My experiences with the .45-70 Springfield

I was looking over a few old files and I came across this one. I may have posted this file here before but I think some of the new guys might like to read it,

DOUG BOWSER
907 8TH ST.
McCOMB, MS 39648

601-341-8797

DOUGLASMBOWSER@YAHOO.COM

MY EXPERIENCES WITH THE 1873 TRAPDOOR SPRINGFIELD
When I was 16 years old, my Dad and I drove from Syracuse to Homer, New York. The big attraction in Homer was Jerry Crozier's Gun Shop. We were looking at the Bargain Rack and we found a sporterized 1873 Springfield Trapdoor in .45-70 Government. We asked about ammunition and Jerry broke out two 500 round cases of UMC Government Standard .45-70 ammunition for $.04 per round. The ammunition was loaded with the 500 gr Government Rifle bullet and King's Semi-smokeless Powder. The recoil in the carbine was ferocious. Although I was 16 years old, I was 6'1" and 210 pounds. Even with my size and weight, the recoil was hard to take from the bench rest. Not many rounds could be fired before I had to quit. The accuracy of this rifle and ammo combination was three inches at 100 yards.

The same day we bought the rifle and ammunition, Dad bought an Ideal Nutcracker Reloading Tool. This was not a Lyman product but from the original Ideal factory. There was a bullet mould on the end of the tool and a bullet sizing chamber as well. This was an excellent way to get more ammo for the Trapdoor and it would not kick your brains out. The bullet the mould cast was a 405 gr Government Carbine bullet. My Dad would not buy me smokeless powder but he did buy 4 pounds of DuPont Black Powder and 1000 large rifle primers. We had to have a NY State Powder Permit to pick up the powder.

I had to fire the UMC ammo to have empty cases to reload. I tried the bench, offhand and prone with a rifle jacket. The prone position was amazing, the rifle kicked so hard it would move me 10" to 12" to the rear on each shot. I decided the fun way to shoot the Trapdoor was offhand.

I cast bullets from wheel weights and sized them in my tong tool. The next step was to pan lube the bullets. I bought a Lyman "Cookie Cutter" that was designed to cut the bullets out of the pan melted lube and leave the lube in the grooves of the bullet. You had to set the bullets upright in a heated pan and add Lyman bullet lube until all the grease grooves were covered with lube. Let the lube cool and use the “Cookie Cutter” to cut the bullets out of the lube.

I loaded the 405 gr bullets with 55 gr FFG Powder. That was the original Government carbine load. My home brewed ammo was not quite as accurate as the UMC Factory loads but it still stayed in 4" at 100 yards.

When I went deer hunting with the Trapdoor, I used the UMC 500 gr loads as long as the supply held out. It was 1958 and the ammo was made circa 1890. Every one of the 68 year old rounds fired with only one slight hang fire. In 1959, I killed a deer at 75 yards with the rifle and the old ammo. It was struck in the shoulder and went down like a ton of bricks. I sold the old rifle years ago with the brass and Ideal tool. I often wished I had not.

Doug Bowser

Great read, Doug! A friend has a Sharps in .45/90 and it is fun to cast and make the ammo and of course to shoot. Makes me think of starting it.

Great story Doug. I've got several trapdoors but haven't shot them lately. This makes me want to drag them out. Did yours shoot high at 100 yards? Mine all shoot 12" to 18" high with the sight all the way down. I would like to hunt with mine but I don't want to take a chance on wounding one and losing it because of a bad shot.

Good story Doug, thanks for sharing!

Great story!

The rifle I had was cut down to 26". The front sight had to be filed down to azero at 100 yards. It has a buffington rear sight on it. Do you shoot the rifle with the sight ladder up or down? If down that would explain the high zero. The open rear sight is a battle sight and shoots higher than the lowest setting on the sight ladder when it is up.

We also used to buy WW2 .30 M2 ammo for $.03 per round. Those were the days.

Doug

Mine have the Buffington rear sight. I was shooting with the ladder down. I'll try them with the ladder up. I could replace the front sight with a taller one but then the bayonet can't be installed. Need the bayonet in case I have to finish off a deer or fight off the zombies.

Great story

If y'all want me to, I can write another story or two about some of the unusual rifles and handguns I have owned

Doug

Doug Bowser wrote:If y'all want me to, I can write another story or two about some of the unusual rifles and handguns I have owned

Doug

Absolutely.

My grandfathers primitive weapon is a bubba'd trapdoor, the barrel is 20" I think. It's a neat rifle that's accurate too.

Please do it, Doug!

Great story Doug. I still have the 1884 Springfield carbine that my father left to me. He told me that he traded a bicycle for it when he was in his early teens.I also have a 1901 model Colt .38 LDA revolver that my wife's grandfather brought back from France in WW1.He was an ambulance driver and carried it through the war.He told me that when they were turning in equipment at the end of the war, the revolver was in a flap holster on a belt and he took it out of the holster and stuck it in his belt and tossed the belt and holster on the turn in pile. According to him, no one noticed or cared.

I would like to read more of your stories.

t...

Enjoyed the story. Fond memories.

I still have my 45/70 trapdoor. Wrote about it 7/22/10 in the item, “Me 'N' The Duke”.

It’s still on the board at: http://www.msgunowners.com/t7252-me-n-the-duke

I’d appreciate you keep telling the “old” stories. They ring a bell.


Ed