Diameter of the Springfield .58 Rimfire Cartridge ?

[Missionary]

My Cartridge Conversion books are all in ILL-nois and the internet lacks on that information.
Would someone please look up the suggested shotgun brass to use to make .58 Rimfire ammo.
Thank you !

 

[hporter]

This guy used both 28 gauge brass and plastic shotgun shells.

https://castboolits.gunloads.com/sh...re-any-ideas&p=2501624&viewfull=1#post2501624

Hope this helps.

 

[Missionary]

Thank you ! That gets some information to the upper cells.

 

[hporter]

I also came across this for the dimensions:

http://www.jouster2.com/forums/showthread.php?72514-58-rimfire-dimensions&p=587925#post587925

This is evidently from the guy who wrote this book which I own and have enjoyed:




When you first posted about the purchase of your rifle, I was immediately interested. I want an 1870 carbine in 50-70 someday. Your endeavors to get a rimfire going again is very interesting to me.

Please update us as you go.

 

[Missionary]

Thank you ! That is the specs I knew was somewhere..
Yes I will keep the process written here.

 

[Missionary]

I have contacted RCC Brass in Texas (that Great state) who used to produce .58 Allen Brass....

 

[hporter]

I saw that company when I did my search this morning. But you had to buy the brass in a minimum quantity of 50 pieces at $6.70 each. Wow!

It looks like they are in Lubbock. Too far for me to go, but I do have a brother inlaw that lives there.

 

[Missionary]

Anyone have a piece of Magtech 28 gauge brass (shot shell) and could measure the out side diameter at the head and about 1" up from the head.
Thank you.

 

[Ian]

All I have are STS in 28. I have a couple editions of COW if you still need info from them.

 

[Missionary]

I would think they are all somewhat made to specs... So yes see what they read at the case head and about 1.1 inches up from the head. Thank you !

 

[Ian]

Ok, we have a 58 Miller/Allin rimfire conversion for the Springfield and a .58 Berdan conversion for same. The center-fire Berdan came in two lengths.

The rimfire .58 Miller takes a .585" bullet, is .628" at the base, .620" at the neck, has a .709" rim, case length of 1.193" (measurment difficult and variable due to extreme crimp in some instances), and an overall length of 1.701".

The centerfire .58 (Berdan) musket cartridge was larger in rim and head but smaller at the mouth than the Miller, so the cartridge conversion info for the Berdan is no good for the Miller. The .577 N. E. can be machined for the Berdan, though is evedently a touch to large in diameter at the head to turn down for the Miller in case you were wondering. The .58 Remington Carbine is a case very similar to the .58 Miller rimfire, and it is suggested to solder 5/8" tubing a .577 case head, anneal, size, trim and chamfer (no turning) to make the .58 Remington cartridge, such would work for the .58 Miller chamber as well along with machining down the .577 rim if you were desperate.

28-gauge CHAMBER is .626" x .614 with a .688 rim, should be perfect for the .58 Miller if cut to length even if the rim is a touch small. No idea on the rim thickness of the 28 gauge versus the .58 Miller rimfire. Hooe that helps, it appears you are on the right track with the Magtec shotshell brass.

 

[Missionary]

Thank you Ian. I would suspect the Magtech Brass fall right close to those.

 

[Ian]

I assume you have a plan to convert the breech block to centerfire?

 

[RBHarter]

Isn't this something .
We buy brass shot shells to make large caliber short cases for obsolete historical cartridges . 28 ga to .577ish . Then we turn around and use a whole host of not always cheap rifle cases to make brass shotgun shells for the same reasons . 50 BMG to 12 ga and all of the things we make into 410 .

Just an observation ...... Buy $3 cases , cut them down , spend an hour EA to get them loaded the first time to save $3.50 . OR . Buy $80-110/100 (in the case of the 410) 303 , 444 , and even 460 S&W to blow them out or size them down to save buying them at $65/25 . Even if the 50BMG is free blanks a guy has $4-5 in every case but unless he has to make a new rim ring the cases shouldn't last less than 30-40 cycles .

Sorry nothing of any use for the case in question .

 

[Missionary]

Primer Hole... Fired rifle primer staked in place.
There is a possibility that the 56-56 Spencer will be lose enough in diameter to use those. Those are plentiful.

 

[Missionary]

Primer hole....Having watched some of Steve Blanchard's case mods to rim-fire, especially his 58 Roberts, I will be soldering a brass plug into the primer hole. His brass is slightly larger Diameter than the 58 Allen and the .22 rim-fire hole actually enters the original primer hole area. Thus a solid plug will need to be installed.

 

[hporter]

Missionary,

I was reading another favorite book this week, David F. Butlers, "United States Firearms, The First Century 1776-1875". This is a first edition copyrighted 1971. He had a nice diagram of the evolution of the 58 Rimfire with dimensions of the cartridges. They don't match Hosmer's above 100%, but they are in the ball park. I thought I would add it here as a resource for folks that might find this thread on their own search.




[Edited to update to a clearer scan and to include table from book]

 

[Missionary]

Thank you ! Any and all information is a big help.
Not surprised there would be variances between cartridges. Figure when a case starts out in copper parts, then goes to brass parts, then one piece brass there cold be all sorts of good reasons for variance.