Remington mfg 45-70 in trap door Springfield?

ammo guy

I recently bought a Springfield Model 1884 Trap Door. It is good condition with clean bore. The question is, is Remington 300 gr commercial ammo safe to shoot in it? The box says "safe in any Gun".

charliemeyer007

So this like an old black powder 45-70. I would be shooting black powder loads in it if it were mine. A really fine mint condition old guy could perhaps due just fine with low pressure nitro loads. Trap doors are one of the weaker designs IMHO.

Cheechako

Remington's lawyers would not them manufacture and sell 45-70 ammunition that wasn't safe for any of the old rifles and carbines. Use it with confidence.

Many will tell you that the jacketed bullets will destroy a barrel but your shoulder will wear out long before the bore. I shoot nothing but jacketed handloads in mine. They are safe, accurate, and a lot cleaner. Back in the 18th Century, shooters dreamed of the day when they didn't have to shoot black powder and lead bullets. That day is now and yet there are some who will insist otherwise.

rufe-snow

I let a guy shoot the commercial, 300 grain jacketed ammo. In my Japanese made, Browning 1886 repo. Because of the half moon butt plate, he cried like a baby. I guess him shooting it while wearing just a T shirt, wasn't such a good idea.[:D]

It might be safe in a Trap door. But you would find it way more enjoyable. To shoot the reduced velocity, lead bullet SASS/cowboy loads, in it. The companies that load for the SASS shooters, keep their loads under 1000 FPS.

Laredo Lefty

If the box says "Safe in any gun", then that's the case. Those loads are OK to shoot in even your Trap Door.

I reload my 45-70 ammo fairly hot, but I am shooting them in a Ruger #1 and a Henry H010 I just bought. The Henry manual says the gun will handle any factory loads.

ammo guy

Thanks for the replies, I am going to call their customer service and see what they say.

ammo guy

A correction on the gun it is a Model 1878, mfg in 1884, I call Remington and they were not supportive of using the ammo. I asked about the ballistics of this rd and they indicted the velocity of the 300 gr bullet at about 1800 fps. I checked out a reloading book that had loads just for the rifle in question that showed loads at around 1600 fps for the same bullet. Not that much difference?

rufe-snow

Use this stuff, it's specifically made for Trapdoors.

http://www.powderrivercartridge.com/4570-trapdoor-ammo-for-sale-405RNFP20-p/4570t405-20.htm

Ambrose

I'm not sure if this info will be of help but FWIW: My .45-70 is a 26" re-barreled Siamese Mauser and I have fired the cartridges you've inquired about in it. I fired 5 five-shot groups with an average 1809 fps and 100 yd. groups that averaged 1.69".

Also, several years ago, I did some range firing with a friend's rifles, one of which was a 1884 Springfield that had been cut down to resemble a carbine. It had a 24" barrel. Among other loads, I fired 300 gr. Remington factory loads in it. Velocity was 1784 fps with group size 6.5". I also fired the similar Winchester 300 gr. factory loads with the velocity reading of 1809 fps and 4.83 group.

His other rifle was a replica 22" Sharps carbine:
300 Rem. factory @ 1754 fps and 3.77" group
300 Win. factory @1784 fps and 5.29" group

I had no qualms about shooting those cartridges in that old 1884 but whether you want to shoot them in your rifle is for you to decide. They seemed quite mild especially compared to some of the hand loads I've fired in the Siamese. In fact they were a lot of fun. In addition those cartridges would make decent hunting loads if you wished to use your rifle for that.

tsr1965

The Browning 1878, is the precursor to the 1885 Winchester. Those 45-70 loads are safe in ANY gun just like the box says. I have several BPCR rifles, in 45-70, and prefer the 405 hard cast, on top of a load of 32 grains of IMR 4198. Runs at about 1400 fps and is capable of 500 yards, or more, in those rifles.

gruntled

quote:Originally posted by Laredo Lefty
If the box says "Safe in any gun", then that's the case. Those loads are OK to shoot in even your Trap Door.

I reload my 45-70 ammo fairly hot, but I am shooting them in a Ruger #1 and a Henry H010 I just bought. The Henry manual says the gun will handle any factory loads.


I use reduced loads & lead bullets in my 1873 Trapdoor & my Thompson Contender. That's how I keep them separate from the jacketed loads I use in my Ruger #3 & my 1895G Marlin. I don't really know what the Thompson Contender will withstand but I don't think the heavier loads are a good idea.