50-95 1876 load data ???

[j23]

Alright, so I am having fits trying to get this 50-95 Chaparral 1876 to shoot...:killingpc my hopes are pretty much gone as to trying to have her ready for West Virginia's opening day (on the 23rd...)

I have tried the recommended load of 14.0 of Trailboss, and 13.5, all the way up to 14.5 with no dice. She doesnt like Trailboss...

I have tried sizing to .512". I have tried unsized at .516" Nada.

Someone recommended 5744 over on the Cascity forums, but I dont have any, and hate to spend the money for a pound and it not work... if I could even find it around here.

Any recommendations? There is NO published load data other than the 4198 load which everyone agrees (about the only thing everyone agrees on with this caliber...) that if you dont hold the barrel to the sky prior to every shot, youll stick bullets in the bore. No thanks.

I have on hand about 24 lbs of IMR3031, which I use for... well, everything.. here is my theory, and I want to know if you guys think it is safe...

in my 45-70, I use the light trap door load of 38.5 grains of 3031 under a 405 cast boolit. supposidly, pressures are only in the teens, gentle enough for the weak trap door guns... the case, to the bottom of the bullet holds 46.5 grains, an 82.8% case fill ratio with that powder.

In my 50-95 there is space for 64.5 grains. ...if I take 82% of that, and use as a starting load, will that be safe??? ...or does it not work that simply? The 1876, I have read is good to around 26k, a bit more than the trapdoor, so I mean, in theory... it would be more than safe, right???

Help. I love this gun, I just want it to group!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!:killingpc

[waksupi]

I would first get some black powder, and work from there.

[j23]

is A. No one around here actually carries real black powder... either Triple7 or Pyrodex. I have several pounds of 3F Pyrodex (P?) that I use for my 32 squirrel rifle. I dont know if I can even load cases with Pyrodex P, I know it is supposed to be hotter than BP.

B. I dont own any BP cartridge loading equipment and have no wads.. but, on a side note, I dont know if I even need any specialized equipment as I have never loaded BP cartridges before..

C. as with the smokeless, there are no BP loads out there, that I can find on the internet.

D. I hate shooting my muzzleloader (the 32 squirrel, which is a accurate and great gun but hangs on the wall) because the cleanup is ridiculous. Boiling water+kitchen+screaming running around the house toddlers+pissed off wife due to mess and scalded kids doesnt exactly = happy marriage. :veryconfu

but, at this point, Im willing to try anything. So does anyone have any suggestions for BP in my 50-95? Bullets are the 515139 Lyman at about 355 grains from air cooled wheel weights. I have some pure lead on hand if that would work better with BP? I have liquid alox and a press with 50/50 Lyman alox. I dont have any SPG. Do i Have to have SPG with BP???

[405]

Not much help but not a very common cal and gun so what the hey.... I do have three 45-75s in the 1876. I baby them. The 1876 design has its limitations for pressures... conservative loading is the way to go.

I have NO idea about Chaparral bore specs, twist, etc. If they kept to original (and that's a big if!) then the 50-95 was considered an "Express" type cartridge. Which means a lighter weight but faster bullet. I'd for sure consider the lighter bullet. IIRC Mike V. as per his excellent book on leverguns, found that bullet weights in the 300-320 gr. range worked best in the 50-95 he shot. Again, may depend on the twist in the Chaparral?

Trailboss is a really good low velocity/cast bullet type powder for high expansion ratio pistol cartridges like the 44-40, 38-40, 45 LC, 38 Spc for Cowboy action shooting. Powders like 5744 are much better suited to the big straight-walled rifle cartridges.

You really don't need load data for blackpowder cartridges if loaded with REAL blackpowder. Just because the 50-95 has the "95" number in its designation, it means little as far as the best BP load in your brass with your bullet. Determine the best bullet seating depth for working in your action. Then fill the case up with something like 1.5 Fg or 2 Fg black to the base of the bullet. You should be able to cut some kind of card wad (milk carton, cereal box, or something paper based and dense) with a sharpened 1/2 inch pipe so the wad fits snugly (just a friction fit) into the case. By adding the wad (somewhere between .020 and .075" thick) that should give a little compression to the powder. LIGHTLY crimp the bullet. Try to use a BP type soft lube for the bullet. Bore butter or other muzzleloader lube will work in a pinch... just finger apply it to the bullet. A mix of beeswax and veg oil or Crisco will work. Powders like Pyrodex will work BUT most of the substitutes will yield higher pressures... not needed in that cartridge, in that gun.... certainly not needed for deer. Accuracy is everything.

Also, slug the bore and size the bullet to groove diameter or maybe .001" larger than groove and use a soft alloy for the BP. I don't know what hardness your wheelweights are??? There is no standard hardness for them as far as I know. If they have a BHN hardness of about 8-9 then should work fine. If your alloy is much harder then mix with pure lead to soften a bit. Clean the bore often.

[bubba.50]

if you want to try black and need wads, pm me with your address and i'll send you a hundred or so to try. then if you need more i will sell you ever how many you want for $5.00 per/thou. plus whatever it costs to mail them. have 7000 that are 22 thou. and 5000 that are about 28 thou. got carried away with my buffalo arms punch. for what it's worth, bubba.