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Thread: wanted trapdoor smokless hunting load

  1. #1
    Boolit Master

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    wanted trapdoor smokless hunting load

    HI all, I am looking to get some smokeless load data for the original Springfield trapdoor rifle. Loads need to be deer killers at about 100 yds and use a light boollet.
    I have a lot of experience casting and shooting the trapdoor, but it is all with Black and using heavy long range boolits. This is for a buddy who will not shoot Black and insists that a 300 grain boolit is the best. I have several boolits in that size, and will most likely use the RanchDog 460350, cast soft. I have 4895 and 4198 on hand, but willing to buy more powder if results justify. Primers will be REM 9 1/2. Brass REM 45-70.
    I am just looking for some up to the minute data, what guys used last year in the real world, not a manual load.
    gun has not been field tested yet, but there's plenty o time
    fwiw - this guy is a retrd army kernal, so I can't tell him anything he don't already know (lol) I am not telling him about my oversized 45acp mold that drop around 200 grns
    thanks a bunch

  2. #2
    Moderator Emeritus fishhawk's Avatar
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    Have used 39-41 grains of IMR 3031 in a trapdoor at 38 grains it didn't have a complete burn on the powder and had powder in the bore.
    Moderating is a responsibility not a privilege, abuse your power and you lose, no matter how powerful you may think you are.

  3. #3
    Boolit Grand Master


    Larry Gibson's Avatar
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    I use 36 gr 4895 with a 1 gr Dacron filler under a 400 gr 457124 for 1391 fps and a measured 22,400 psi in my TD. I suggest that as a starting load with the 350 gr RD cast of 16-1 alloy and work up to 40 gr. That will be under the SAAMI MAP for TDs. A good load should be found in there to satisfy the Colonel.

    Larry Gibson

  4. #4
    Boolit Bub
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    36 grains of 3031, a 405 gr. cast boolit, chronos 1275 fps out of my 1884. This is using a standard primer and Remington brass.

  5. #5
    Boolit Grand Master Outpost75's Avatar
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    If you can find any, 40 grains of RL7 worked well for me in my original 1884 Trapdoor giving 1600 fps with the Ideal #457122HP cast 1:30 tin/lead and brought home the venison on numerous occasions. This is a starting load in the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook 4th Edition (2010) in the Trapdoor section.
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  6. #6
    Banned

    44man's Avatar
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    Best boolit ever is the Rapine 500 gr Gov't with 3031 but good luck finding a mold since Ray retired. Shot to the sights with tiny groups. 4198 would hit very high and kick your teeth loose, bruise your cheek. I have the Rapine mold at .460" and my friend killed many deer with it cast 1 to 20. Sorry I don't have the load as he took it with him when he moved.
    The heavy boolit had good powder burn. Never got a 405 to shoot.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check