The Accurate Reloading Forums
1855 Enfield converted to centerfire?
05 May 2005, 12:32
LongDistanceOperator1855 Enfield converted to centerfire?
I saw one of these a couple of days ago. the guy who bought had no idea what it was chambered in.
It was originally a muzzle-loader. The breech had been modified to fire some cartridge single-shot. Any idea what the cartridge would be?
It looked pretty cool. I'm going to try to get one. Just imagine the history of a rifle like that. I wonder when it last fired a shot in anger?
05 May 2005, 12:44
LongDistanceOperatorOK it was probably a .577 Snyder. Any of you guys ever shoot one of these? Man I gotta get one. I gotta hunt with it too. That would be wild.

"A Snider squibbed in the jungle,
Somebody laughed and fled.
And the men of the First Shikaris,
Picked their Subaltern dead. ..."
The Grave of the Hundred Head
Rudyard Kipling
Sniders are a hoot to shoot.
Cheers from Darkest California,
Ross
24 May 2005, 20:19
El Deguelloquote:
Originally posted by LongDistanceOperator:
I saw one of these a couple of days ago. the guy who bought had no idea what it was chambered in.
It was originally a muzzle-loader. The breech had been modified to fire some cartridge single-shot. Any idea what the cartridge would be?
It looked pretty cool. I'm going to try to get one. Just imagine the history of a rifle like that. I wonder when it last fired a shot in anger?
I believe the Canadians still shoot the .577 Sniders in BP competition......
"Bitte, trinks du nicht das Wasser. Dahin haben die Kuhen gesheissen."
24 May 2005, 20:50
LongDistanceOperatorI'd still love to have one but I heard that most are fakes. I went to a bazaar and saw a bunch of shit that was more phony that a 3-dollar bill.
I saw a bunch of these for sale recently. No FFL required.
I thought they were pretty interesting but they sounded like they were in pretty rough condition and they were fairly pricey.
The source? I can't remember..... but I think it was either Sportsman's Guide or Cheaper than Dirt.
If you could get one really cheap and bring it back, it might be an interesting pick/up.... but I think it might be more trouble than it's worth.
The gun might also be a "Zulu" conversion of the French Tabatiere or one of several other conversions from about the time of our beloved Allin conversion.
Keith Doyon's fine tutorial on the web
Military Rifles in the Age of Transition will help you identify your arm.
The website
British Militaria and others will get you shooting, if it indeed a Brit.
Cheers from Darkest California,
Ross
27 May 2005, 07:12
N. S. SherlockSome time ago I had and shot a RCMP carbine conversion of a long barrel Snyder Mark II** rifle. Had 10 heavy Berdan primed cases to use and converted them to shotgun primers. Used a paper patched standard minie from Lymam since the bore was actually .587, not .577. The lock was the very best of about 40 new and old hammer guns I've shot over the years. Marked "Enfield 1863" and crown over V.R.
"Make yourselves sheep and the wolves will eat you" G. ned ludd
27 May 2005, 19:17
LongDistanceOperatorquote:
Originally posted by DaMan:
If you could get one really cheap and bring it back, it might be an interesting pick/up.... but I think it might be more trouble than it's worth.
These things are phoney as a $3 bill. I'd be afraid to fire it. They go for 200-300 bucks. I'm not paying that for a model of a gun.
quote:
They go for 200-300 bucks. I'm not paying that for a model of a gun.
Doesn't sound like a good deal to me. The genuine ones I saw were about $450. Plus.. all the hoops you'd have to jump through to bring it back! It wouldn't be worth the hassle ...... even if they were genuine.
Beware Afghani gunsmiths can copy any firearm made in their little sheds. Sometimes quality is ok .....other times

29 May 2005, 18:41
LongDistanceOperatorquote:
Originally posted by DaMan:
quote:
They go for 200-300 bucks. I'm not paying that for a model of a gun.
Doesn't sound like a good deal to me. The genuine ones I saw were about $450. Plus.. all the hoops you'd have to jump through to bring it back! It wouldn't be worth the hassle ...... even if they were genuine.
Beware Afghani gunsmiths can copy any firearm made in their little sheds. Sometimes quality is ok .....other times
One of my buddies was looking at them at a bazaar. I told him most of them are fake. I saw him carrying it away later on. He said it's not a fake "because it has a number 8 stamped on it in three different places"

The other fake guns I saw were "pepperbox" revolvers. They looked like shit. Several pieces of tubing welded or brazed together. "Rifling" that looked like it was done with a dremel.