The UK's Finest Independent Forum for Shooters and Gun Owners. Est 2010.

Hello Folks,

Great site, finally made the effort to join and maybe one day, contribute.

I have recently got my FAC through with permissions to 'test fire' some of my named antique guns.

I have a lovely old Snider Carbine and an 1881 Marlin in 32-40 WCF.

Both guns have excellent bores, no visible defects and seem very sound and little used.

I've been reloading for years. I'd like to fire them with original Black Powder.

Question is, someone at my club has mentioned having them re-proofed. Other members say, I'd only need to do this if I was selling it as a firing gun and not only as a 'curio' (Sec 58). I am not very keen on having these antiques fire anything other than BP with original loadings as max, eg no more than 40 grains of Black Powder in the Marlin.

Do I legally need to have them re-proofed before firing at my club (assuming my loads are within velocity/muzzle-energy limits)? It costs money I don't have and I'd hate to see such fine antiques stamped and maybe defaced in postal transit

Hi and welcome to the forum :cheers:

As I understands it the firearm will only need to be proofed if this is being sold on as you have mentioned. I'm not sure if this will affect any of the insurances for the club which may have some clauses and weasel words about firearms being safe and in a fit condition etc...

snidey577 wrote:Do I legally need to have them re-proofed before firing at my club (assuming my loads are within velocity/muzzle-energy limits)? It costs money I don't have and I'd hate to see such fine antiques stamped and maybe defaced in postal transit

As I understand it, no you don't need them reproofed before firing but hopefully someone will be along shortly that knows the definitive answer to that question. Quite apart from the stamp and risk of damage in transit, there is also of course the chance that the proof house could blow them up...
EDIT: Leeroy beat me to it :)

Yes, I thought original Black-Powder only loads sounds a lot less risky than a modern 'proof' load to guns that cost a few grand. I think 40 grains of Black Powder is all that fits in a 32-40 case anyhoo...

It's the 'weasley' exemptions that worry me (I love that word!). I have CPSA insurance that covers me for pretty much all shooting activity, but small print has caught me all my life.. not so sure now.

Hi and welcome.

Why don't you introduce your self in the New Members forum.

The guns do not need to be proofed to be shot, only need proof if they are to be sold as FAC firearms by a dealer.

I would only recommend that real black powder be used, not the substitute types or nitro.

What bullet will you be using in the Snider?

What is your Snider carbine, it must be something special to have cost a few grand?

Hello dromia

Yes that would be steep for a Snider.. Mine cost around the £800 mark, the Marlin just under 2 and the other gun I want to shoot cost over 3. The latter gun, what appears to be an unfired Model-3 S&W I may need to get my club to get Sec 7 or something like that to fire, it as it's a cartridge revolver.

The Snider, being a carbine, I think a .60 lead round ball would be fine. I have 577 dies and even Bertram brass, but I may go down the modified 24 gauge plastic shell route as I can load that cheap as chips.

I am just in the process of machining cartridges for a Danish Snider, still need to find a mould though or cast my own once I have got to grips with the expansion of the mould, bullet shrinkage and stuff like that, oh and built a 17,5mm die to size them with...

Tom at Accurate Moulds will cut you what you need have look at the bottom of his catalogue for ideas.

A good mould from Accurate cut to fit your dimensions and alloy will not need sizing.

http://www.accuratemolds.com/catalog.php?page=all

Many thanks folks, including a couple of private replies that I am not yet able to reply to until I post a bit more.