[B]Case Preperation[/B]

[Cannoneer]

Awhile back I purchased a book by Spence Wolf on loading the .45-70 Government for use in original Trapdoor Rifles and Carbines. His take on it was to load WW cases like Frankfort Arsenal did back in the 1880's.

His instructions were to drill out the flash hole with a 3/32nds drill bit or a #41 drill bit and pour a weighed charge of 70 grains of 2Fg Black Powder into this case and use a separate compression die to compact the powder deep enough to seat a 500 grain .458 diameter lead bullet cast 20:1 lead:tin mix.

He suggested the use of either the Winchester or Federal Large Rifle Magnum Primer as these two primers gave the performance needed to ignite the compressed charge of powder.

Once the bullet was seated past the first driving band a taper crimp was used to hold the bullet in place. He also advocated the use of SPG or equivilant black powder lubricant.

He claimed that this loading when coupled with an original Trapdoor Rifle allowed the rifle to shoot and attain its accuracy potential.

Having tried this, I can attest that accuracy in all my single shot .45-70 rifles improved. I am not advocating this for everyone, but I do say it does work.

His claim about the use of the aforementioned primers makes sense as the original fulminate of Mercury primers did produce a hotter flame of longer duration than do some of the primers we now use. Also, I found that the fouling to be less when shooting the compressed loadings. I stll had to use a blow tube, but not as often.


He also did this same procedure using .45 Colt cases and 250 grain bullets. His charge of 40 grains and compressed using a separate compression die produced a very stout load.

I reduced the charge to 30 grains and used a one-quarter inch cork over powder wad to take up the air space as did the US Army in the 1880's.

Which is why the Ammo Makers at Frankfort Arsenal switched to the Schofield length casing to save money and simplify logistics for units using the 1875 S&W Schofields as well as to preclude the use of wads in their loading procedures.

Anyone else have anything to add?

[montana_charlie]

Anyone else have anything to add?
Only that the enlarged flash holes and the magnum primers have fallen out of favor with those who shoot for smallest group size.
CM

[August]

I, too, have found that gradual ignition produces better accuracy than results with magnum primer use. In fact, large (standard) pistol primers with an over primer wad of one thickness of newsprint has provided the most consistent accuracy in my tests. This seems to be generally accepted by BPCR shooters these days.

[cajun shooter]

Cannoneer, You might want to add case annealing to that list of what is done today to improve accuracy that was not done then. +1 on the post by August as that is favored by a lot of shooters. Some have started using the Federal match primers also. The 210M is not magnum but match. I've also used the CCI BR 2 primers. See what all the winners do and try to copy as your wallet allows. $30 a lb lube and $4500 rifles are just out of reach for some. But the one thing that you can have no matter what your gear is. FUN!!!!

[Dale53]

I competed with BPCR for fifteen years (until my vision went south). I used Emmert's Home Mix bullet lube with excellent results:

50% Pure Natural Beeswax
40% Crisco (the stuff that looks like lard with NO additives)
10% Canola Oil

In later years I reduced the Canola Oil to 5% and added 5% Anhydrous Lanolin for better shelf life of the lubricant in loaded rounds.

It has pretty much the same consistency as SPG, same melting point, and shoots as well. My BPCR, on several occasions, in front of witnesses, shot 6"-8" ten shot groups at 500 yards with a 20 power scope (only allowed for testing).

That was good enough for me...

Dale53