Bullet Size for Trapdoor

[Patrick Chadwick]

Let me ask another question. The gun closed on both a no-go and field gauge. Yet I was told it should be ok with black powder loads. Is that true? The gunsmith obviously did not want to put him inself into a legal conundrum.

The gunsmith's position is understandable. Checking such old rifles with gauges set to modern standards is not only typically a waste of time - it can be dangerously misleading, by giving the user a false impression of safety if the gauge test is OK. Many other things can make an old BP unsafe to fire - deep rust pits, welding repairs, worn/missing pins on RBs and Martinis, replacement barrels with the wrong thread and thus very little bearing surface, chambers drilled right through for scopes...

[Sunray]

"...wont be able to get 70 grains of black powder in..." Sure you can. Did it years ago during the Great BP Cartridge Experiment. No Internet or books to tell me TrapDoor Carbines used 55 grains of BP and by volume. OUCH!!! Really best to buy a copy of the Lyman BP Handbook and Reloading Guide first.
Anyway, 45-70 uses a .458" cast or jacketed bullet. Cast absolutely must be lubed.

[mr.tickle]

Just curious is there anyway to fix the excessive headspace?