Another Trapdoor question

[Ammohouse]

Hi all, I'm a noob here.
Here's my question.
My buddy has finally been bitten by the BP bug and has acquired a Trapdoor...I'm pretty sure its original.
Anyway, he wants me to load for it.
I've been loading BP for my Sharps (also load smokeless for my Marlins) for a few years now, do you think my Sharps loads would be safe in his Trapdoor? I don't think it would be a problem...but I've never loaded for the Trapdoor. I know its not as strong as the Sharps is. I don't mind loading something different for him, but it would work out nice if it will shoot the same loads. Please help me out, he wants to shoot this weekend.
My Sharps load:
68grn of 2F w/495 Spitzer bullet

[fourarmed]

If the TD is in good shape, with no cracks around the hinge, it will work fine with that load. It is the rifle for which that load was invented.

[SharpsShooter]

Yes that load is safe and would work fine for testing. Remember TD bore dimensions were not strictly controlled and the bullet diamer you use may not shoot well in your Buddys TD. TD's tend to run on the largish side and often require .461 and even larger to perform to their optimum level. Slug the bore and it will tell you what it will need.

Welcome to the board!...hang around.....we will treat you so many different ways, you will have to like one of em:-D


SS

[NickSS]

The original TD load was 70 gr of FFG and a 405 or 500 gr bullet. They were swaged from 16-1 lead tin alloy and worked very well in the TD. The Army went to the heavier bullet in 1881 due to concerns about poor loang range accuracy of the 405 gr bullet. TD bore sizes are large standard bores are 451 land diameter and groove diameter can go as large as .463". This is not a large problem with relatively soft bullets and black powder as the bullets bump up when the powder explodes. The greater resistance of the 500 gr bullet led to more uniform bump up and greater accuracy in the TD. GI bullets were sized .457". The army made the grooves deep so that you could fire more shots with relatively good accuracy in a battle. They were more interested in hitting a man at 500 yards than hitting a X ring atr the same distance so their standards of accuracy were not a tight as modern target shooters thing they shoold be. However, With proper bullet selection you can get surprizingly good groups with the TD.

[Ammohouse]

Thanks for the info.
I'll let him shoot my BP loads.
He wanted me to load up smokeless loads for it....I just can't do it! :)

[Yance]

Ammohouse;

My 1884 works great with 70 gr Goex FFg or Cartridge compressed .400" and the "original" Frankford Arsenal design Ideal 457125. Lube is 50/50 beeswax/TC Bore Butter. A WHOLE lot cheaper than SPG.

The "original" design has a .4575-.458 shank and around .447 just above the front band. The recent versions have a larger diameter nose acceptable only if you're shooting smokeless powders. After about 3 rounds the "modern" design gets hard to load due to fouling.

Alloy should be a bit softer than 20-1 and the nose will obturate to the point that the first band is reduced to three very faint marks.

You friend will have to get used to the fact that at 100 yards he's going to be shooting about a foot and a half high with the battle sight.

"Back to basics" black powder shootin' has returned the REAL fun to shootin' for me.

Have a BLAST!

Yance