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what commercial ammo in springfield trapdoor?

Glenn P asked:


I have a 1873 springfield trapdoor and i was wondering if GOEX black dawge blackpowder loads are okay&safe for this gun? i dont want to reload but i do want BP loads. They are flat nosed lead rounds@405gr

Ralph

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This entry was posted on Tuesday, February 17th, 2009 at 5:23 pm and is filed under Hunting. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

7 Responses to “what commercial ammo in springfield trapdoor?”

  1. blkangus_99 says:
    February 20, 2009 at 6:13 am

    Leslie

    If your firearm is safe to shoot you should be able to shoot commercial loads in it. The commercial loaders take into account the weaker actions people might use their ammunition in, such as your trapdoor. If you have not had your firearm checked out with a gunsmith you should do so prior to shooting.

  2. tugar357 says:
    February 22, 2009 at 7:05 pm

    Heather

    If it is an original, I would send it out to have it checked. It may not be safe to fire. Do you want to ruin it for that and endanger your life in the process?

    If it is safe or a replica. Most of the commercial stuff is okay. Or a few simple tools and you could reload your own.

  3. Martin O says:
    February 24, 2009 at 5:18 pm

    Marcia

    This firearm was designed for Black Powder cartridges only. Don’t shoot commercial 45-70 in it unless you have a desire to be blind, maimed, or killed. There are places who sell loaded ammo for them. One good source for this is:
    I’d have a gunsmith familiar with this weapon check it for you. There are many people who still shoot and love their trapdoors, and there are tons of sites online.

  4. dca2003311@yahoo.com says:
    February 25, 2009 at 5:14 pm

    Dolores

    Winchester 45-70 in 300 grain jacketed hollow point.*

  5. blackhawk4570 says:
    February 27, 2009 at 10:50 pm

    Christopher

    Yes, the Goex BP loads are safe in your Springfield. The original load for the rifle was a 500 grain lead bullet with 70 grains of FF black powder. The load for the carbine was a 405 grain lead bullet with 65 grains of FF black powder. If you want a smokeless load then the Remington 405 grain soft nose is loaded for the trapdoor and the current batch of Cowboy Action ammo by Black Hills is safe too.

    I have fired the above ammo through 2 trapdoors both rifle and carbine with no trouble.

  6. Irv S says:
    March 1, 2009 at 7:20 pm

    Dorothy

    That trapdoor is the weakest 45-70 action out there.
    A black power load ought to be safe, provided the gun
    is in good condition.
    Any commercial smokeless load will tell you not to
    put it in that gun right on the box.

  7. Robert says:
    August 26, 2009 at 7:13 pm

    There are several commercial smokeless that state clearly they are safe for all weapons, including a Trapdoor in good condition. Get your gun checked if you have doubts.

    405 grains at 1300 fps is about right.

    I would look for lead bullets vs jacketed because they will be easier on the steel of the barrel.

    They can be bought with both smokeless and blackpowder forms. Buffalo Arms is one source, they resell thru Cabelas.

    Try not to listen to naysayers. Trap doors server the military from 1860s to the 1940s and are still going today. They are plenty strong for blackpowder equivalent loads of 70 grains of BP and a 500 grain lead slug. There are numerous loads, both BP/BP substitute and smokeless that are safe and fit the bill.

    Good luck shooting!

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