45-70 Black Powder

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I have an antique trapdoor carbine that seems fit to shoot and I would like to work up a load for it. There are plenty of black powder enthusiasts in WA so I am not overly worried about finding black powder but I was also considering working up a load with Goex or Trailboss because some of the local ranges are not particularly keen on black powder during their normal range operating days. Any advice on either of those?
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Re: 45-70 Black Powder

2
I assume you mean a Goex branded black powder substitute rather than Goex brand black powder.

I lean away from BP substitutes generally and in cartridges especially. Trail Boss is an excellent powder in big pistol cases like 45 Colt but useless in 45-70 and actually can create pressures beyond what one wants in a trapdoor while keeping velocities far below black powder.

If you’re not shooting BP, your powder for 45-70 is 4198. H or IMR works just as well, but load data for them isn’t quite the same. Any reloading manual will list loads for these powders in this cartridge. It works well without case fillers, despite the ample spare room in the case. Fillers and wads with smokeless are definitely a source of trouble and with faster powders are definitely a potential source of gun damage, despite the fact that lots of people still suggest them.

My preferred 4198 loads for 45-70 run at or below most manuals starting load, to duplicate BP velocities. (About 25 grains depending on bullet) Your mileage may vary.
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Re: 45-70 Black Powder

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Is Blackhorn suitable for an antique rifle? The PSI in the load data seems a bit high. Granted I am tip toeing around this loading. The carbine was a gift from my great grandfather when I was a kid, I'd prefer not to damage it so I may seem skittish.
Never smile too big, the gods may mistake it for hubris.

Re: 45-70 Black Powder

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I have my Lyman 48th edition opened to the 45-70 table on my lap as I type. It has three levels listed for the cartridge. Trapdoor, lever action and Ruger number 1 and 2.

I won't list the loads, you can look them up your self. But I will repeat that in the comment section by the lab techs it says that the gun should be inspected by a good gunsmith first and they should be restricted to cast lead bullets only.

Re: 45-70 Black Powder

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Well I am sure he also got the occasional bear as well. I don't think he or any of my uncles ever got cougar tags though he might have gone for Elk. Hard to say, great grand dad stopped hunting years before I was old enough to be curious.
Never smile too big, the gods may mistake it for hubris.

Re: 45-70 Black Powder

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SpaceRanger42 wrote: Wed Feb 27, 2019 10:59 am I have an antique trapdoor carbine that seems fit to shoot and I would like to work up a load for it.
when you say antique, how antique? do you have any kind of date of manufacture? if it is an original, I am not aware of any that were built to smokeless standards. As such I would stick to actual blackpowder. Even some of the subs may not be a good idea in an original.

Re: 45-70 Black Powder

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reload for trapdoor, no do not have one. But I do have a sharps in 45-70...though not original. Personally, I would not load an original rifle built prior to smokeless with smokeless. but that is just me.

The BP subs, you have to take on a case by case basis. some are not formulated with original BP guns or their replicas in mind. Rather they were formulated for modern inline rifles using modern designs and modern steel.

Re: 45-70 Black Powder

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HSM maintains that their Cowboy loads in 45-70 are safe for antique firearms, also smokeless. I like HSM for the most part, no complaints and they use Starline brass, which I like as well. But they are not exactly kind to the budget minded shooter.
Never smile too big, the gods may mistake it for hubris.

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