Frustrations loading 56-50 Spencer

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

 

I am having a problem reloading for my original Spencer.   I use the RCBS dies.   When I was getting brass, I went to Buffalo Arms and their website indicated that the new stuff on the market with the correct headstamp was made for the modern reproductions, and it would not work in an original   However, the brass that they had made from cut down .50-70 brass would work just fine.   So that's what I got.   It works fine.

 

The problem comes when it's time to reload.   The expander die in the RCBS set never actually barely bells the case mouth, and it causes the brass to bulge.   I saw something here on the wire that says the Lyman set bells the brass properly, so I spent the 20 bucks to get just their expander die.   Same problem.  Never bells the brass at all, and eventually causes the case to bulge.   I took out the expander plug and saw that the whole thing just slides into the case with no resistance, and that near the end of the plug there is a step of some kind that does not quite fit in the case mouth.  This is apparently what is causing the bulge, it just pushes down on the case mouth, causing it to buckle.

The RCBS Expander is similar.

 

So, it seems to me that the problem is that the expander plug on both of them is undersized.   Anyone else have this problem, and can you recommend a fix?

 

 

[Trailrider #896]

When you say the existing expanders bulge the case, will the round still chamber? While I don't have an original .56-50 Spencer, I have loaded for an original .56-56 in the past. My suggestion would be to contact Huntington and discuss the problem with them directly.  You may need to spend the extra money and have a custom plug made. That would be sure that the threads and the plug assembly fit the die body.  Best of luck!

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

Yes, it will still chamber.   But I still don't like it. 

[Sedalia Dave]

Call the folks at  Precision Reloading

1-800-223-0900 or 605-996-9984

They should be able to provide you with the proper Lyman M die and expander plug for your 56-50

 

 

[John Boy]

Quote

The expander die in the RCBS set never actually barely bells the case mouth, and it causes the brass to bulge.  

(1) The Expander Die is not set up properly - Read instructions manual

(2) Measure ID of case after expanding - then subtract 0.002" - then measure the bullet base ordered or resize bullets for 0.002 tension if needed

And don't forget to slug the bore for lands and grooves for proper bullet diameter

[Three Foot Johnson]

I remember having to turn out an expander plug for my .56-.50 dies, but I don't remember right off if I had to go bigger or smaller...

[Doc Coles SASS 1188]

You might do a chamber cast and determine the size of you chamber.  The original guns were commonly made with oversized chambers.  

[Noz]

Here's a stupid comment: You do not mention resizing your fired brass. Do You? Would make a difference.

[H. K. Uriah, SASS #74619]

Yes.   I resize the brass.   When I try to put the then resized brass in the expanding die, instead of belling the case mouth, it bulges the case about a third of third of the way down.