45/70 - the original long range caliber

KMCCORD spoke of the difficulty of cleaning the rifle and cartridge cases after shooting with black powder . They are very messy , but in September 2002 , I was told an easier and simpler way of cleaning rifle and cartridge cases after use of black powder by an older shooter , in his 80's at that time . This gentleman and his wife were voluntary caretakers at the NRA Whittington Center , living in their travel trailer there at Whittington . He was at the silhouette range shooting his Sharps while my 2 brothers and I were shooting our .45-70 rifles .
When we stopped shooting and began the tedious , filthy task of cleaning our rifles with Hoppe's Black Powder cleaning solvent , this older shooter asked if he might offer a suggestion to speed-up the cleaning process . Of course we said yes .
He asked me to open the hood of my truck , remove the radiator cap , put a clean patch on my cleaning rod , and dip the clean patch into the antifreeze , then run the wet patch through the bore , remove the dirty patch , run 2 -3 clean dry patches through the bore , and repeat the process a second time with another clean patch soaked with anti-freeze followed by clean dry patches to finish the bore cleaning .
He said to use ONLY green anti-freeze mixed with water at a 50 / 50 ratio , and suggested that we buy a 1 gallon jug of pre-mixed green ethyl-glycol based anti-freeze at the local auto parts store . He also suggested that the fired cartridge cases be dropped into that gallon jug of pre-mixed anti-freeze , which not only cleaned the cases , but neutralized the corrosive effects of black powder .
IT WORKS !!!!
The anti-freeze also does the same for the bore and chamber of the firearm , in addition to protecting the bore from rust , same as it does for the inside of a cast-iron or steel engine block .
His advice and method made our cleaning much easier and less filthy and a much shorter , quicker process .

DMP25-06
I work our Black Powder range and use the antifreeze for cleaning the muzzle loaders.

I create a threaded piece of brass that I replace the nipple with and added a rubber hose I place in the antifreeze bottle. Just run a tight patch up and down the bore (like working an old fashion water pump) . it draws the soluting in and out of the bottle. I finish up with a couple of dry patched and then a little oil.
All the parts are put into a ultra sonic cleaner with the antifreeze. Simple
 
The one he used at Adobe Walls was the .50-90 Sharps, and he borrowed it from the trading post.
I think he borrowed it from a fellow who was shot and injured too badly to continue shooting. His wagon tipped over and he lost his crossing a creek. The best shot there, and he had to wait for someone to get hurt to join the fight.
 
Any of you gentlemen tried Trail Boss, my most accurate powder I've used so far is IMR 4198. A very light load of 38grn under a Hornady 300gr hollow pt, shoots very well and still gets pass throw on whitetail. I was looking at trying TB with some 500 gr lead cast from wheel weights. I would like to run them at or just under 1000fps. I have loaded some with 16gr of Blue Dot and they are cream puffs but i dont want to use a filler.
 
I like collecting old cartridges too.
.348, .444, .45-70, and .50-110 :)

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Any of you gentlemen tried Trail Boss, my most accurate powder I've used so far is IMR 4198. A very light load of 38grn under a Hornady 300gr hollow pt, shoots very well and still gets pass throw on whitetail. I was looking at trying TB with some 500 gr lead cast from wheel weights. I would like to run them at or just under 1000fps. I have loaded some with 16gr of Blue Dot and they are cream puffs but i dont want to use a filler.

if it were me I would try unique over trailboss. do a little searching for.... 45-70 unique loads
 
Any of you gentlemen tried Trail Boss, my most accurate powder I've used so far is IMR 4198. A very light load of 38grn under a Hornady 300gr hollow pt, shoots very well and still gets pass throw on whitetail. I was looking at trying TB with some 500 gr lead cast from wheel weights. I would like to run them at or just under 1000fps. I have loaded some with 16gr of Blue Dot and they are cream puffs but i dont want to use a filler.

if it were me I would try unique over trail boss. do a little searching for.... 45-70 unique loads
 
I have an 1884 Springfield and shoot Black Hills, box ammo. It's sob moa at 200 yds. The only reason I know is when I went on a hunt in SD, the outfitter had me "prove" the rifle, before the hunt. Three shots, with the first being dead nuts "X." I've never shot it past 200, before then, or after. But, the sight graduates to 1200, I think. I am very confident in that rifle and would not be afraid the let one loose to that range, as far as elevation goes. Now deflection, totally different story... I could be a mile left, or right.
 
I have used trail boss and blue dot. They both were running around 975 and 1050 FPS using magnum primers and 535 grain greasers. Very fun to shoot but both tended to key hole beyond 100 yards and they were not hunting rounds. They were also very dirty so I just went to black powder for my fun loads. Always be sure of your measurement of powder, the pressures can be dangerous in those powders. Not the kind of groupings that 4198 will give you
 
I have used trail boss and blue dot. They both were running around 975 and 1050 FPS using magnum primers and 535 grain greasers. Very fun to shoot but both tended to key hole beyond 100 yards and they were not hunting rounds. They were also very dirty so I just went to black powder for my fun loads. Always be sure of your measurement of powder, the pressures can be dangerous in those powders. Not the kind of groupings that 4198 will give you

The rifling in my Marlin isnt fast enough to run them much over 100 yrds but they sure are fun to hit the steel gong with
 
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