Is commercial 45 70 ammo suitable for use in a 1884 Trapdoor?..

[jjrothWA]

And where to look for damage if not??

Considering a 1884 but not sure?
Thanks.

[free1954]

if is marked for use in trapdoors it should be safe. there are some loads that are not, but it is usually marked on the box.

[Dick Hosmer]

You do NOT want anything that refers to "modern rifles" (often enumerated as Winchester 1886, Marlin 1895, Ruger, etc.) "Cowboy Action" stuff is a good choice.

[Art]

Standard commercial ammunition made by Remington and Winchester 405 gr. bullet at + or - 1200 fps are low pressure and supposed to be safe in those rifles and probably are. I don't know if I would take the chance though. I agree with Dick Hosmer, the very mild Cowboy Action loads are probably the best bet. Some people only shoot black powder in the old guns and I think I'd back off a bit if handloading black powder from the 70 grains just to be on the safe side. You don't know what one of those guns has been through.

[jjrothWA]

If the sale go thru, I'll not feed "great-grand-Pa" hard likker.

Where to find manufacturing drawings for the 1884series?

I would like to view a "firing pin' drawwing, as I purchased a "FP" and want to check the tip profile?

The "SA" histrorical museum???

Thanks.

[Fred]

If the tip is rounded, its good.
If the tip is flat, it’s not good

[jon_norstog]

And where to look for damage if not??

Considering a 1884 but not sure?
Thanks.

Mr. Roth:

The big names (Remington, Super-X, etc) load the 45-70 for trapdoor Springfields. I've never seen anything but low-pressure loads in a store, but that doesn't mean much 'cause I mostly load my own. You do that, with black powder, you will be OK and the gun will give you its best performance. Best to cast your own bullets as most commercial .45 cal. bullets are on the hard side. You want 20:1 lead-tin or softer.

Good luck!

jn

[AZshooter]

Avoid any jacketed ammo in your Trapdoors.

[JimF]

. . . . .Best to cast your own bullets as most commercial .45 cal. bullets are on the hard side. . . . . .

. . . .And, they are most always TOO SMALL in diameter!

[45govt]

If the sale go thru, I'll not feed "great-grand-Pa" hard likker.

Where to find manufacturing drawings for the 1884series?

I would like to view a "firing pin' drawwing, as I purchased a "FP" and want to check the tip profile?

The "SA" histrorical museum???

Thanks.

This is about as close as you can get, that I know of.

http://www.urban-armory.com/diagrams/spng1873.htm

[Reeferman]

Standard commercial ammunition made by Remington and Winchester 405 gr. bullet at + or - 1200 fps are low pressure and supposed to be safe in those rifles and probably are. I don't know if I would take the chance though. I agree with Dick Hosmer, the very mild Cowboy Action loads are probably the best bet. Some people only shoot black powder in the old guns and I think I'd back off a bit if handloading black powder from the 70 grains just to be on the safe side. You don't know what one of those guns has been through.

I let a few 70 grains of Goex FF under a 405 Lee HB bullet off but mostly stick with 65 grains in my 1873 and it shoots really well.