Just when I thought I was done……they pull me back in!!

[Wambli Ska]

Are you going to try some BP?

No.

Can't really argue that one too much. I will give black powder this: with the charges compressed - with or without wad stacks - and the load density figures locked in at 100% of available space, the velocity numbers can be amazingly consistent. The downside of course is that it's some crusty stuff that requires its own set of procedures.

AA5744 is likely going to be a very good friend for a substitution. It's a bulky propellant that gets used a lot for cast-bullet-intensity loads in big-ish cases. Been a good accuracy powder for me and Pops. 4198 gets reached for a lot in this sort of thing. The good news is that 3031, 4895, and Varget are also workable in the Trapdoor/Sharps range, so immediate shopping probably not necessary.

If you're mainly going to be killing the local ranch critters with it, you're probably good to go, and there are a bunch of good big meplat flying phone pole bullet designs to do it with.

If you're gonna go all Quigley, the short rear sight is not gonna cut it. I think you'd find playing that game with that rifle to be a real challenge - long lock time, long barrel time, vibrations from a massive, off-center hammer strike. . .welcome to the jungle, baby!

And, oh yeah: Melllllllllllt. . .

I've been shooting a fair amount of BP in single shot rifles since it's free propellant for me. We have the loads running through a new Garmin and the consistency of the speed is WAY better than anything I ever expected. Negligible recoil with heavy bullets and just stupid accurate too, almost like the guns were actually designed for it.

Cleanup is EASY if you do it right away. The good news is that in very low humidity environments the chance of any rusting is REALLY low, as in next to non-existent. Still the crud hardens to rock like consistency in just a few days (don't ask me how I know). But a spray bottle of moose milk and a bore snake type cleaning setup and you're running all afternoon making HUGE clouds of smoke and cleaning is just a few seconds when you get home.

[Zee]

I just want a slow methodical load to play with at the range. And, a faster(not hot) load for hunting and long range play.
Not trying to explore. Not trying to learn new things. It’s a platform I’ve always wanted to and I just want to have fun with it. Not expand horizons or become someone new. I aint a cowboy. I ain’t a mountain man. I’m a Neanderthal Rifleman.

[Zee]

As far as reloads with 405 cast, I've had great luck with 40 grains of IMR3031. I shot it in my trapdoors and is very accurate. Also had good luck with 5744 but that stuff is hard to find anymore, don't even know if it's still made. Just for giggles I loaded up some Pyrodex, 60 grains filled the case. It shot good, was easy to clean up in a single shot. But it smelled like an old sweat sock burning inside a construction site porta potty!

I’ve got H4198, H4895, and Trail Boss. Gonna play with those.

[Zee]

I perused my .458 bullet options on hand and I’m pretty scant. All I have are 300gr jacketed I loaded in my Marlin. So, we will see what my Mentor brings me. Other than that, I’m open to options with links as to how to get them.

[Wambli Ska]

Berry’s 350gr plated .458 bullets have proven to be VERY accurate in both my 45-60 and 45-70 loads running just north of 1500 fps. Zero leading and nice soft shooters in these heavy single shot rifles.

[Bigslug]

I perused my .458 bullet options on hand and I’m pretty scant. All I have are 300gr jacketed I loaded in my Marlin. So, we will see what my Mentor brings me. Other than that, I’m open to options with links as to how to get them.

Matt's has the Lyman 457125 - basically a clone of the 500 grain Government bullet used from about 1881 on for about .50 cents a pop. It's a little shorter than the "exotic" modern target bullets like the Postell, Money, Nasa, Creedmoor, etc..., and as such, maybe a little easier to work with, stabilize, etc... Probably a safe place to start.

The Lyman manuals have data for it. Got you covered.

[sakodude]

If they are still around, I haven’t looked recently, Oregon Trails/Laser-Cast 350and 405 gr bullets have been my go to for years.

[Orchidman]

Beautiful looking rifle Zee. Look forward to seeing a range report and some dead animal autopsies.

[Big Al1]

I've had good luck with cast boolets from Rim Rock and Chey Cast. Always plenty in stock and fast shipping!

[Varmintmist]

There’s zero chance he’s gonna cast bullets. Besides, he’s knows a guys.

You do remember when he was never going to reload?

Nice thunderstick Z

[CPJ 2.0]

There’s zero chance he’s gonna cast bullets. Besides, he’s knows a guys.

You do remember when he was never going to reload?

Nice thunderstick Z

Very well. And I remind him of it. Last time was in person as I was browsing his bullet and powder selection in his man cave.
But, I’m certain he won’t cast. If for no other reason but spite.
And I’m 10000% sure he won’t dress up like a cowboy to shoot it.
(Wearing boots and a cowboy hat ONLY doesn’t count, that’s just daily attire)

[JunkCollector]

There’s zero chance he’s gonna cast bullets. Besides, he’s knows a guys.

You do remember when he was never going to reload?

Nice thunderstick Z

Was that before or after never going to have a chronograph?

[Zee]

There’s zero chance he’s gonna cast bullets. Besides, he’s knows a guys.

You do remember when he was never going to reload?

Nice thunderstick Z

Was that before or after never going to have a chronograph?

As a matter of fact, it was before. Thank you very much.

[Elk Creek]

You know you should wear flip flops too, there’s a lot of stickers on the ground in Texas….

[Zee]

There’s zero chance he’s gonna cast bullets. Besides, he’s knows a guys.

You do remember when he was never going to reload?

Nice thunderstick Z

Very well. And I remind him of it. Last time was in person as I was browsing his bullet and powder selection in his man cave.
But, I’m certain he won’t cast. If for no other reason but spite.
And I’m 10000% sure he won’t dress up like a cowboy to shoot it.
(Wearing boots and a cowboy hat ONLY doesn’t count, that’s just daily attire)

Correct on all counts.

[Zee]

You know you should wear flip flops too, there’s a lot of stickers on the ground in Texas….

Oh, I do.

[Elk Creek]

You know you should wear flip flops too, there’s a lot of stickers on the ground in Texas….

Oh, I do.

I wear out a pair of keen sandals a year…..

[Zee]

Yep

[Rugerfan]

That is a nice rifle. Can’t wait to see what long range shooting you do.

[sakodude]

3F743CC0-03BE-4DEC-B22C-2FF98AF40C9E.jpeg (4.03 MiB) Viewed 657 times

Not as pretty but I think I'll give it some range time tomorrow.

[Zee]

That is a nice rifle. Can’t wait to see what long range shooting you do.

Thank you, Sir.

[Zee]

3F743CC0-03BE-4DEC-B22C-2FF98AF40C9E.jpeg
Not as pretty but I think I'll give it some range time tomorrow.

I love the metalwork. Very nice!

[Elk Creek]

Fine….my “sharps”

[Zee]

Very nice!!

[Bigslug]

I perused my .458 bullet options on hand and I’m pretty scant. All I have are 300gr jacketed I loaded in my Marlin. So, we will see what my Mentor brings me. Other than that, I’m open to options with links as to how to get them.

So. . .I'm looking at your current signature line - "Talent hits a target no one else can hit. Genius hits a target no one else can see." - and I'm getting a good chuckle out of it. You have the potential to get SOOOOOO hooked on that thing.

The remnants of some of the old WW2-era rifle ranges are still out in the Sonoran Desert. They're basically your standard Highpower range constructed of a series of parallel 10 to 15 foot high berms spaced at increments to 500 yards. Dad and I recently went out to play on one of them and he brought a couple of his buffalo rifles. With his various joint issues, he pretty much has to play in the low recoil camp of 1100 fps loads that are basically a HUGE (535 grain) .22LR match load - subsonic, so you don't have trans-sonic boundary issues.

Well, spotting for his initial rounds was a bit of a challenge. Firing at a target on the 300 yard berm and missing. . .the trajectory is plunging so much at that point we couldn't see an impact because it was concealed by the berm. Troops trying to use that berm for cover would have had an uncomfortable time of it.

Even assuming you had a super-duper strong Ruger #1 and were shooting .458 Lott-level loads in it, there simply is no such thing as a flat trajectory with the flying telephone poles we're using for bullets. The best we can do is a PREDICATABLE trajectory. Fortunately, the heavy .45's are really good at that.

Remember the discussion of shooting .308's to a mile and the magnification of the scope had to be turned DOWN so there was enough of the Horus reticle to aim with? I think this is gonna be a little like that. Have fun with your mortar!

(MELLLLLLLLLT!)