45-70 SMOKELESS BLACK POWDER EQUIVALENT ("Trap Door" Suitable)

BUFFALO BORE 45-70 SMOKELESS BLACK POWDER EQUIVALENT
"TRAP DOOR" SUITABLE
405 gr. JFN @ 1,300 fps
20 Round Box

ITEM 8LBPE

"TRAP DOOR" ACTIONS

We are excited to introduce our new low pressure “Black Powder Equivalent” 45-70 loads, via popular customer demand. These “BPE” loads are safe to use in “Trap Door” actions, assuming the action is in normal operating condition. Original (1873) 45-70 Govt. ammo was released to the military, in the military rifle of the day, which was the Springfield model 1873.

SAAMI has set 45-70 pressure levels @ 28,000 PSI, which is potentially enough pressure to damage trap door actions, depending on the pressure curve of the ammo. Most authorities believe that 18,000 to 20,000 PSI is safe for all trap door actions that are in normal operating condition. All three of these loads are operating at or below 18,000 PSI.

We know from history that 45-70 loads of this power level literally pounded 2,000+ lb. bison. As bullet diameter increases, velocity and bullet expansion is less important in causing the bullet to be lethal to large animals…….and a 46 caliber, (.458 inch) non-expanding bullet is very big, relatively, so this low pressure/low velocity 45-70 ammo is very lethal to big critters.

One of these BPE loads is jacketed, and two of them are hard cast. The hard cast bullets, being slicker than bullet jacket material, will give more velocity at less pressure, if all else is equal, but hard cast bullets, burn dirtier than jacketed bullets, so take your pick. Also, shooting most types of smokeless powders at low pressures causes dirtier burning as well, but still, smokeless powders burning dirty at low pressures are about 95% cleaner than black powder, and smokeless powders remain non-corrosive, unlike black powder, which is very corrosive. Remember, (I know I’ll get the emails asking this repeatedly) these loads feature smokeless, completely non-corrosive powder.

An added benefit to these BPE loads is that they recoil very little relative to high pressure/high power 45-70 ammo………...i.e. they are fun to shoot.

I have included velocities from three different barrel lengths/rifles as a service to our customers. Your rifles, regardless of barrel length, will vary somewhat because all firearms are individuals.

Item # 8LBPE—405 gr. JFN @ 1,300 fps

➤ 1,220 fps - Marlin model 1895, 18.5-inch
➤ 1,266 fps - Marlin model 1895, 21.5-inch
➤ 1,322 fps - Browning 1885 High Wall, 28-inch

Item # 8MBPE—440gr. Hard Cast G.C. @ 1,300 fps

➤ 1,284 fps - Marlin model 1895, 18.5-inch
➤ 1,324 fps - Marlin model 1895, 21.5-inch
➤ 1,407 fps - Browning 1885 High Wall, 28-inch

Item # 8NBPE—500gr. Hard Cast Plain Base @ 1,250 fps

➤ 1,211 fps - Marlin model 1895, 18.5-inch
➤ 1,243 fps - Marlin model 1895, 21.5-inch
➤ 1,298 fps - Browning 1885 High Wall, 28-inch

1.  Item # 8L BPE is utilizing the same 405 gr. JFN bullet we load into Item 8B and Item 8I. While that bullet will expand readily at the higher velocities of those two above item #’s, at the much slower expected impact velocity of around 1,200-1,275 fps for the BPE load, it will still expand, but not much, unless you impact big shoulder bones, in which case it will readily expand to about 80 caliber.

2.  Item # 8M BPE is utilizing the same 430gr. hard cast Gas Checked bullet we load into item 8A and 8H. In those two higher velocity item #’s, we keep that bullet at a hardness of 22 BHN, but for this BPE load we have softened it to 15 BHN, which is still plenty hard to keep it from deforming on living mammalian tissues at these velocities, so it will still act as a penetrating solid, even if you hit large bones. Softening it (by adding a higher percentage of lead to the alloy) did make it weigh 440 grains, instead of the 430 grains it weighs when loaded into items 8A and 8H as a 22 BHN bullet. This bullet at these velocities will over-penetrate most large animals like large elk or AK/Yukon moose.

3.  Item # 8N BPE is a 15 BHN, plain base hard cast, flat nose bullet, which we do not use in any other 45-70 load we manufacture. While operating at nearly 1,300 fps out of the 28 inch Browning, it is 200 fps faster than its original 1873 black powder counterpart but is operating at roughly the same pressure. Just like the 15 BHN hard cast bullet we are loading into item # 8M BPE, this bullet will not deform at this velocity on living mammalian tissues, even when impacting big bones. I seriously doubt you could stop this bullet inside a 2,000 lb. bison, regardless of the angle of impact.

It should be noted that the original (1873) black powder 45-70 load featured a 500 gr. lead bullet @ around 1,100 FPS from 30 inch barrels. ……..I have a friend that lives in an upscale Idaho neighborhood of 10 to 100-acre parcels of deluxe ranchette type housing that borders the foothills and national forest. His neighborhood is full of elk, and it is legal to hunt them, but the neighbors (some of them) freak out at the sound of gunfire next to their house. So, several years ago, I developed item # 8N BPE (the 500gr. load) for him to kill elk within his suppressed Marlin Guide Gun (18.5-inch). Velocities needed to stay under 1,100 fps to remain subsonic, so we used a powder charge that kept his velocities at 1,050 fps from his short barrel. Since that time he and a couple of his neighbors have killed several bulls with that suppressed load. None of those bulls has ever needed to be shot more than once, to instantly collapse. Further, he has never recovered a single bullet, no matter the angle of the shot presented by the bulls—those bullets all pass-through, which can help you understand why they kill 2,000+ lb. bison, so well.

Whether you are shooting an antique trap door or a modern lever action rifle, we hope you will enjoy the light recoil, low report and devastating killing ability of these 45-70 BPE loads. BTW, if you are shooting an antique rifle of any make and model, it is your sole responsibility to be certain that rifle is in ordinary operating condition, before firing any ammunition through it!!!!! People often email me, wanting to know if their particular antique firearm is safe to shoot…..this is NOT something I can determine over the internet, no matter how many questions I ask. I will not make this determination over the internet as it is foolishly unsafe to the customer. Please be thoughtful and safe. Thank you for your business. Good shooting and God bless.

Item 8LBPE - Exterior Ballistics Charts for several Muzzle Velocities

_______________________________

Muzzle Velocity @ 1600 fps for Item 8LBPE

Muzzle Velocity @ 1500 fps for Item 8LBPE

Muzzle Velocity @ 1400 fps for Item 8LBPE

Muzzle Velocity @ 1300 fps for Item 8LBPE

Muzzle Velocity @ 1200 fps for Item 8LBPE

Muzzle Velocity @ 1100 fps for Item 8LBPE

Field Proven rifle and gun ammo. Maximum firepower ammo. Best ammunition for rifles and guns for sale. Buffalo Bore. Strictly big bore. Strictly Business.

Attention!
You must be 18 or older to order ammunition. Ammunition must ship UPS ground. Due to Department of Transportation regulations, we cannot accept returns on Ammunition. Make sure to use the correct ammunition in your gun. Check local laws before ordering.