Trapdoor Reloading

[Mark Daiute]

how much of the case does that load fill up?

I haven't the foggiest notion. The powder is not position sensitive, not so's you would ever notice.

I WEIGH EVERY SINGLE CHARGE AND LOAD ONLY ONE CARTRIDGE AT A TIME.

This powder will, at times, bridge in the RCBS Uniflow.

This load should match the calibrations on your rear sight.

Keep us posted.

[crest117]

I shoot my 1873 Trapdoor often with a mild smokeless powder load and have had no problems. I use a 405 grain lead bullet from Hunter's Supply loaded over 32.5 grains of H4895. This load gives me about 5 inch groups at 100 yards and I'm sure it would do better if my eyesight was better. Note, the Trapdoor will shoot quite high at 100 yards. To correct this I made a taller front sight blade and then filed it down at the range until it was on at the 100 yards.

[butlersrangers]

Mark and 'Crest117' - Thanks for the 4759 and H4895 .45-70 carbine load suggestions.

Has anyone tried 'Foam Backer Rod' for wads in .45-70?

[Sportsdad60]

I was buying Powder River Cartridge Company low pressure loads for a couple years, about 160 rounds or so.

The owner was kind enough to give me their recipe.

I'm using the identical load since I've had very good results with it, and it chronos about 1300 fps (No idea on the pressure but it's low)

Accurate Power 5744- 26 grains. Laser cast Oregon 405gr bullet or Rimrock 405 gr bullet. (I have yet to load 500 gr but plan to with some black powder loads) Starline brass which I anneal after about 4 reloadings. A Winchester primer.

The AA5744 does a nice job of filling the case up, there is probably a 1/4" left of space between the base of the bullet. I've been told it's not as big of issue with modern powders measured for low pressure loads.

I visually inspect each powder load before the bullet is seated and weigh each cartridge as a final quality check.

Did you know that Starline brass is thicker walled than Winchester? And it weighs 25 grs more too. I've been meaning to validate this as the wall thickness on the lip is the same, I may cut one of each in half and measure.

I prefer to use an ultrasonic cleaner on the spent brass, followed up by low temp oven, and then lube/resize/decapping. Then a couple hours in corn cob media with a squirt of german Klasse AIO.

This picture is a reload from the previous owner who made his own bullets, apparently 500 grain. (Holy crimp Batman!) next to my first reload.

[Mark Daiute]

Right now I'm on an idiot=proof no fuss no muss kick with my 1866 as well as my 45-70's

60 grains of WC 872 under the bullet dujour.

So far the 45-70 trapdoors like the 500 grain bullet best and the 1866 likes the 450 grain bullet the best

The first target is the results of the 500 grain bullet in the 45-70, 6:00 hold

IMG_3713.jpg

Second target is an 8:00 O'clock hold on the edge of the black/405 grain hollow based bullet.

The 405 grain load is very mild, lots of fun to shoot.

IMG_3711.jpg

These are 100 yard targets. The lube is my black powder lube which is mostly beeswax and olive oil. Magnum primers. There's just the littlest littl bit of bore trash with each shot, that I simply blow out of the chamber. Bout like you get with 5744 only less.

The results with the 50-70 are less precise but more accurate and point of aim is point of impact with the battle sight.

[mannparks]

how much of the case does that load fill up?

As I'm sure you know that filling the case statement is for Blackpowder only NOT ,(in capital letters) for any smokeless powder

Be safe and read

Charles

[Mark Daiute]

As I'm sure you know that filling the case statement is for Blackpowder only NOT ,(in capital letters) for any smokeless powder

Be safe and read

Charles

Not to muddy the waters BUT the thing I like about the 60 grains WC872 is that it is smokeless and it does fill the case. No signs of pressure at all. The rifles seem to love it. I am looking forward to getting to the range and letting those loads stretch their legs out to 2 and 3 hundred yards.

[free1954]

besides black powder, I've been using 34 grs. of imr 3031 and a 405 gr. 458 cast bullet for a while now. but I usually stand the rifle up after loading a lower volume smokeless charge.
MARK DAIUTE does all of the 60 gr. WC872 burn up or is there some left in the barrel?

[Mark Daiute]

besides black powder, I've been using 34 grs. of imr 3031 and a 405 gr. 458 cast bullet for a while now. but I usually stand the rifle up after loading a lower volume smokeless charge.
MARK DAIUTE does all of the 60 gr. WC872 burn up or is there some left in the barrel?

There's just the tiniest little bit of bore trash.

I've learned to open the breechblcock and let the case bump up against my finger while in the chamber, then I extract the case by hand and dump the trash out. That way I get 99 percent of the bore trash without it getting into the chamber or barrel. After 10 rounds or so I have less that a half teaspoon of trash.

I call it trash because it is not really unburned grains. The powder is shiny and black when loaded and the trash left in the case is kind of a dull greenish brown.

To my way of thinking dealing with the bore trash is a small price to pay for what I get from the powder in convenience and cost savings.

Your mileage may vary.

[free1954]

There's just the tiniest little bit of bore trash.

I've learned to open the breechblcock and let the case bump up against my finger while in the chamber, then I extract the case by hand and dump the trash out. That way I get 99 percent of the bore trash without it getting into the chamber or barrel. After 10 rounds or so I have less that a half teaspoon of trash.

I call it trash because it is not really unburned grains. The powder is shiny and black when loaded and the trash left in the case is kind of a dull greenish brown.

To my way of thinking dealing with the bore trash is a small price to pay for what I get from the powder in convenience and cost savings.

Your mileage may vary.

thanks for the reply.

[Sturwilh]

I assume any 45-70 brass can be used with black powder for the TD. Is this a a safe assumption??

[Tkacook]

Any brand will work.

TK

[Mark Daiute]

After looking over some of my loads using smokeless powder I found:
Pyrodex RS, same as ffg and 2f, 45 grains starting load.
Reloader 7, 35 grains
IMR SR 4759, 12-13 grains for a mild load at 1000 FPS
Again, using BP, I use dacron for a filler.

12-13 grains 4759 sounds fishy to me. I used 12-13 grains of Unique when I first started and it was a good load but you run the danger of a double charge. My favorite load is 22.5 grains 4759 and Lee's holly based 405 grain bullet. Works in rifle, cadet and presumably in Carbine. Still rund the chance of double charging, I am very carful with this. Keep us posted, OK?

[steelap]

In the interest of total accuracy, service carbine load was 55gr. Wads were used by Frankford Arsenal to fill the void, which IS an ABSOLUTE must.

Many years ago, Cream of Wheat was a popular alternate filler used by handloaders.

Would grits work in the South?

[Dick Hosmer]

All regional joking aside, how fine are dry grits? You want something at least as dense as the powder itself.