Smokeless imitation of black powder for 45-70

[moredes]

It's been 12+ years since I reloaded for 45-70... I seem to recall that there's a "new" smokeless powder on the market that approximates black powder's performance, and more importantly, fills the brass casings better than smokeless. If this is true, does anyone know what the name of the powder is? I did a search, but you can guess what came up for "smokeless black powder"...

Thank you.

[45 2.1]

IMR SR4759 or Accurate 5744 are used for this application by a lot of people with very satisfactory results. I prefer the SR4759 myself.

[kidmma]

I also use 5744. Good low pressure loads from both powders.
Scott

[looseprojectile]

You may have heard of Trail Boss powder.
It is a bulky smokeless powder meant for mild loads for Cowboy action shooting.
Do a search for Trail Boss powder and you will know all I know about it.
It is said you can load 45 70 with it.
Life is good

[Adam10mm]

I use IMR4198 and Trail Boss.

[chuebner]

This may be a silly question but why not use the real thing instead of substitutes. Fill the case full of powder, stuff a boolit on top of it and go BOOM. No worries about load density or overpressure. My trapdoor and rolling block are fed a steady diet of REAL blackpowder and are the happier for it. Smokeless is just a passing fad anyway. :-D

Charlie

[Adam10mm]

Corrosiveness, cleanup, have to wait 5 minutes for the smoke to clear to see target. I wanted to try BP in my Guide Gun, but never got around to buying any. Maybe some day.

[DLCTEX]

It'sa rare day that you have to wait for the smoke to clear in the Texas panhandle. We had a calm day last week and had power blackouts due to the windfarms not generating. I've been waiting for a realatively calm day to bench some guns, 20-30 mph with gusts to 69 night before last. DALE

[moredes]

I like the ease of smokeless; no cleanup worries--if I ever wanna put the gun away or ignore it for a coupla weeks, there are no worries, and no 'retooling' costs to add extras in consideration of BP reloading.

[softpoint]

I've used 16 gr. TrailBoss under a Lee 340 plain base and got pretty good accuracy out of ss guide gun at 50 yrd. I didn't chrono it, but it was pretty slow. Could almost eat a sandwich waiting for it to hit 100 meter gong:redneck:

[KCSO]

It is a little know fact that real B/P smoke cleans tars and nicotene from the lungs, promotes air exchange and will in some cases cure mild forms of lung cancer, a small price to pay for having to clean the gun. And when you clean if you use the good bathroom you can share the benefits with your next ex wife. Failing in all that IMR 3031 sems to have the widest application for me in 45-70.

[w30wcf]

moredes.
Lots of excellent suggestions. 5744 is a great .45-70 powder and was specifically developed for b.p. rifle cartridges. For b.p. level loads, there is a fair amount of airspace, but 5744 was designed to work with airspace.

For a powder that would meet your definition, H4831 is it. A capacity load will develop b.p. velocities but you will get a fair amount of unburned powder. Accuracy is very good though in my experience.

Have fun!
w30wcf

[Freightman]

A calm day in the Texas Panhandle is when the wind meter (log chain hanging on post) is not snaping links off the end!

[Junior1942]

I use WC860. I load it exactly like BP--felt wad (dry, not lubed), slightly compressed powder, good crimp. Gives BP velocity & no cleanup. Lots of unburned powder without a good crimp.