Gallery Loads

[Dingelfutz]

Has anyone made up and used "gallery loads" in .45 and .50 caliber rifles? It seems to me that being able to shoot big bores like the various 1876 Winchester cartridges, for example, in indoor ranges (where permitted) might be an advantage to those of us who live "in the Frozen North". I understand that, "back in the day", Uncle Sam had gallery loads made up for the 45/70, as well as for the later .30/40 Krag and 30/06 cartridges.

[nemhed]

A friend loads X-Ring rubber bullets for his 44 magnums. When powered by a large pistol primer they work well at "garage or basement" distances, but the primer hole needs to be drilled out for best results. I see they are offered in a .451-.452 diameter which may work alright in a 45-70. There is plenty of info on wax bullets for other calibers on the wild, wild world of web.

[Rusty]

Over on the castboolits forum there is also information there about making bullets out of glue like they use in the hot glue guns.
I think smaller capacity cases like the pistol cartridges might make it easier though.

[AJMD429]

A friend loads X-Ring rubber bullets for his 44 magnums. When powered by a large pistol primer they work well at "garage or basement" distances, but the primer hole needs to be drilled out for best results. I see they are offered in a .451-.452 diameter which may work alright in a 45-70. There is plenty of info on wax bullets for other calibers on the wild, wild world of web.

Over on the castboolits forum there is also information there about making bullets out of glue like they use in the hot glue guns.
I think smaller capacity cases like the pistol cartridges might make it easier though.

- -
Idea!

NOW I have a use for those infernal shorter-than-supposed-to-be Hornady 'Leverevolution' cases I hated to throw away, but are a pain to reload...

[KCSO]

I'll see if I can find you a copy of an article I did a couple years ago on Galley Loads. They were used by the army in the 1880's to supplement range practice. I have a lot of info on them and have used them a lot for small game hunitng with 45-70 and such.

[HEAD0001]

There is alot of information out there on "Gallery Loads". you just have to dig a little bit to find it. I ended up using Red Dot and round balls for my gallery loads for my 45-70. Accuracy is very good out to 40 or 50 yards. And I have shot several grouse and other small game animals while deer hunting with these loads. My load is extremely quite. you can actually hear the hammer drop on my 1885 High Wall. I am in the middle of working up a load for my Low Wall in 45 Colt. I tried the loads with the over sized(heavier weight) bullets. They worked OK, but they were no more accurate than the round balls at 40 yards. Tom.

[adirondakjack]

If ya have a bullet sizer, a chunk of soft lead on the order of 90 or 100 grains can be swaged into a flat disk that ends up about 1/8" thick or a little more. A fired case drilled out to accept "thumb-seated" 209 shotshell primers, stick a primer in the case, and thumb seat your "bullet" in the case neck (DO NOT use any powder), and viola, instant gallery round you can stop with a carboard box with a bath towel or two bunched up inside. Reuse the bullet a few times, then hit it with the sizer again to bump it up.....

[Dingelfutz]

There is alot of information out there on "Gallery Loads". you just have to dig a little bit to find it. I ended up using Red Dot and round balls for my gallery loads for my 45-70. Accuracy is very good out to 40 or 50 yards. And I have shot several grouse and other small game animals while deer hunting with these loads. My load is extremely quite. you can actually hear the hammer drop on my 1885 High Wall. I am in the middle of working up a load for my Low Wall in 45 Colt. I tried the loads with the over sized(heavier weight) bullets. They worked OK, but they were no more accurate than the round balls at 40 yards. Tom.

Care to share powder charges?

[w30wcf]

A couple of loads mentioned here:
http://www.levergunscommunity.com/viewt ... =1&t=21914

w30wcf

[Lefty Dude]

Check out "Cowboy Fastdraw". They use a wax bullet & 45 cases that use a 209 SG primer.