Author Topic: Can Anyone suggest a BP load for 45-70 trapdoor rifle?  (Read 3125 times)

Offline Doc Jackson

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Can Anyone suggest a BP load for 45-70 trapdoor rifle?
« on: September 09, 2018, 07:26:43 PM »
I have an original Model 1873 Rifle in good shootable condition and I wanna work up some loads. I have 20:1 .458 520 bullets, any suggestions for a powder charge? I have both Goex and Grafs, 2F and 3F.

Offline Tater Pickens

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Re: Can Anyone suggest a BP load for 45-70 trapdoor rifle?
« Reply #1 on: September 09, 2018, 08:32:43 PM »
the 73's used a 405 grain bullet over 70 grains of 2f as I recall. I believe in 1881 the rifle went to the 500 grn bullet but the carbines stayed with the 405 grn bullet and down loaded the charge to 55 grns.

You might want to get Spence Wolf's excellent book "Loading Cartridges For The Original 45-70 Springfield Rifle And Carbine".

The last address I had for them was www.the45-70book.com.

Others on this site may have other info as to where this book can be located.

So load it and shoot it the way they were originally loaded. It is a blast.

Tater Pickens

Offline Sir Charles deMouton-Black

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Re: Can Anyone suggest a BP load for 45-70 trapdoor rifle?
« Reply #2 on: September 09, 2018, 08:35:00 PM »
Try on both the BROW page or Darksiders Den.
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Re: Can Anyone suggest a BP load for 45-70 trapdoor rifle?
« Reply #3 on: Today at 09:42:23 AM »

Offline Jubal Starbuck

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Re: Can Anyone suggest a BP load for 45-70 trapdoor rifle?
« Reply #3 on: September 10, 2018, 05:56:37 AM »
 
I will go along with Tater regarding Spence Wolf's book, it  is a great resource. 

Offline Ranch 13

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Re: Can Anyone suggest a BP load for 45-70 trapdoor rifle?
« Reply #4 on: September 10, 2018, 08:49:24 AM »
70 grains of the Goex 2f with a .030 fiber wad under the bullet, cases primed  with a standard rifle primer, and bullet seated to the driving band.
 With the Grass/schuetzen powder find the powder charge that will fill the case to the base of the bullet, and then with the .030 fiber wad the powder will be lightly compressed.
 Use no more crimp than necessary to remove the flare from the case mouth after seating the bullet.
 Be sure the bullets are lubed with a quality blackpowder cartridge lube.
Eat more beef the west wasn't won on a salad.

Offline hp246

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Re: Can Anyone suggest a BP load for 45-70 trapdoor rifle?
« Reply #5 on: September 11, 2018, 12:29:12 AM »
Wolf's book is an excellent reference. It is available through Amazon.

Offline Professor Marvel

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Re: Can Anyone suggest a BP load for 45-70 trapdoor rifle?
« Reply #6 on: September 11, 2018, 04:10:06 AM »
70 grains of the Goex 2f with a .030 fiber wad under the bullet, cases primed  with a standard rifle primer, and bullet seated to the driving band.
 With the Grass/schuetzen powder find the powder charge that will fill the case to the base of the bullet, and then with the .030 fiber wad the powder will be lightly compressed.
 Use no more crimp than necessary to remove the flare from the case mouth after seating the bullet.
 Be sure the bullets are lubed with a quality blackpowder cartridge lube.

Thank You Ranch!
I am about to be in the same situation, rebuilding a parts trapdoor.
If using the carbine load of 55 grains of BP, what would you recommend, more wads or some filler?

yhs
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Offline Ranch 13

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Re: Can Anyone suggest a BP load for 45-70 trapdoor rifle?
« Reply #7 on: September 11, 2018, 07:35:50 AM »
 I would recommend going with 1 f for light load situations.
 That 55 gr load fouls awfully heavy, the original carbine loads, short lived as they were, used a wad on the powder and a cardboard tube under the bullet, but a thick felt wad or a grease cookie, and a couple of thick gasket material wads would be a help if you can get some compression on the powder so that it burns cleaner.
Eat more beef the west wasn't won on a salad.

Online Coffinmaker

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Re: Can Anyone suggest a BP load for 45-70 trapdoor rifle?
« Reply #8 on: September 11, 2018, 10:01:01 AM »

Shooting partner of mine loads about 30Gr 2f, topped with Cream-0-Wheat and a 457 (Ruger) round ball crimped at the equator.

Offline Professor Marvel

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Re: Can Anyone suggest a BP load for 45-70 trapdoor rifle?
« Reply #9 on: September 11, 2018, 06:03:18 PM »
I would recommend going with 1 f for light load situations.
 That 55 gr load fouls awfully heavy, the original carbine loads, short lived as they were, used a wad on the powder and a cardboard tube under the bullet, but a thick felt wad or a grease cookie, and a couple of thick gasket material wads would be a help if you can get some compression on the powder so that it burns cleaner.

Thank very much My Good Ranch , much appreciated that the advice is coming from a well-documented Long Range BP shooter.


 
Shooting partner of mine loads about 30Gr 2f, topped with Cream-0-Wheat and a 457 (Ruger) round ball crimped at the equator.

Thank you my Good Coffin, that will make a good plinking/gallery load!
I am also compiling a list of  "cat sneeze" loads to test in the side yard.  The Finns, Swedes and Norwegians were
well known for developing such reloads using military cases for .... um .... training. Yup that's it, training, and I am sticking to that.

yhs
prf mvl
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Offline Ranch 13

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Re: Can Anyone suggest a BP load for 45-70 trapdoor rifle?
« Reply #10 on: September 11, 2018, 07:16:34 PM »
You're welcome
Eat more beef the west wasn't won on a salad.

Offline Bunk

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Re: Can Anyone suggest a BP load for 45-70 trapdoor rifle?
« Reply #11 on: September 12, 2018, 10:10:20 AM »
Spence Wolf's book is a cornucopia of .45-70 gun and loading knowledge.
It is not the most organized book I have ever read, but stick with it and discover the wonders of the .45-70 Trap Door rifle.
Respectfully submitted
Bunk

Offline Doc Jackson

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Re: Can Anyone suggest a BP load for 45-70 trapdoor rifle?
« Reply #12 on: September 12, 2018, 09:11:06 PM »
I had to get some more bullets, but I went with the 45-70-500 service load.

 

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