Reloading Burnside Cartridges

[Gbro]

This Link is what brought me to this forum,

I acquired my 1st Cartridge Cases through Dixie G W 15> years ago and found more cases made from brass bar stock just like the Dixie ones.

S&S had them in stock and I purchased 10ea. When I tried them in my 5th model carbine I could only close the breech on 3 of them and of those 3 I could lower the hammer on only 1 of them.

Well back when I got the Dixie cases only 2 of the 6 could be fired but all chambered.

So I contacted S&S and they were very good and allowed me to return the ones that wouldn't chamber(lock into battery) and one that would postage paid.

Remembering the old ones I had the OAL documented in my Burnside book and I was able to trim about .015inch at the case mouth and everything was fine for all I knew and I fired this rifle dozens of times.

I would wear my Kepi and carry this for the Memorial day Parade and Salute.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Gbro]

Hopefully the Moderator will edit the extra 2 images.

Before I packaged the 7 cases for shipment I was trying to trim the worst of the batch to fit and while having the Breech Pin(nipple block) removed so I could tap the stuck case out I compared the base of the case to the breech Pin and counter drilled the vent hole(the base was thick enough to do this) and filed the base to a radius that matched the breech Pin as shown in the next image.

This allowed the case to chamber and breech to close, well almost!!

[Gbro]

Now the next issue is closing breech to full battery!

There is a member that questioned the precision of a Burnside compared to the Spencer and would choose the Spencer. Of course some guns are worn out and everyone has their own taste but these Burnside Carbines are wonderfully built weapons from the 1860's!!

If the latch attached to the Guard is .015 inch from closed the trigger is prohibited from moving to discharge this Carbine.

Attached images show 1 latch not fully closed, 2 trigger interfaces with the latch and full battery with trigger pulled.

 

[Mr.Jerry]

Done!  welcome aboard Westerly neighbor!

[Gbro]

Thank-you Sir, Every time I tried, well I stopped Lol

 

 

[Gbro]

2nd Image is Trigger not able to go to the fired position as the forward 1/2 is in contact with the latch.

[Gbro]

Now the next issue is closing breech to full battery!

There is a member that questioned the precision of a Burnside compared to the Spencer and would choose the Spencer. Of course some guns are worn out and everyone has their own taste but these Burnside Carbines are wonderfully built weapons from the 1860's!!

If the latch attached to the Guard is .015 inch from closed the trigger is prohibited from moving to discharge this Carbine.

Attached images show 1 latch not fully closed, 2 trigger interfaces with the latch and full battery with trigger pulled.

 

[Gbro]

Now is this Not Precision!!

Gbro, CGVS

[cannon jockey]

I had the same issue with the 1st order of cases from S & S in that the breech block lever would not lock up with 3 of the 10 cases I ordered.  There used to be 4 suppliers of these reproduction cases:  Dixie, S & S, Lodgewood, and Buffalo Arms.  Both Dixie and Lodgewood have discontinued selling them while Buffalo had been out of stock for a very long time.  S & S replaced the cases an uses but at only 75 cent each they would have been a good solution. 

 

Unfortunately, the company that did their injection molding went belly up during the Pandemic.  The mold was made for and is owned by Lodgewood Arms.   I talked to them on the phone and the problem now is that they can't find any injection molders who will take a minimum order of 20,000 units.  Everybody they contacted wanted a minimum of 100,000.    They said they were a good seller but that they didn't sell fast enough to justify a 100k min order.   They promised to make an announcement when and if they were able to carry them again.

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

Cheers

[Gbro]

Now the next issue is closing breech to full battery!

There is a member that questioned the precision of a Burnside compared to the Spencer and would choose the Spencer. Of course some guns are worn out and everyone has their own taste but these Burnside Carbines are wonderfully built weapons from the 1860's!!

If the latch attached to the Guard is .015 inch from closed the trigger is prohibited from moving to discharge this Carbine.

Attached images show 1 latch not fully closed, 2 trigger interfaces with the latch and full battery with trigger pulled.

 

[Gbro]

1 hour ago, cannon jockey said:

I had the same issue with the 1st order of cases from S & S in that the breech block lever would not lock up with 3 of the 10 cases I ordered.  There used to be 4 suppliers of these reproduction cases:  Dixie, S & S, Lodgewood, and Buffalo Arms.  Both Dixie and Lodgewood have discontinued selling them while Buffalo had been out of stock for a very long time.  S & S replaced the cases an uses but at only 75 cent each they would have been a good solution. 

 

Unfortunately, the company that did their injection molding went belly up during the Pandemic.  The mold was made for and is owned by Lodgewood Arms.   I talked to them on the phone and the problem now is that they can't find any injection molders who will take a minimum order of 20,000 units.  Everybody they contacted wanted a minimum of 100,000.    They said they were a good seller but that they didn't sell fast enough to justify a 100k min order.   They promised to make an announcement when and if they were able to carry them again.

 

Welcome to the forum.

 

Cheers

Well we have an Ejection mold company in the next door town and I know the owners.

I will ask them about this.

[cannon jockey]

I see that I somehow deleted part of my post about Lodgewood.   What's now missing was my statement that Lodgewood also used to offer molded Nylon cases that would last for 15 to 20 shots but the cost of the cases were only 75 cents each rather than the $5.50 each that S & S now gets.  Buffalo shows their brass cases at $6 each.    The brass cases might hold up better but even they can fail eventually.

 

Since the nylon is molded instead of turned on a lathe like the brass cases, they tend to be more uniform in shape and being slightly compressible/flexible supposedly they don't cause the failure of the breech to fully close and lock up.     Their old injection molding company would take 20k minimum orders but then the molder went out of business during the Covid pandemic.   Now, everybody they contact will not accept an order for less than 100k.

 

Cheers

 

 

[Gbro]

Another issue I have had when reloading Burnside Cartridges is loose case necks, and all of the 10 new cases have oversize necks.

So I have found that inverting the empty case into the breech block and a couple light taps with a plastic mallet(I used my kinetic bullet puller when a plastic hammer wasn't handy).

Having a loose bullet can cause problems when unloading this Carbine. I do carry this gun hunting.