In over my head! 45-3 1/4"

[Mauser98]

  Where do I start?
 Bought an 1885 replica chambered in 45-3 1/4, because i wanted a high wall NOW and it was a three month wait for a 45-90. It sure is pretty, all case colored with nice walnut. Too bad I ain't got a clue how to get it to shoot consistantly!
  The first load I tried was 115 grains (volume) of 2f pyrodex select (I know, I know...Pyro is a bad word!!) and, having nothing cast on hand, a speer 400 gr. flat nose. The first 5 rounds went into an inch and a half! I thought "HMMM...this BPCR stuff don't seem to hard." Then on about round 30 I had a case split longitudinally, just above the web. Fortunatley there was no damge to the rifle, just my confidance.
  Since then I have backed the charges down (85 gr), started using Swiss 1 1/2 f with case fillers and home cast bullets. Now I can't even keep them hitting in a 10" circle and 100 yds.
  The Swiss powder and 425 gr. bullets seem to have potential, 2" is smallest group, but when a recipe is duplicated it is anybodies guess. Sometimes 2" group, sometimes 10". 
  Any advice from someone who knows what there doing would be greatly appreciated.

 (I should have waited for the 45-90)

Two things to note: The bore is small (0.456), and the twist is 1 in 30 (so much for 535 gr. Postells)

[stimpylu32]

This reply is by Lead pot , i had to copy & paste it to get it back were it needed to be .

Mauser,

The .45-3.25 can be a hawg! I spent 5 years with one.
Before I give you some advice I need to know your twist, if you wipe or blow tube or just load and shoot, and your loading procedure.
From what you say with a load 85 grains of Swiss you will have at least 1/2" airspace under that bullet, and if you have a wad on that powder charge with that much air space you will ring that chamber.
Please post the information.

Kurt

[Lead pot]

Well Stimpy I guess Mauser isn't coming back.

Thank you.

Kurt

[PaulS]

He might be back - its only been a few days. Do the black powder substitutes need to be packed to the bullet like black powder does? Back when I was learning to shoot BP I learned that if there was an airspace the powder would detonate and cause very high pressure spikes. If that is true with the substitutes then reducing a charge without seating the bullet on top of the powder would be dangerous. If you can't use a wad, is there any other way to pack the powder to prevent detonaton?

[Mauser98]

I'm still here. Been too danged busy shoveling snow!
The twist rate is, I believe, too slow at 1 in 30". So i've been sticking with 430 grain and lighter bullets.
I usually put 5 shots down range before dry brushing, and wet patch after ten.
I drop the powder through a 12" tube and then use hominy grits to fill the case to .350 from the case mouth. This lets me compress the charge about .150" when I seat the bullet. I know one fella that insists on use polyester pillow stuffing as case filler. So far he has ringed two chambers! That's enough to scare me off. He might be rich enough not to care, but I ain't.
My lead is about 7% tin. I wonder if that is too hard.
  Like I mentioned before, what stumps me is that the same (or what i percieve to be the same) recipe loaded on different days shoots completely different.

[Lead pot]

Mauser this should be on the World of Black Powder Cartridge Rifles, Loading, Shooting and Reloading.
I posted the reply there.

Kurt