Hello and new 45-60 on the way

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Pitchy
Have you tried any Swiss ? I have shot some in my 76 and was impressed with it's cleanliness ,accuracy , and easy clean up . I have used 3031 and Trail Boss for smokeless they both work .   I guess it's what ever you like . But if you get tired of it I will give you a $100 for it . 

[Pitchy]

100 bucks for a pound of swiss, i`ll see if i can round some up 

[Pitchy]

I forgot to show ya guys my new outfit. 

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[Roosterman]

Pitchy
Have you tried any Swiss ? I have shot some in my 76 and was impressed with it's cleanliness ,accuracy , and easy clean up . I have used 3031 and Trail Boss for smokeless they both work .   I guess it's what ever you like . But if you get tired of it I will give you a $100 for it . 

Swiss and Big Lube bullets work well in my gun but I find after 5 or 6 shots accuracy goes all to hell. A quick swab out fixes that right up and I'm back in businesss. I think if I ever had the chance to hunt with this gun I'd use BP.

[Pitchy]

Yep they foul out, with my Blue ridge 54 i found just the right patch, lube combo and i can shoot at least 20 balls through it without a hitch.
You`ve probably seen some of the BP guns i`ve built on some ML sights in the past so it`s not that i don`t like BP its just that i want to keep it to the smoke ploes.
I`ll have to shoot a few more of that 32 grain load of 30311 at 100 yards and see if it wasn`t just luck on those last two shots.

A pard over on leverguns posted this on my thread there,

Me, I would cram as much black as I can in there but add a grease cookie under the boolit.

The guts of the gun would be cleaned and soaked in olive oil. The bore cleaned and coated in my BP lube which is beef fat and olive oil n' go shoot.

[larryo_1]

Pitchy:

I have been reading your posts and although I do not own a 45-60 rather a 45-75, I thought that it would not be out of line to mention that Ken Waters lists, in his book, a load of 22 grains of 2400 under a 300 grain bullet for a 45-60.  I use it in my 45-75 under a tuft of kapok with a 350 grain bullet and get very good results both in accuracy and in velocity. Also, I found that my rifle, being fussy that it is, likes a cast alloy of 16:1 which, incidentally is what is listed on the backs of old cartridge boxes that I have read. As far as using black powder goes, I, also, have found that my rifle likes the Swiss 1½ the best and it does clean up quite well.

So that is about all the info that I can part with being that there are two different calibers talked about here.  Good luck...

[Pitchy]

Pitchy:

I have been reading your posts and although I do not own a 45-60 rather a 45-75, I thought that it would not be out of line to mention that Ken Waters lists, in his book, a load of 22 grains of 2400 under a 300 grain bullet for a 45-60.  I use it in my 45-75 under a tuft of kapok with a 350 grain bullet and get very good results both in accuracy and in velocity. Also, I found that my rifle, being fussy that it is, likes a cast alloy of 16:1 which, incidentally is what is listed on the backs of old cartridge boxes that I have read. As far as using black powder goes, I, also, have found that my rifle likes the Swiss 1½ the best and it does clean up quite well.

So that is about all the info that I can part with being that there are two different calibers talked about here.  Good luck...

Thanks for your input, i`d like to stay with 3031 as i use it for my sharps and Marlin CB and 86, maybe i found the sweet spot for this gun.
 

[Joe Lansing]

    Hope you have a lot of good shooting with your Chappy. I'm very happy with mine, also a 45-60. I sort my brass by using nickel plate cases for my trimmed down 45-70's.

                                                         JL

                                                             

[Pitchy]

Good idea with the brass.
I just got my 76 the other day so only shot it about 50 times.
Action was dry and stiff out of the box but after cleaning and oiling it has smoothed up very nice and makes that awesome ka-chink sound now.
I`m trying to come up with what the cleaning rod looked like that must of went in the stock, the hole isn`t very deep so must of been several rods. Any pictures of tat would be helpful.

[Pitchy]

Wouldn`t use a steel ram rod in a rifle unless it was a emergency, we figured if a person slipped and stuck the barrel in the mud or snow it might come in handy to clear it. They are a tight fit and rattle so not real impressed.

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Pitchy
Good Luck with your 45-60 . Silver Rings has listed lots of reloading info . There's a ton of reloading data NOW for the 45-60 . But the 3031 is a Excellent choice . If I'm plinking around the trail boss is fun to shoot but I wouldn't want to Hunt with it . The rear sight on the Chappies do SUCK , but get a sporting sight and drive it on . I assume they are still a 3/8 dovetail . Now if you aren't satisfied with it I will still give you a $100 for the Rifle . 

[Pitchy]

100 bucks, well kiss my butstock 
I do see there`s one on Buffalo arms for 500   

[rbertalotto]

Pitchy,

A couple suggestions. When using cut down brass with lead bullets, I usually either inside ream the area the bullet will sit, or use a custom expander die to open up the brass. Cut down brass will be quite a bit thicker than it should in the area the bullet sits and this can cause an undersize bullet or worse, a bullet with a slight angle to the sides of the bullet. No way this can be accurate.

I just ordered a Chaparral in 45-75. They are on sale , new in the box at a gun dealer for $500. These have the "applied finish" stock and forend that really looks great, but it isn't real wood finish. Do you know if yours is applied or not? Can you post a few closeups of the wood?

Here is a good article on these rifles:

http://www.gunblast.com/Chaparral-1876.htm

Good luck with your. Keep us informed on how it works out.......

Oh, BTW....GREAT outfit!!!!!

[Pitchy]

No mine is not applied finish, satin finish on walnut.
Couple posts back i just posted a picture of the stock by the cleaning rods i made today, is that one a clear enough picture?
Thanks for the reply, yep i`ve read the article on Gunblast. 

[rbertalotto]

You MADE that cleaning rod!!! NICE!

I just bought an old 1873 with the cleaning rod compartment in the butt stock. But I've looked around for cleaning rods and originals sell for upwards of $300!

I wish I could find a picture of the originals so I could make a set just like them.

Nice work on your............

[Pitchy]

Ebay has two original sets and one repo, also Dixie gun works sells repos for the 73 for 20.00 bucks.

[rbertalotto]

Thanks!

[Pitchy]

Made a new belt bag this morn, decided to carry the cleaning rod set i made in it instead of in the 76. That way i`ll have it along regardless of which gun i carry.

[Pitchy]

Where`d Grizzly Adams go, hope all is good bro.

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Pitchy
I think Powder Inc. still has Jamison brass for sale . But if your able to use the cut down 45-70 that will save you a few bucks . I have a Chappie  that I cut the barrel down to 24 inch , trying to lighten it for hunting . But compared to the 73 she's still a hog to carry all day . I like the pouch you made for your cleaning rod and the cleaning rod too .