vihtavuori N110 and N120. In the meantime I runned a calculation in QuickLoad and found an interesting result for Vihtavuori N32C Tin Star, which is much faster powder (I use it for reduced loads in my Kropatscheks and...

Hello! I am a new member to this forum, being benchrest shooter and old rifles collector from Portugal. Among other BP rifles I currently have 3 Sniders in my collection (photo herewith) used by the Portuguese armed forces at the time: a 1868 BSA long rifle, a 1878 artillery carbine made by...