.45-70 Government powder for Sharps

[warren5421]

I am loading for a C. Sharps shooting 535 GR Postial bullet for the MATTHEW QUIGLEY BUFFALO RIFLE MATCH I need powder recommendation other than 3031. A full load for the Sharps is doing a number on my shoulder. It still has to be a 1000 yard powder just a softer shooting powder. I have a lot of reloading books I just don't know how to find a softer shooting powder orther than trying it.

 

[MK20]

Use a slower powder

 

[JM4590]

Have you tried black powder? NOTHING shoots better in the Buffalo rifles than BP. If you are interested in loads , hit me up. I have a cpl BPCR rifles and have shot nothing but BP in them. AND, if you are going to Quigley….it’s blasphemy to shoot smokeless!

 

[JM4590]

And nobody shoots BPCR without one of these….

 

[Wyfox]

BP is the way to go, especially for the Quigly shoot.

H4895 works well too if your stuck on smokeless, good luck finding it though.
I run 3031 in my hunting load for my C.Sharps with a 420 hard cast.

 

[cas6969]

I used to shoot them in a .45-90 rolling block, all with XMP/AA 5744 IIRC.
Don't know that anything's going to make it shoot lighter than lighter bullets.

I started with it (and other similar rifles) with smokeless, then switched to real black powder. But eventually, over time it caused me to shoot them less and less and now I can't even remember the last time I fired them.

"Nothing shoots better..." maybe as a whole experience, but sometimes you just want to shoot. Not spend so much time loading, so much time cleaning. That .45-90 roller certainly shot better with smokeless than I ever got it to with black.

 

[JM4590]

Nothing shoots better..." maybe as a whole experience, but sometimes you just want to shoot. Not spend so much time loading, so much time cleaning.

Loading….yes, much more involved than smokeless. Cleaning….bullshit. Takes no more time to clean after shooting BP than smokeless. It’s all in what one wants to accomplish. Accurate loads are easily achievable with BP if one wants to dedicate the time to get it done. My BPCR rifles will group with any smokeless rifles bullet for bullet at any given distance. BP is not what folks think. 10 rams at 500 meters is easily done with BP loads. OP already has 3/4 of the equation. C Sharps makes a fine rifle! Feed it some BP and see what it can do …

 

[Bigfatcock]

You don’t always have to make match loads with BP, which is where the majority of the extra work comes in. Just like smokeless.

 

[warren5421]

I started shooting BP in 1957 using DuPont and an 1860 carried by a neighbor's grandpa in the dustup in the 1860's. Don't remember which side he was on. I was in the 5th grade.

 

[6MT]

I’m using smokeless (IMR4198) in my Chiappa 1874 Quigley Sharps. I’m not using a real heavy bullet, nor is it cast. Here’s what works for me with the 34” 1:18” barrel.

IMR4198 38gr, CCI BR2, Campro 450gr Spitzer (full copper plated) bullet (2270fps), CBTO 2.200” (+.005” jump)

I know it’s not tradional, but it is a lot of fun. And using smokeless means none of the BP cleaning necessities.