Trapdoor Reloading

[PowderBurn]

Hello

I just bought a model 1877 carbine. I am looking at reloading my own ammo. Does anyone have some recipes for some MILD loads. I do not want to damage my investment.

Thank you

Here is a very good place to start-Loading Cartridges for the Original .45-70 Springfield Rifle and Carbine by J.S and Pat Wolf, 3rd edition. I bought the digital version from their website: Wolf's Western Traders. Happy Shooting!
Tim

[blackhawknj]

I recall reading-forget the authors of course-that they recommend slightly enlarging the flashholes, saying the originals were larger, and using magnum rifle primers, the originals burned hotter.
Regarding spacers or wadding, would crumpled up paper work ?

[Dick Hosmer]

I would not trust wadded-up paper. The space needs to be completely filled, and the powder should be slightly compressed. Originals used a stack of wads but then they had the facilities to produce same, uniformly and in large quantities. Some of the old-time civilian shooters reportedly used Cream of Wheat as a dense filler!

[Mark Daiute]

my carbine load is 22.5 grains 4759 under a soft 405 grain hollow based bullet.

[free1954]

my carbine load is 22.5 grains 4759 under a soft 405 grain hollow based bullet.

how much of the case does that load fill up?

[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.