Advice for N-SSA carbine

[GreyGus]

I am looking to get into skirmishing and would like advice on a carbine.

Have narrowed my choices to the Smith, Maynard or Gallager as I like the breechloading style.

For those with experience with these, which is recommended for accuracy, dependability and ammo/parts availability?

For discussion purposes, assume originals in comparable condition.

Would your recommendation change if I went with reproductions instead?
I know reproduction Smiths are available, not sure of the others.

Thanks in advance for any responses.

 

[hawkeye2]

There are very few reproduction Maynards out there and they are of fair quality so you would have to find an original or an original that has been reworked for skirmishing. The Maynard is my choice.

The Gallager is slower to load than the other two. You might have trouble finding cases for it and an original would be the way to go. Erma made a Gallager repro back in the 60s or 70s but they used machine gun barrels on them and the twist is way too fast to get any accuracy from them. Hoyt can reline one and it would be good to go. Some Ermas got relined and chambered to take Smith cases which are readily available but the N-SSA has outlawed this conversion.

The Smith seems to be the gun of choice and originals or Pietta reproductions are available, either is OK but the Pietta may need tuning. Cases and loading info are both readily available. This might be your best choice.

You didn't mention the Sharps and I have a Shilo but I find loading ammo for it is more time consuming that the others. Cleaning the breech block after is also time consuming. If you buy a repro you will have to have the breech block modified if you are going to use in competition. This runs $250 and up.

 

[GreyGus]

Hawkeye,
Thank you for your very informative post.

 

[Muley Gil]

The team members of your unit will most likely let you shoot whatever they shoot so that you can pick the style you like the best.

I started with a Parker-Hale ML 1861 musketoon. I now shoot a Pietta Smith in competition. I miss faster now!

 

[dave951]

Of those listed, the Maynard is probably the most inherently accurate BUT I really, really don't like the ergonomics. It's like shooting a Red Ryder while a Smith or Sharps feels more like an actual gun. It is probably easier to get a Maynard to shoot accurately than the others you've mentioned.

I personally have a Parker Hale Musketoon and while slower than a breech loader, it can more than do it's part and is extremely accurate. I also shoot a IAB 1863 Sharps with the block modified by Larry Flees. It's also extremely accurate and I think that the Sharps is probably the fastest carbine on the line.

 

[BillinOregon]

The Pietta Smith will likely be the most affordable, but it will need attention. Consider browsing the n-ssa.org's bulletin board.

 

[GreyGus]

Revisiting this older thread because I recently had the opportunity to shoot both original Smith and Maynard carbines.

I was invited out to a practice range day with a semi local N-SSA club. Some of the nicest people I have ever had the pleasure to meet.

One member had an original Smith and original examples of both the first and second model Maynard., and kindly allowed me to shoot both. I shot the smith first, really liked it, I had had the opportunity to handle, but not fire, a Smith before and was pretty sold on it. Then I fired the second model Maynard, I couldn’t believe how light it was. Reminded me of my old Remington .22 rolling block boys rifle. I also liked the sights better on the Maynard, and the cases looked like they would be easy to reload. What I didn’t like was the lack of a firearm. I shot similar groups with both, about 6 inches offhand at 50 yards. To put that in perspective, another member with a Maynard was ringing the 12” gong at 100 yards offhand.

Probably still leaning toward the smith as originals in good shape seem to be a little more affordable.

Live fired my Colt Special for the first time. The rifle showed good potential, but needs trigger work, the trigger weight measured 9.5 lbs. Any recommendations for a smith to rework the trigger on that rifle?

Anyway, I think I am hooked, currently selling unmentionables to fund a carbine.

 

[gemmer]

Revisiting this older thread because I recently had the opportunity to shoot both original Smith and Maynard carbines.

I was invited out to a practice range day with a semi local N-SSA club. Some of the nicest people I have ever had the pleasure to meet.

One member had an original Smith and original examples of both the first and second model Maynard., and kindly allowed me to shoot both. I shot the smith first, really liked it, I had had the opportunity to handle, but not fire, a Smith before and was pretty sold on it. Then I fired the second model Maynard, I couldn’t believe how light it was. Reminded me of my old Remington .22 rolling block boys rifle. I also liked the sights better on the Maynard, and the cases looked like they would be easy to reload. What I didn’t like was the lack of a firearm. I shot similar groups with both, about 6 inches offhand at 50 yards. To put that in perspective, another member with a Maynard was ringing the 12” gong at 100 yards offhand.

Probably still leaning toward the smith as originals in good shape seem to be a little more affordable.

Live fired my Colt Special for the first time. The rifle showed good potential, but needs trigger work, the trigger weight measured 9.5 lbs. Any recommendations for a smith to rework the trigger on that rifle?

Anyway, I think I am hooked, currently selling unmentionables to fund a carbine.

A thin brass shim added to the full cock notch on the tumbler works very well to lighten up trigger pull. Some talented guys solder it but Loctite Black Max works very well. I've used it on several Civil War originals. Go to the bulletin board for the N-SSA website and type in tumbler shim in the search window. www.n-ssa.net. Plenty of details there, including from me.(Gemmer)

 

[dave951]

Revisiting this older thread because I recently had the opportunity to shoot both original Smith and Maynard carbines.

I was invited out to a practice range day with a semi local N-SSA club. Some of the nicest people I have ever had the pleasure to meet.

One member had an original Smith and original examples of both the first and second model Maynard., and kindly allowed me to shoot both. I shot the smith first, really liked it, I had had the opportunity to handle, but not fire, a Smith before and was pretty sold on it. Then I fired the second model Maynard, I couldn’t believe how light it was. Reminded me of my old Remington .22 rolling block boys rifle. I also liked the sights better on the Maynard, and the cases looked like they would be easy to reload. What I didn’t like was the lack of a firearm. I shot similar groups with both, about 6 inches offhand at 50 yards. To put that in perspective, another member with a Maynard was ringing the 12” gong at 100 yards offhand.

Probably still leaning toward the smith as originals in good shape seem to be a little more affordable.

Live fired my Colt Special for the first time. The rifle showed good potential, but needs trigger work, the trigger weight measured 9.5 lbs. Any recommendations for a smith to rework the trigger on that rifle?

Anyway, I think I am hooked, currently selling unmentionables to fund a carbine.

So did you go to the Recruit Skirmish? Lots of opportunity to try different things.

 

[barracudadave67]

Been using a piece of thin brass shim stock on all my locks for years, its an ole trick that works real good. not hard to do either.

Dave

 

[GreyGus]

So did you go to the Recruit Skirmish? Lots of opportunity to try different things.

I was on my way to the recruit skirmish in Winchester, but a Semi ran me off the road (and kept going). I had to wait for the police and a wrecker so I missed it.

A club about an hour away invited me out for a team practice last week.

 

[Frod733]

The Smith carbine is much smoother in operation while cycling. The Maynard is a nice carbine, but somewhat awkward to reload while skirmishing, IMHO. In skirmishing, accuracy AND speed is critical. Also, on hot summer days that barrel can get quite hot on the Maynard. Many shooters use a glove to hold on to the barrel. I think Smith tubes are less expensive and more available.

 

[ADK Bigfoot]

I shot the Parker Hale Musketoon and the Smith Carbine while skirmishing in the N-SSA. The Smith wins for speed, but the Parker Hale wins for accuracy. And only hits count. If you can shoot two extra rounds in three minutes, but you miss two of them, you have lost the speed advantage of the Smith over the Musketoon. I won more medals with the mustketoon in both individual competition and team matches. That said, I loved the Smith for the feel and the action. But only hits count.

ADK Bigfoot

 

[BillinOregon]

Funny. I never even thought seriously about musketoons being in the carbine category. Too focused on Maynards, Merrills and Smiths I guess. But then i have never been to a serious N-SSA shoot. Just read about them from afar on the bulletin board.

 

[Frod733]

A while back I found an original CW rifled musket barrel that had been cut off. Bore was excellent. I decided to make a CS Richmond carbine out of it. Was the best shooting short gun I ever had.

 

[loflyr55]

For accuracy, get a good Maynard and lots of plastic tubes. They will go about 3 shots before you have to replace them. It is pricey, and the barrel will heat up, but my scores were best with an original Maynard.
Second choice is original smith with good barrel and not too much wobble. Again, I preferred plastic tubes and accuracy was about 80 percent of the Maynard’s when the lube, sizing, powder combination was aligned.
Also you can get a nicer smith for what you might pay for an above average Maynard. Either way, I enjoyed them both.

 

[oscarlovel]

I have owned and skirmished with a Sharps, a Gallagher, a Pietta Smith and a Maynard. The Maynard was super accurate and quick on the line. It was my last Skirmish carbine. Second would be my Garrett Sharps and my Shiloh Sharps. As far as the lack of a forearm on the Maynard, get a leather welder's gauntlet. The Maynard was also less hassle to clean and keep running. If you go with a Maynard, buy a good original. The only repro worth having is the Romano, and it is very expensive.