Finally what I can call success with my trapdoor

[rmatchell]

I did some tradeing a year ago to get myself a new to me trapdoor. I knew that the barrel looked rough but in the moment I jumped on it but after firing the first rounds I was very disappointed. 4 shots in about a 3 foot pattern at 100 yards.

This weekend I finally cast some lee 405gr hollow base out of pure lead that came out at .460. So long story short here are the results with one undersized factory round and 2 of the new bullets.

138118

[brstevns]

Great news! The Lee 405 Hollow base is well loved by many.

[pworley1]

That is one of my favorite bullets for the trapdoor. I assume that the keyhole was the factory load.

[Dan4570]

Nice group!!
I have that mold, Nice bullet but I have stopped shooting it though, it offers more felt recoil than the 500 grn gov bullet and the 500grn offers better long range accuracy. I started shooting it because my shooting pards were casting it, they both shoot 1880's Trap Door's who's sights are made to work with the heavier bullet.

If your "new-to-you" rifle starts wandering around, try scrubbing it with some copper killer. We spent about 3 weekends scrubbing on a friends rifle and pulled about 8 layers worth of crud out of the bbl. Took about 10-20 rounds for it to settle back down, and when it did the groups tightened way up compared to what they were. Amazing what people will do to a rifle, spent an entire weekend scrubbing copper fouling out of a 45-2 4/10 Shiloh Sharps that I purchased used. Went from 6 " 100 yd groups to one hole groups for 3-4 consecutive shots!

[rmatchell]

yep the keyhole was the factory round and while this wouldn't normaly be a group that I would proudly post I was happy to see positive improvement. When I got the first 3 foot pattern with this rifle I wasn't sure if I would be able to get anything out of it, but I feel with a lil more work this might work.

[40-82 hiker]

Kudos for your perseverance. Someone recently on another thread found an article referencing the trouble Trapdoors can have problems with shotgun patterns due to a broken ramrod holder (it bounces around under recoil). I looks like this is not your problem since you have tightened up the group, but I mention it so you can look, if you have not done so already. It might be a contributor to your problem?

[rmatchell]

just checked, and its nice and tight. I am thinking about powder coating to see if a slightly larger boolit will better fit the worn bore. My lee mold will only cast to 460 so if I can get 462 then I would like to see how it works.

[bigted]

slug your barrel to see what it says ... also measure the fired case just behind the crimp and see what your throat/chamber says it would like. with those Lee boolits the hollow base will bell up to fill the area however ... only so much without the use of original Black Powder. Black will pump em up immediately upon ignition and this along with a good crimp will give the best in your trap door.

[rmatchell]

my bore is .462 so at 460 im guessing the hollow base is doing its job. Just wondering if there is anymore room for improvement. To be honest if a 4 inch group is all it will do I will still enjoy shooting them. I am using unsized cases and no crimp as well.

[StrawHat]

It is hard to measure a Springfield bore as it has three lands. I use the throat diameter as my number to meet.

Kevin