Gas Checked, Lubed and Sized Bullets for the 1876 Centennial Rifle:

[Pinback]

110 Gas Check bullets from SAECO/Redding mold, bullet #017. Lubed and sized to .457 cal. Extremely consistent weight. "Gator" Gas Checks & homemade lube add 10 grains. These will accommodate smokeless powder at high velocity in the 1876 Winchester. I made a jig for the drill press to make these into hollow points, I may or may not mess with them. Homemade Lube is bees wax, lard, vegetable shortening, olive oil, Johnson's Paste Wax and wheel bearing grease. It’s slicker than Mule Snot. The boat from Italy must be a really slow one, the rifle was ordered and paid for 60 days ago from Stoeger/Benelli "friends & family". I suppose the discount is worth the wait, kind of. I'll hurry up and wait some more. 

[OD#3]

I just hate to see a post go without some comment.  I really hope you're happy with your '76 when it arrives.  I had to do some work on mine; Uberti leaves some burrs here and there, and they're oversprung.  But it didn't take too much work to make my 45-60 up to snuff, and I don't regret my purchase one bit.  I suppose I had to pay more than you did, but at least I got mine within days of ordering on "grabagun" when I did.  The only thing that raised my eyebrows with your post was your comment about your bullets being suitable for "high velocity", although that term is relative.  I'm assuming you know not to "hotrod" the '76.  I achieved better than expected velocities with black powder.  Should you ever get the hankering to try black, I've found just bees wax and olive oil to be a pretty good lube.  And you can skip the gas checks.  Be sure and post something when your '76 arrives; pictures would be nice.   

[Pinback]

I sourced a 350 gr. bullet mold with the gas check base and thought it would allow the versatility of using smokeless powder. Or perhaps even use them with black powder, though the gas check is rather unnecessary in that instance. I already had the Lee push through sizing die, so no added expense there. I contacted a major powder company for suitable smokeless load data and the reply was basically: Obsolete cartridge, no SAMMI specifications, weak action, catastrophic failure waiting to happen. On the other hand when I contacted another major powder manufacturer they provided me with usable data for four bullet weights and two powders and psi data. I would publish my received replies but neither manufacturer would allow reproducing them without permission. So it's sort of disheartening to receive scary warnings about an "accident waiting to happen" when there are many documented smokeless loads shared by owners of the reproduction 1876. I have many pounds of "Old Eynsford" black powder available to load up my rifle. The thing is, instead of purchasing empty brass I purchased loaded rounds so they would be fire formed upon the first firing. Well those rounds are loaded with guess what, smokeless powder. Considering the many safe smokeless loads available for the Springfield Trapdoor what's going on here? There are thousands of repro 1876's manufactured and we can't have viable data? Even the Lyman 49th Handbook has a decent section for the 1876. It would be nice if it were expanded some. Okay, end of rant.         

[Advertising]

[OD#3]

Well, you never did say what yours was chambered in, but is it safe for me to assume that the 350 gr bullets are intended for a .45-75?

I'm afraid I have no experience with that cartridge.  I ordered mine in .45-60 so as to take advantage of being able to use cut-down 45-70 brass.  Although the .45-60 was an original chambering, the real 1876 enthusiasts seem to prefer the .45-75, as that was the cartridge the rifle was designed around.  I just never wanted to fool with the trouble and expense of acquiring the brass for it.  And I've found quite a bit of loading info on the .45-60. 

The moderator on the Paco Kelly's leverguns.com forum (  http://levergunscommunity.com/viewforum.php?f=1  ) has a blog called "shooting with Hobie".  He has a .45-75 and is very enthusiastic about that chambering.  It would be worth your while to check out that forum and ask about the .45-75.

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Another vote for "Shooting with Hobie". He was right there when the repro's first showed up, and is very helpful.