[bearcat6]

Do any of you guys have a pet 45.70 load for an 1873 trapdoor carbine?

 

[stand watie]

bearcat6,

presuming that it's an ORIGINAL trapdoor 65-70 grain equivilent of PYRODEX, behind a 375-400 grain plain LEAD bulllet is HARD to beat as a DEADLY ACCURATE deer/black bear KILLER in the brush.
(fyi, for a much stronger modern action, my brother-of-the-heart loads a 450grain GC bullet behind a heavy load of smokeless @2200+FPS that would stop trannnasaurus rex. - he shoots it in a customized Mauser action for rimmed cartridges.)

yours, sw

 

[bearcat6]

bearcat6,

presuming that it's an ORIGINAL trapdoor 65-70 grain equivilent of PYRODEX, behind a 375-400 grain plain LEAD bulllet is HARD to beat as a DEADLY ACCURATE deer/black bear KILLER in the brush.
(fyi, for a much stronger modern action, my brother-of-the-heart loads a 450grain GC bullet behind a heavy load of smokeless @2200+FPS that would stop trannnasaurus rex. - he shoots it in a customized Mauser action for rimmed cartridges.)

yours, sw

This is an original Army issue trapdoor carbine. I'm afraid the heavier load would be a disaster.

 

[stand watie]

bearkat60,

if it was me, given the age of the rifle, i would start with about 55-60 grain equivilent of PYRODEX & slowly work up looking for the MOST ACCURATE load.
(trapdoor Springfields, particuliarly the RIFLES, are often VERY ACCURATE with cast bullets. - i had a friend in WV who shot several ragged-one-hole groups at 100yards with his.)

TRUST me 400grains of soft lead at 1100-1300FPS is PLENTY of kill anything on the North American Continent at 100yards or less, if the shoooter does his part. - in the olden DAZE, MANY a buffalo was killed by a trapdoor with BP cartridges..
(those loads of RS PYRODEX & "homebrewed" soft lead bullets are CHEAP too. - i LIKE cheap!)

BEST WISHES, sw

 

[Charlie Petty]

I routinely use 10 to12.0 gr. of Trail Boss with a 405 gr. cast bullet. I use the lighter load in a carbine and the heavier in a rifle.

These are plinking loads and you could go a bit higher but both are quite mild and much less trouble than black powder.

 

[bearcat6]

I routinely use 10 to12.0 gr. of Trail Boss with a 405 gr. cast bullet. I use the lighter load in a carbine and the heavier in a rifle.

These are plinking loads and you could go a bit higher but both are quite mild and much less trouble than black powder.

That sounds like what I was looking for. Thanks Charlie!

 

[Charlie Petty]

I think you'll like it

 

[bearcat6]

I forgot to ask to you put a wad or filler over the powder Charlie?

 

[Charlie Petty]

Absolutely NO...

The beatuy of Trail Boss is that it is so bulky. Those charges will fill the case over half full

There have been lots of horror stories of disasters caused by wads and I think most sources don't recommend them anymore.

 

[stand watie]

bearcat6,

FYI,

i FINALLY got a hold of my brother-of-the-heart, C. E. (ED) Harris (Ed has been in Europe most of June & July, shooting in rifle/pistol matches, playing with the lovely ladies & stuffing himself on GOOD FOOD.) & he said to tell you that my head was full of mush, unless you like CLEANING rifles more than shooting them.

Ed said, "Tell your friend that any 375-410grain soft lead slug with 13-14 grains of UNIQUE is FINE for your carbine, without "filler" or anything else & it would be CHEAP to shoot a LOT of, deadly on game to any reasonable 45/70 range & PERFECTLY SAFE for your old carbine. He said that you should look for a .460 double mould & use the bullets UNSIZED & simply dip them on ALOX for lubricant."

fwiw, i SHOULD have asked Ed FIRST, before opening my pie-hole.
(Ed has forgotten MORE than most people know about reloading.)

SORRY for the trashy advice.

yours, sw

 

[bearcat6]

My thanks to SW and Charlie. This forum is great.