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There is a group of guys at Four Corners Rod and Gun Club in Salem that have Monthly contests with Blackpowder cartridge. You might try the clubs web site to see if you can find out info.
My Cousin is a world class classic black powder silhouette shooter in northern Idaho. There are very active groups all over the country. I shoot FFG in my Thompson Center rifles but in metallic black powder shooting I would look at the Trail Boss smokeless powder loads. It is a powder that burns clean, is much less corrosive and fills the case like traditional black powder. I am loading it in my 44 Magnum cases to replicate 44 special loadings. There load tables show many metallic black powder loads for your application. The reason that most 45/70 factory loads are so anemic is because they are afraid someone might throw a hotter load into a trapdoor and blow it up. The hot stuff like lever revolution are a fairly recent newcomer to the market designed for modern arms. Other than that, we have been shooting smokeless powder 45/70 ammo for well over 100 years. I have seen Pyrodox loads for metallic cartridges as well but I can't stand the smell and Trail Boss works great.
I understand, be careful black powder is a true explosive and can be "volatile" to work with. There are a whole set of rules specifically for handling it with a press and machinery.Part of the fun for me is using the actual black. I have some trail boss, I use it for reduced loads in centerfire rifles, and I might use it someday, but for now I will stick to playing with the real stuff.
I understand, be careful black powder is a true explosive and can be "volatile" to work with. There are a whole set of rules specifically for handling it with a press and machinery.
We used to buy pound tins.......just to blow up with a 22 rifle from 100 yards. It worked every time......we never could get smokeless powder to ignite.I think people think it's more sensitive than it is, I've seen several tests hitting it with high voltage discharges, and nothing happens. And I've never heard of anyone setting any off accidentally while reloading, unless you're smoking around it or something. I load it single stage but I use a lee powder measure, the one with the brass body and plastic hopper.
We used to buy pound tins.......just to blow up with a 22 rifle from 100 yards. It worked every time......we never could get smokeless powder to ignite.
For .45-70 loads I use:
60-65 grains of 2F...
Corn meal as a filler ...
And a .405 soft lead bullet...
Deer tallow as a lube...
Works real well in my Trapdoor.
Andy