Trapdoor BP load

[Dirty30]

Thunk I'd load some FFg behind my 405 gr. HB boolits in an 1873 trapdoor. I've only shot black hills cowboy loads in it thus far. Does anyone have a magic load they'd like to share that would hit hard enough to hunt antelope/deer/elk?

[texasmac]

Dirty30,

I’m not an “experienced” HB Springfield shooter, but I have successfully loaded and shot grease groove and paper patched bullets in my Trapdoor carbine. The following link below should help you. I know of some guys that do not use a wad, but if I used HB bullets I’d go with the suggestion of filling the hollow base with lube and use a wad between the powder and bullet. And I’d use as much powder as possible to eliminate any air gap. To maximize the amount of powder, considering compressing the powder up to .250” with a compression die (not the bullet) while insuring there’s no air gap and using a thin wad. But regardless of your reloading technique, with BP and a 405 gr. bullet I would not expect much over 1300 fps, which should be sufficient for the type of game you mentioned. Now sneaking up close enough to an antelope may be tricky.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/archive/index.php/t-67651.html

Wayne

[Kraschenbirn]

Rifle or carbine? 55 gr. FFg with the 405 HB duplicates the original "carbine" load and develops around 1150 fps from my H&R reproduction.

Bill

[John Boy]

Scroll down for loading data ... http://www.trapdoorcollector.com/shooterstext.html

[Dirty30]

It's the rifle. About 65 gr of FF fills the case.

[Dirty30]

Lot's of good info here. Thanks Fellas.

[NickSS]

Shoot your rifle with bullets as cast lubed with some good BP lube. Load 65 to 70 gr BP in the case (you will need a compression die to get 70 gr in) load your bullet and you are set to go. This load will kill any animal you shoot provided you hit it in a vital spot and usually will come out the other side.

[StrawHat]

I use the 405 HB over a full case of black powder. Lube with a good BP lube and you're good to go. As has been said, the original ballistics are more than enough for hunting this continent.

A good book about the ammunition,

http://4570products.info/Books_c2.htm