.43 Mauser load ?

[Gerry2]

Can someone give me a load for a .43 Mauser? I can't find any in my manuals. It's for a 385 grain cast bullet and I would like to use Unique, although other powders would do.
Gerry

[arclight]

Check the other threads here for more info. The load I am currently shooting is as follows:

Bullet:
Lyman 446110 Mould - Drops a flat-point boolit with 3 lube grooves at approx. 355gr when lubed. Rifle is a full-size M1871/84 made in Amberg. This rifle will pretty much not chamber any bullet sized larger than .446.

Load #1:
32gr IMR-3031 Powder, chronographs around 1350fps. Using 1/2 square of toilet paper to fill up case volume. Probably unnecessary, but I do it anyway.

Load #2
68gr 2F Goex Black Powder, dropped through a 16" piece of 1/2" PVC pipe. Topped with a .446 wad cut from milk carton and a 1/4" layer of BP patch lube under the boolit.

Load #1 prints dead-on at 50 yards using the "low" sight. It's fairly close at 100 yards using the "middle" flip-up sight, and about 8" high using the lowest setting on the tall long-range sight.

Load #2 seems to regulate very close to what the sights were designed for.

I think a rifle powder like 3031 or 4831 is more appropriate in this large-volume, low velocity round. I'd worry about using a pistol powder on anything but very light loads, but I'm not any sort of expert.

FYI, look for 45-70 Trapdoor loads or data for the .43 Spanish for more ideas.

Good shooting!


Arclight

[Baron von Trollwhack]

My own loads have been with straight blackpowder, with usual BPRC procedures, the same duplexed with 4 to 8 grains of Re-7, 5744 powder starting loads in the mid 20 grains range. Simply unsat performsance for the most part with the IMRs from 4198 up to and including 4895, which included handfires, unburned powder, failures to light off and similar. IMR 4227 did work ok though. BTW the original loadings ran a 400 bullet at 1450 fps. I use the RCBS 44-370 -FN almost exclusively now.

[Buckshot]

.............Are you shooting a 1871 or a M71/84? Have you shot it before?

...............Buckshot

[jonk]

I find that with 4198 or 3031 a filler is a must- and not just any filler, but something that holds the powder securely to the primer such as dacron or Pufflon. A half square of toilet paper doesn't do it adequately to get complete ignition (well I tried a full square....) Of course your mileage may vary.

With Black powder I've had luck using felt over powder wads from a 44 revolver over the powder column, then a grease cookie on top of that. Again, YMMV.