R. Dupraz
posted this
06 August 2018
This is an old thread but thought that I would post this anyway. At least the following was interesting to me.
Recently, I have been going through my cartridge boxes, and shooting left over cast ammo from various past rifle matches. There were 76 rounds of 45-70's that I had loaded about five years or so ago for a "73" Trapdoor infantry rifle match that didn't happen, in a couple of boxes. An off the wall load of the Rcbs 45-500-BPS PB ahead of a poly wad and 60 grns of a particular lot of compressed Goex Cartridge BP. With 50/50 Bee's wax / olive oil lube.
Not really expecting much. I fired fifteen shots over bags at fifty just to use the loads up, more or less. Ten shots went into 2" and five into another group into 3" just below.. Then went over to the 100 yd rifle side and hit an eight inch gong offhand
the first shot. With some misses, fired the rest of the 26 rounds, which is all that I could stand, two handed while resting on a scissor jack rest. The issue sights were dead on at 100 and could repeatedly hit the gong when I could see that front sight. Most of the time, it wasn't there. Three breaths through a blow tube between shots.
The kicker. Now this is not about my marksmanship. But all about the load, the lube, sights and the very poor bore in that . Trapdoor
Lube --- At least five + yr. old bees wax / olive oil.,
Rifle bore. --- shinny but completely pitted, very thin worn lands, non existent from the muzzle down maybe two inches. shinny only because I polished the bore the best I could back when I got it.
Sights --- original "73", not the Buffington. Had to guess the position of that paper thin front sight most every shot.
Trigger --- hard !
No leading, maintained accuracy for 26 shots with three blow tube breaths between shots. At the end, cleaned up shinny with patches and 50/50 Ballistol and water.
Was pretty much amazed, given all of the above.
Oh, I threw the target away so have no proof or data and have no further interest in any. The remaining 50 rounds will likely get used up at our monthly lever gun silhouette matches trying to beat up those bloody animals.
R.