looking for super wimp load

[wolfie]

my boys 5 and 8 want to shoot daddys sharps real bad but a 45 110 is a bit much for them.i think they just want to hear the boom and see the smoke and say they did that.
would i get in to any trouble loading 20gr of 2f and craming a few wads down tight on top no bullet work with out goofing any thing up?
thanks in advance.

[8iowa]

I don't think the 45-110 can be safely loaded down enough to satisfy your intended purpose.

I started my son out with a Winchester 94 in 30-30. I loaded reduced loads of Unique with cast lead bullets. This worked out very well.

[RichBratlee]

hi wolfie, If you loaded 20gr 2f and put the wads directly on the powder charge it would be ok--All you are doing is making a blank--smoke and noise, no pressure and no recoil to scare them off!

Rich

[wolfie]

thanks rich for the imput , thats what i was thinking they just want to make nosie.they can work on accury with there chipmunk 22lr

[RichBratlee]

No prob--- but that brings up another thought--a Shver or Crossno insert!!!! THen they can shoot 22 AND play with Dad's Sharps!!

[taw1126]

The Shaver/Crossno insert suggestion from Rich is more cost-effective than mine...I was going to recommend buying them a Little Sharps in one of the rimfire calibers:
http://dakotaarms.com/cgi-bin/quikstore ... _match=yes

Base price of $3100 is only about what a loaded-up Shiloh would run you...anyone know why a scaled down, rimfire version of the Sharps can't be made for less money? Maybe there's not a real market for them but they sure would be fun to play with.

Trey

[Bad Ass Wallace]

I let kids shoot my 45/120 with ease; a case full of powder capped off with a 142gn .457 round ball for the Ruger old army. The smile on their faces when they reasise that it won't hurt them is priceless.

[JAGG]

Wolf ! Use 35grs of 2fg and a cloth patched .015and a .445 round ball for 40 yd shooting ! Seat the ball down onto the powder with a wooden dowel if you don't have a ball starter ! This way they can hit something to boot ! OH ! Put lube on the patch first ! JAGG

[squire pickett]

Afternoon Wolfie,

Awhile back we messed around with reduced loads for a friend's farm where the range was limited due to the close proximity of neighbors. Trimmed 45-70 cases to 1.5 inches and loaded with 1f, wonder wad and .454 round ball. Lots of boom and smoke, no recoil, minute of rabbit accuracy.

Regards,
Squire

[ffffgdave@yahoo.com]

i would work up a load using 2f and corn meal.. id start with 50 grains ffg and meal to give slight compression.. then work down till load is right.. 20 grains sounds a little light to me.. the meal will give you some accuracy. when i got some of veril smiths lapping grit i used 3 grains bulls eye according to his dirrections. first round got stuck in the barrel.. then upped the charge and could see the bullet flying down range it was going so slow..that was a long time ago.. the only thing that stoped the leading in my bore on that gun was his blue lube.. good luck dave.

[wolfie]

thanks for some good ideas gents going to load some blanks and some reduced loads for the boys this weekend got my new case of powder in this week but am going to have to wait till next week to play or get a real big umbrella,darned rain

[Ken Hartlein]

Wolfie you might want to try an original load for the ol springfield trapdoor which is about 40 grains of powder, a wad and 2 .457 balls pushed on top of that. Tie balloons on the target for the boys to shoot at, when they hit one it has a very pleasant visual effect.. That is the way I got my grandson to enjoy shooting bows so much, when we break a balloon with an arrow it is pure fun!! It's amazing how accurate the load with the balls are!!

[JAGG]

K H ! That was the originial 3 ball guard load you are talking about ! It is good for about 40 to 50 yds ! But uses a lot of lead i will call them ! JAGG