4: <500 fps; dim, dull red fireball.
*: Same Test; **
Same Test
All charges thrown from Hornady L-n-L powder measure excepting
test marked (SC) see note B.
All estimated lengths taken by measuring
dowel protrusion from barrel, before and after attempting shot. All
other lengths taken with dial caliper. (On all misfires, "after" length
ignores several-thousandths-inch protrusion of primer from head of
case.)
45-70 Blackpowder Tests: Primer Plume Penetration Study simulant
over primer,
followed by GOEX FFFg, followed by simulant under bullet
Bullet: Bear Creek Supply loaded at 2.528-inch overall length. All test charges compressed 20% by seating bullet. Bullet solidly engraved into rifling upon closing bolt – hence primer blast did not move bullet. Separate test suggests that simulant compresses about ten times as much as FFFg in this situation
Notes for following table: *This Inert/FFFg/Inert
loading sequence chosen to minimize report and blackpowder smoke (testing
done in author's garage with rounds fired into dirt under crawlspace
of house – certain other family members patiently commented on the
vile odor seeping through the floor…).
Were I forced to guess, velocity
ranking, from fastest load to slowest load (of those test loads that
fired), would be as follows: 5341, 215, WLRM, 2˝.