50/95 WCF

[William Davis]

4759 was my go to powder for smokeless 45/70 & 38/55 loads. It's no longer produced. Switched the bigger cases to 4227 which is the most often used 32/40 powder . In the larger cases its position sensitive which is not a negative target shooting, if you mount the gun same way every time. Old manuals Recomended 4198, I don't know of anybody who uses it.

At one of the big long range shoots Quigly I think , several rifles have been blown up with 5744. All sorts of Internet arguments why. My guess is a double charge.

Really Black Powder is the best option with Trail Boss 2nd & I prefer Black by a large margin. Big cases are hard to load with smokeless. I had a Marlin 1895 45/70 tried my best to get good smokeless performance in NRA Lever Rifle Silhouette. (black not required) Gave it up for a 30/30, caliber that wins most matches . All that empty space has to dealt with somehow and the solutions all have negatives.

I still shoot some Pistol Caliber Silhouette with Black in a Marlin 1894 38/40 and clean up is not a problem, but a much better performer is a 2nd near twin 1894 in 25/20 using smokeless powder. Small case full.

William

[C.O.B.]

Trail Boss is a great smokeless powder for the large cases. I use it in a 500 BPE double and for reduced loads in a 450-400 3" NE. I down load my 375 H&H (pre64 M70) with 4227 and a jacketed pistol bullet. It makes for a fine deer round.

[James L. Martin]

You do not want to load old big bore cartridges with any powder that does not fill the case 100% . I think that real black powder is best , but if you worry about the fowling and cleanup I would try that Blackhorn 209, you load it the same as black , that is by volume. Fill the case and put a nitro card on top of powder then bullet to achieve AOL. I have loaded a few hundred rounds with it and all have shot great. I do plan on also trying Trail Boss.When you have extra air in the case you can get a chamber ring or worse. Just use a mag primer as Blackhorn 209 is hard to ignite. By the way Blackhorn 209 is I believe the only black powder substitute that is non corrosive and you clean up the same as any smokeless powder. Trail Boss is not a black powder substitute.