Sharing my BPRC story

New guy on this forum, old guy in real life, NRA member since 1968 when I shot my first duck! :)

I've owned my Springfield trapdoor (Standard issue, 32" barrel, 1883 cartouche) for almost 5 years now but last spring I started hand loading rather than purchasing low pressure smokeless loads. Natural progression was to load Black Powder using both 405 and 500 gr bullets.

Then I made some ornamental (but functional) .45-75 loads for Dad's (he's 86) Winchester Centennial 1876 Sporting rifle. I say "Ornamental" because these loads I used Pyrodex.(Yeah, I know! But hey, they'll never see the barrel of the 1876)

A buddy on another board put this journey into his blog and this is the result (Italics lettering my story, he opens with an intro)

Hope you enjoy it!

http://tincanbandit.blogspot.com/201...k-in-time.html

Greetings and Welcome to the great world of making smoke.
Springfields are a great place to start. You may end up learning a big bunch about how much / little certain lead mixes will obturate in the chamber area. Maybe you should make up a couple real Model 76 45-75 and take dad out one fine warm day and shoot those real loads for him. We have a couple 76 repros but it still is some better to take the real 76 out also. BP will do it so good !
Our 84 with the Buffington sight was a real bug-a-boo until we found out the throat area was a magnificent .455+. Even 500 grainers of 40-1 were not real co-operative hitting targets past 100 yards.
But welcome... BP and cartridges is a good way to get along in life.
Mike in Peru

Thanks Mike!
My trapdoor is a very accurate rifle with a bore that slugs at .458. The previous owner bought it from a Tacoma MilSurp store in 1954. The rifle was still in cosmoline and was an Oregon Reserve rifle from 1894 until sold. I don't have any history on it before 1894.
Case coloring very bright !

Photos here--> https://sportsdad60.smugmug.com/1873...or-45/n-gxR9F/

I actually competed in a CMP Garand match with 10 garand shooters at our club, I came in last but not by much! Where I lost was doing 10 shots in 1 minute. I could only get off 6 or 7 in that timed portion. :)


A Shiloh Sharps is in my future when I retire in 35 months. I'm planning a buffalo hunt on a pay-range in Montana for my retirement 'gift' to myself. Not much of a hunt (pick one out, drop it) but it will be fun nonetheless.

I love the history of the Indian wars. Can't read enough books about that era!

Now pop an Ol' Shaggy would be just fine !
I have looked at a few of those adds with the idea that it sure would fill a big freezer.
A 500 grain caliber 45 slug will put most any critter down. And those Buff steaks are sure hard to top.

Good to see you Mak, welcome. Thoroughly enjoyed reading the story again and especially seeing the case for your Dad's ammo. Again, well done sir!

And there is my mentor! Mr. Sharps himself! :)
Thank you sir!