577 Snider Ammunition

Loading for the venerable Snider is easy and loads of fun.

While shooting the 577/450 has a certain amount of caché, the Snider rfile is far easier to feed. Originally designed to duplicate the performance of the Pattern 1853 Enfield muzzleloader but using a self-contained cartridge in a singleshot breachloader, it is not a high intensity round. So while it looks like a powerful, heavy recoiling cartridge, it is actually very mild to shoot. The photo shows military rounds (2 on left), a Dominion Cartridge Company (second from the right) commercial round and finally a new round loaded in Bertram brass.

One question that is often asked is why do the new cases have a shoulder but after firing it is gone. The answer is in the construction of the original cartridges which had a separate base from the body (see 2 cartridges on the left). To have the same base diameter, a modern case needs to taper to a smaller diameter at the mouth, to hold the bullet. To ensure a firm grip on the bullet the neck area needs to be parallel to the bullet shank, so this gives a neck on the case.

Frequently forming Snider cases is discussed and cases for the Snider can be made by reforming 24 gauge brass shotshells and this is more economical than factory 577 Snider cases although it does some drawbacks. Other than not having the correct headstamp, Bertram cases are of heavier construction, which means that they will last longer. The other factor is that the brass shotshell cases are 2.5″ long and the Snider is 2″, so the case needs to be shortened and likely annealed before use. In other words after all the costs are considered, the savings are not so clear.

To get a good bullet seal, the bullets need to be cast from pure lead in order to ensure that the shirt expands enough to seal the bore. This is a very forgiving cartridge to load with either Trail Boss or blackpowder. Fortunately the days of putting a small amount of smokeless powder and then wadding to hold the powder in place are in the past and we can spend more time shooting this great old round. With Trail Boss still not being available, Triple Seven is an alternative, that is readily available, unlike nitrocellulose based powders (Trail Boss and Blackhorn 209). So while Triple Seven is not as corrosive as blackpowder, the rifle and cases still need to be cleaned shortly after use to prevent damage.

Just remember these guns typically shoot about a foot high at 50 yards.