Brandi's Springfield 45/70

We shot it at the range a little while ago. It's nice!
It's been cut down to carbine length and was well done. Bore is fabulous.
For a old trap door, it's in great shape.
I loaded some RS Pyrodex behind some well lubed 458 405 grain bullets.
I actually used volume instead of weighing the charges. 70 grains would have been compressed so I used 65 gr and 60 gr.
The 65 gr loads I crimped a bit heavy, the 60 gr loads had a slight crimp.
12 rounds and it shot great.
Got me all wound up on wanting a Sharps again.
A buddy offered me a rolling block 50/70 Remington, New York issue, complete with bayonet for a AR even.
I gave up on that stuff 20 years ago and I just got the wants again.
That old Springfield made me think of getting one, loading up powder, primers, and bullets, then reloading at the range as I shoot them.
I sure wish I'd bought a Sharps back in my 20s.

That was super fun Dan...thanks again!

Since you let him shoot your rifle, did he let you cruise the "monster" hover-round in the parking lot?

That is awesome. I am glad to hear that the old war horse still has it's legs. Talking of BP, I would love to get back into it again too. Sharps, Remington Rolling Block, or an original Springfield with a good bore––may have to give that some serious thought.

Bet Dan felt like John Wayne

Pics! Just kidding

I would love to get into bp too... Just because it's the last resort SHTF before a bow & arrow

They're a BLAST to shoot too! We've got a 54 cal deer bp and every now and then we don't use smokeless powder for the effect

It's been twenty or more years since I shot a Sharps or Springfield in 45/70. The smoke and smell is something you never forget.



Not really. I needed a Winchester 92 and some Indians around for that.




I've been shooting a T/C Hawken since I was 21. Over 38 years and a lot of deer. They are addictive indeed.

Was he shooting at targets with feathers on the top?

Nden will be here soon . Did it hit the target and did she pull a few ?

Didn't really put targets up because of the mud. We were just trying the gun out for function.
I did see the bullet hit at the 50 yard target we were shooting at.
I wanted to try it on the 100 yd gongs on the silhouette range but they moved them.

Pics would be nice. I always try to show pics....

fuck john wayne

Don't hold back, tell us how you really feel.

I did

I was thinking about you, Brother L. I've got some 300 gr lead cast bullets in 45/70 sized 458 that I've thought about shooting out of my Ruger #3.
What would be a good load with smokeless powder that would also work well out of the Springfield?

So how long before you buy that Sharps rifle Dan? I know it's eating at you now lol.

You were right about getting the "bug"....ever since we shot my Springfield I've been itching like crazy to shoot it for accuracy. I can definitely see this rifle being shot more often. I gotta get me one of those old Calvary hats now lol.

I'm fairly well satisfied with the cast 425grainers out of my ranchdog mould.

course I'd shoot my 45/70 more except I've been to busy running around having fun and putting together & shooting my 6x45.

Brandi, when it's not raining we'll go the range and load some there to see what is the best load for accuracy at 100 yards.

Brandi, why don't you post a pic of the .45-70 in the gun pic thread?
before it gets pinked.

Pink

No worries ...this one will never be pinked out.

Cool...would love to.

not a thing in the world wrong with getting "pinked"

OK, I have a couple of problems here.

A) If this is Brandi's rifle, then we know something on it is pink, but I'll be damned if I can figure out what you would paint pink on a trapdoor rifle.

2) Where are the pics of Dan shooting said pink rifle? We know they exist and must be epic.

Nope....no pink for this one. I did pull out my pink Elektra but Dan recoiled back like he'd stepped on a rattlesnake so i figured I better put it back in my range bag before he ran away without giving me the 45-70 ammo lol

I'll work on posting a pic of the Trapdoor soon to prove its pinkless lol

it's obvious

did he shit himself?

the reason I ask is because the last time Dan stepped on a snake he shit all over himself

That ain't no friggin' lie. Feeling something hit your boot, then looking down to see your standing on a rattlesnake will definitely loosen your sphincter.
Especially if it's rolling from guacamole and refried beans.
I got back to the truck trailing sh*t, dropped the rattlesnake in the bucket, then started cleaning myself off.
The guy who came by that saw me standing there with nothing on but a T-shirt and socks called the law.
The deputy stopped me on the highway a couple of miles down the road.
He wanted to know what I was doing. When I told him my shit soaked shorts and socks were in a plastic bag in the truck bed, he gave me a weird look.
Then I had to show him the rattlesnake. He said "no problem" and down the road I went.
Right straight to the hose in the back yard.

I'm thinking that's a story best left untold

Glad I already ate

pretty much already been told;

Dan stepped on snake; Dan shit himself.................what's left to tell

How about this ND?

Pics or it didn't happen

you'd have to ask Dan for pics, it's his shit story

Those wuld be some shitty pics


Gun thead is now poop thread

it only started turning that way when you first posted

No, it was all your fault Nden.
You mentioned me crapping all over myself when I stepped on a snake and I had to make an explanation.
Graphic details always make a story interesting though....

snakes and midgets

that rattlesnake you stepped on was probably a pygmy rattler wasn't it?

You are a sorry +#$@!% !*%#)@!!!!!!!
And that's on your best days!

It was probably a "corn " snake

3 years ago my son stepped on a Copperhead in Eufaulla, was bitten on the right heel. He didn't crap his britches but he did get to take a $18K helocopter ride to Tulsa though. Judging from his reactions, if you are bitten you will know it. He hosed down the ER good and proper; fortuantly, the swelling stopped at the knee. A week later you wouldn't have known he had been bit. Suprisingly, he's currently more afraid of helocopters than snakes.

JN

Just to prove it's not pink! Picture turned out blurry for some reason.

antique photo

the real reason Dan likes that rifle so much is because it's like the issued to him when he was much younger

I totally love that rifle...when I bought it, it was more a matter of aesthetics but after shooting it with Dan it's now one of my all time faves. Except for the smell of that powder....barf city.

you could always shoot some low wattage smokeless loads

Anyone know where to find ammo that's safe to shoot in my trapdoor for sale? I've found several 45-70 government but its all high pressure stuff. And, yes, I know it's easy to reload but I'm not set up for that...just want some store bought stuff for now.

You might want to consider reloading, cost of loaded ammo these days compared to reloading you may come out way ahead,
You could do a lee handloader and start with low cost equipment if you only load for one caliber. Congrats on the rifle,

You can get set up cheaper than you think to reload that 45/70.
Using this hand press:



Using these powder dippers:



And these dies:



Which is the modern version of 19th century recycling ammo.

Old Western Scrounger usually has a lot of the old stuff.

If you guys saw my garage you would understand. There isn't a square inch available for even a small setup. Don't ammunition makers still make ammo for trapdoors? Surely someone has to.

The stuff dan linked takes up so little space that you can stash it where ever you want, set up for a quick reloading session on your kitchen table, then put it all away when you're done.

Ultramax makes quite a bit of Cowboy Action ammunition and they do offer .45/70 ammo in their cowboy ammo line. You might contact them to verify that it is safe to shoot through your trapdoor. If it is, you can buy it from several places online including Sportsman's Guide.

iirc remington, winchester and federal all make trapdoor rifle safe ammo; pretty sure a quick email/phone call to them will confirm or deny this.


a quick flip through google netted these results and they aren't cheap by any means;

http://www.trackofthewolf.com/List/Item.aspx/239/1

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1339519735/black-hills-cowboy-action-ammunition-45-70-government-405-grain-lead-flat-nose

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/352132/winchester-super-x-cowboy-action-ammunition-45-70-government-405-grain-lead-flat-nose-box-of-20

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/20-rds-45-70-cowboy-action-405-gr-long-range-rifle-ammo.aspx?a=149168

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/cb/magtech-cowboy-action-loads-45-70-govt-405-gr-lrn-flat-20-rds.aspx?a=244637&bi=160570

http://www.venturamunitions.com/45-70-government-405-gr-rnfp-h-hunting-shack-ammunition-20-rounds/

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