How to Use Filler???

[Rafsob]

Ok, I have an original Trapdoor Carbine and want to load my cartridges up to Army specs for the time. I believe the recipe called for 55 hrs. of FFg BP. They also used a cardboard filler like wad. As far as I know they don't make these wads anymore, so I must use another type filler.

I will be using cream of wheat. Now my question is how do I load up these ingredients. Do I load the BP, then a cookie wad and then the cream of wheat, then bullet??? or just the BP, cream of wheat, then the cookie and then bullet???

Help, please!!!

[Boz330]

COW is pretty fine and unless you compress it a bunch it may migrate through the 2F. I'd go with a couple wads to get the compression and or powder charge you are looking for. I use a .245 wad column in my 40-65 competition loads. If you need a pretty thick wad column cork works well.

Bob

[Larry Gibson]

The best bullet to use to replicate M1873 rifle ar carbine loads is the Lee 459-405-HB as it is based on the original M1873 bullet specs. With it you can seat on top of the 55 gr FFg BP charge with slight compression and no need for the card wad. The 45-55 cartridge quickly dispeced with the card wad as it caused inaccuracy (would stick in the HB). The bullet was eated deeper with the crimp over the ogive.

COW is not a good thing to use for what you want.

Larry Gibson

[Buzzard II]

Shotgun buffer works real well in my .44-40, saving the C.O.W. for breakfast.