Thoughts on smokeless ammo in an original Highwall?

[Doc Holloman]

My local gun store has what appears to be an original Winchester High Wall, in 45-70.  It has a heavy round barrel, douoble set triggers, a tang sight and globe front sight.  The only visible markings are the caliber on the barrel.   I've been looking for a long range rifle (local club has targets out to 450 yards. 

I'm not quite  ready to take the plunge into black powder yet.  I've been shooting 405gr coated bullets' in front of 36gr of 3031 in both my Pedersoli Sharps military model and my Cimarron Trapdoor carbine, which give me about 1200-1350 fps.  This  is a load the Lyman book recommends for Trapdoors and Sharps.

Would this load be too heavy for the old highwall (which looks to be in good condition.)

[Cap'n Redneck]

If the Lyman-book recommends this load for original Trap-Doors, then you should be okay.
I consider the High-Wall to be an even stronger mechanism than the Sharps.

[Trailrider]

My local gun store has what appears to be an original Winchester High Wall, in 45-70.  It has a heavy round barrel, douoble set triggers, a tang sight and globe front sight.  The only visible markings are the caliber on the barrel.   I've been looking for a long range rifle (local club has targets out to 450 yards. 

I'm not quite  ready to take the plunge into black powder yet.  I've been shooting 405gr coated bullets' in front of 36gr of 3031 in both my Pedersoli Sharps military model and my Cimarron Trapdoor carbine, which give me about 1200-1350 fps.  This  is a load the Lyman book recommends for Trapdoors and Sharps.

Would this load be too heavy for the old highwall (which looks to be in good condition.)

Should be fine. John Mose designed 'em hell-fer-stout! If you shoot a thousand or so, you might want to invest in a set of headspace gages, and check for any stretching. But, frankly, I doubt it.

[Advertising]