OK, Inching my way along the double-rifle ladder, I am following an earlier purchase of a beautiful Joseph Lang muzzleloader(1825) 23 bore double rifle. It's gorgeous, I love it, but I stepped out of fidelity and picked up an Alex Henry 450 BPE 3 1/4 for what I hope is a lengthy tryst.

Here's the rub: back in my centerfire handgun years I reloaded a ton of ammo with a Lee turret press. Easy, great fun. At the time I bought a new RCBS Rockchucker from a fellow shooter going through a divorce with my idea being to start reloading for 45.70 and 30.30 and?

Never got around to it. I've never reloaded rifle ammo, and now I am faced with an absolute necessity to.

According to the seller, the gun is supposed to shoot 2 inch groups at 50 yds with a nitro-for-black load of 48 gr MR4198 w/300 gr SP bullet. I'll be able to verify this soon as the seller is sending me 20 loaded rounds. I also have the 2nd and 3rd Graeme Wright books, so I'm looking forward to experimenting , especially with ALL Blackpowder loads.

Anyway, you can see my quandry, are FAMILIAR with it, some of you. I found brass and a 450 die set on Buffalo Arms. I haven't a clue if the dies are compatable with my Rockchucker press, or if I can even use that press.

So. Take me by the hand. Direct me, please. I need all the help I can get. Many Thanks

Kid,
I use the 30 yr old Rockchucker press, Buffalo Arms die set and brass, with 46-48 grains of 4198, 12-14 grains of dacron and 300 gr cast lead bullets no gas check. About 1800 f/s. WORKS FINE!!!! My gun is a 1890s Jon Haberda. It shoots 7" high and groups 2-4" at 50 yds.
Great fun!!
Still trying to kill my first Texas hog with it.
Bob Jurewicz

Thanks, Bob! Sounds good. What primers do you use? Where do you pick up the dacron and all the other "possibles" (well, it IS BP, right?)? My Alex Henry is pre-1898, but I haven't checked out the serial # (3143) to see when it was made yet.

Yeah, I'm looking forward to having some fun; like I said, inching along. The Lang muzzleloading double, this BPE. I don't know if I'll ever have enough $$$ to get a Nitro Express, but I'm not planning on dying anytime soon, so maybe one day.....

Regular rifle primer (not magnum). If you have access to Double Gun Journal there is a great article in Volume XVI Issue 3 by Sherman Bell-"Finding Out For Myself Part X". It coverd everything you want to know about loading the 450BPE.
Bob Jurewicz

Just for the heck of it you may see how goex express black powder for cartridge rifles works. I was tickled to find my .360bpe Henry double regulates perfectly with it.
Steve

Thanks asgain, Bob! Yeah, I've got a full set of DGJ so I'll look back and pull that issue, you better believe it! Looks like I could be on my way before I thought. I really appreciate your help. - Marc

SKB - That's definitely of interest, because I'd like to be able to work up a totally black powder load as well as NFB. Many Thanks - Marc

Sherman Bell has other articles of interest in Double Gun Journal:
XVI Isuue 1, XV Issue 1&4.
Siegfied has a good article in XX Issue 4.
Now you have all my notes!
Bob Jurewicz

Looks like I'm all set! Next step: Make some calls and buy all this stuff I'll need. Then I'll have NO excuse for getting this beauty out to the range. Of course, you gotta factor in all the time it's gonna take me to read all those articles, Bob! Can't wait - I already made a nice litle stack of all my reading material for tonight, maybe tomorrow night, too. Then again, I'll have to re-read them once I get all the reloading stuff set up...Somebody please explain to my wife the importance of staying down in the cellar for extended periods.

Hello Kid,

On page 106 of 'British Sporting Rifle Cartridges' by Bill Fleming (1993) you will find some 25 loadings for the .450 x 3.25" BP Express. Bullet weights range from 270 - 350 grains and powder charges from 110 to 123 grains of BP. A great range of bullet types were used, not all were plain lead by any means.

There are an equal number of loads of Nitro for BP Express, however, these used British Powders that have not been made for several decades, and I know of no known conversions from these to compatible US made powders.

Have fun loading and shooting it.

Harry

Thank you, Harry, for that added information. It's certainly something you can never get too much of. It'll be interesting fun to compare notes between the Bell articles, the Graeme Wright book(s) and the Bill Fleming book you've suggested. And, of course, Bob's special blend!