Sharing my BPRC story

[Big Mak]

New guy on this forum, old guy in real life, NRA member since 1968 when I shot my first duck! :)

I've owned my Springfield trapdoor (Standard issue, 32" barrel, 1883 cartouche) for almost 5 years now but last spring I started hand loading rather than purchasing low pressure smokeless loads. Natural progression was to load Black Powder using both 405 and 500 gr bullets.

Then I made some ornamental (but functional) .45-75 loads for Dad's (he's 86) Winchester Centennial 1876 Sporting rifle. I say "Ornamental" because these loads I used Pyrodex.(Yeah, I know! But hey, they'll never see the barrel of the 1876)

A buddy on another board put this journey into his blog and this is the result (Italics lettering my story, he opens with an intro)

Hope you enjoy it!

http://tincanbandit.blogspot.com/2017/01/a-journey-back-in-time.html

[missionary5155]

Greetings and Welcome to the great world of making smoke.
Springfields are a great place to start. You may end up learning a big bunch about how much / little certain lead mixes will obturate in the chamber area. Maybe you should make up a couple real Model 76 45-75 and take dad out one fine warm day and shoot those real loads for him. We have a couple 76 repros but it still is some better to take the real 76 out also. BP will do it so good !
Our 84 with the Buffington sight was a real bug-a-boo until we found out the throat area was a magnificent .455+. Even 500 grainers of 40-1 were not real co-operative hitting targets past 100 yards.
But welcome... BP and cartridges is a good way to get along in life.
Mike in Peru

[Big Mak]

Thanks Mike!
My trapdoor is a very accurate rifle with a bore that slugs at .458. The previous owner bought it from a Tacoma MilSurp store in 1954. The rifle was still in cosmoline and was an Oregon Reserve rifle from 1894 until sold. I don't have any history on it before 1894.
Case coloring very bright !

Photos here--> https://sportsdad60.smugmug.com/1873-Springfield-Trapdoor-45/n-gxR9F/

I actually competed in a CMP Garand match with 10 garand shooters at our club, I came in last but not by much! Where I lost was doing 10 shots in 1 minute. I could only get off 6 or 7 in that timed portion. :)


A Shiloh Sharps is in my future when I retire in 35 months. I'm planning a buffalo hunt on a pay-range in Montana for my retirement 'gift' to myself. Not much of a hunt (pick one out, drop it) but it will be fun nonetheless.

I love the history of the Indian wars. Can't read enough books about that era!

[missionary5155]

Now pop an Ol' Shaggy would be just fine !
I have looked at a few of those adds with the idea that it sure would fill a big freezer.
A 500 grain caliber 45 slug will put most any critter down. And those Buff steaks are sure hard to top.

[sharps4590]

Good to see you Mak, welcome. Thoroughly enjoyed reading the story again and especially seeing the case for your Dad's ammo. Again, well done sir!

[Big Mak]

And there is my mentor! Mr. Sharps himself! :)
Thank you sir!