JPH using pure cotton is preferrable to dacron and costs very little. Just make sure the bag sez '100% Cotton' as some of the cheaper products are a blend.

Perklo who posts on the NEF site has a site of his own which details tuning those triggers. Not difficult A-tall. Methinks any smith charging more than $25 for that job is getting paid very well BTW. A web search for perklo should find the site or it might be on the NEF ya-hoot site too.

You could mix up some Felix lube for higher speed trials or just add some Slick 50 or similar to your mix. 20% works fine-- synthetic motor oil is ok too.

I've used that 40 gr #7 loading... once, under 500 gr Lyman's. Not again my shoulder thinks...but it shot pretty good.

You mention not counting the first rd in your chrono string which I note also is always faster than the rest, if- the lube quantity, type or powder type changes from the last grouping.

I started using it in my #1. It weighs 336 grains in the alloy I use, and the accuracy potential looks good. Just got to find the best recipe.

Well, shot some more with it today,

25 grains of 2400 is accurate...scary accurate. 3 of 5 in one hole, 2 of the 5 in another, the holes are exactly 1" apart. I believe this "2 hole grouping" may be due to canting. The trigger is still a stock NEF trigger, lousy, lousy, lousy. Didn't chronograph. Alliant says load good for 1350 or so, Hmmmmmmmm......Also one load had a heavier tone on ignition than the other four, weird. Figure it must have something to do with powder position as all were weighed. Any reccomendations for a dacron filler???

Since I spoke of the Unique load, no rehash

43 grains of 3031 made a nice 2" group, nothing to write home about.

30.3 grains of 5744 shot very nicely, 5 shots into 1.25" for a velocity average of 1434 fps. Extreme spread was 26 If I throw out one shot (1st, the fastest at 1453) the es is 7

I tried 40 grains of Reloder 7, shoots at 1700 fps but my lube won't hold up at that speed. Am using 50/50 beeswax and olive oil with 2 tubes of Lyman Super Moly added. Have to pan lube these, don't have a sizing die for yet. Works great at 1400 and below, wish the bullet held a little more lube. It may be just as well though, I not too interested in shooting a lot of high speed stuff.

I will never forget when I sighted in my 1886 with that bullet. First shot 2" right, second shot 2" left (over corrected) third shot 8" poplar tree folded over the target.

I use a 'tuff' of cotton against the powder seated easy. Don't ball it up-- it'll relax and fill most of the space.



BruceB is about the best at this, albeit methinks his filler of choice is dacron. I only recommend cotton because it won't melt. Yet I use a filler very seldom with the 45/70 or otherwise-- preferring to find a loading that shootens w/o it.



2400 is a powder I'm going to revisit with the 45/70 and 500+ gr'ers. That and some of the new Aliant powders.

Thanks Aladin, I will try adding the oil, though the lube seems to work just fine to 1400 fps or so, about as fast as I am going to shoot this gun. My shoulder and yours seem to have at least one thing in common, a dislike of heavy 45-70 loadings, nor do I feel they are nessicary. Compare the 45-70 Trapdoor loadings with the likes of the 475 Linebaugh. Trapdoor loading equal and exceed this power level easily. How much power does a fellow need???? Of course I am not hunting the likes of Cape Buffalo either.....but JD Jones has shot them with the 375 JDJ, another overpowered pistol, overpowered rifle......Hmmmmmmmmmmmm..............

I will try the cotton, interesting idea. Had never considered that option, does one simply take a ball and fluff it up to fill the void space or weigh out a given amount? I was very intrigued by the 2400 load....I do want to get some slow powder to work with though, I found slower powders to gie great results with the 357 Maximum and the 44 Magnum and cast bullets. Velocities not great but the groups were. They are dirty too, but nothing worse than black powder and I can keep shooting with swabbing.....

I have used perklos directions 3 times now, a fourth is obviouly coming. He has one of the best illustrated, photographed and explained set of instructions on the web concerning ANY home gunsmithing operation. He is also a good man, glad to see him acknowledged by others in the know, Thanks again, JP