As the title states, do any of you folks have any hands on experience with duplex loads with black powder cartridges? Interested to know how they performed and the components used. There seems to be alot of controversy on this subject, but it intrigues me. I have a friend in Montana who swears by duplex loading and has taken a few Buffalo with them out of a 45-70 Trapdoor. Thanks in advance!
Duplex Loads
- Thread starter Goodwin81
- Start date
A few years back we had a big steel buffalo target set up just a bit over a half a mile away from our firing point. It was actually in the next county which always gave us a bit of a chuckle .A couple of my buddies shot 45-90s and on occasion used duplex loads. Both complained of increased recoil . I would assume that would mean increased velocity. If they ever choreographed the loads they never mentioned it to me. They were using 4gr. of unique under a case full of FF and a 535 gr bullet. The loads did shoot much cleaner but they still used a blow tube.
I do not think they found a change in accuracy , but i watched both of these fellows put 8 out of 10 shots on a 10 inch diameter gong mounted on the heart area of the distant buffalo.
They were both using Browning reproduction BPCR rifles which are pretty strong. I think I would hesitate to use a load like that in a trapdoor.
It was mostly just an experiment and ended up staying with there regular BPRC silhouette loads .
I do not think they found a change in accuracy , but i watched both of these fellows put 8 out of 10 shots on a 10 inch diameter gong mounted on the heart area of the distant buffalo.
They were both using Browning reproduction BPCR rifles which are pretty strong. I think I would hesitate to use a load like that in a trapdoor.
It was mostly just an experiment and ended up staying with there regular BPRC silhouette loads .
The YouTube channel "Everything Black Powder" delves into "duplex loads" in a variety of calibers, including .45 LC, .44-40, .303 British, etc.
It is an interesting topic, but can be quite dangerous if not done properly (as with most things).
He makes some very interesting content worth checking out.
It is an interesting topic, but can be quite dangerous if not done properly (as with most things).
He makes some very interesting content worth checking out.
It's about a cleaner bore. You don't really gain velocity. Everything black powder on utube has gone all through this. The Russian way is pretty interesting and everything black powder covers this. Powder in case first then smokeless then card wad or grease lube wad, then your bullet.
With cleaner bore you get better accuracy. Remember all black powder not the same for fouling. Also most over the counter bullet molds meant for smokeless.
Everything black powder is one of my favorite shows.
Yes I understand that. But how? What is causing it to have a cleaner bore?
saskgunowner101
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- near Prince Albert
Dude, unless I'm reading that wrong, I'm about 1000% sure you have that backwards. Let's not get newbies thinking a duplex load is blackpowder with a shot of smokeless on top of it.
Rod B
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
You are correct, definitely smokeless under the Black powder.
Are you able to explain how duplex loads reduce fouling? I tried a quick google search and found lots of discussion about the fact that it does, but little in the way of explaining the how.
I talked to a fellow form our club, when I joined. 1 rule was no duplex loads. So I asked " What are they and why?". He said that 3-4 Grains of red dot then black. Acts like a super magnum primer, hotter and better ignition cleaner burning. I started using Federal 215 primers when using black powder cartridge rifle. Seemed to work
No I didn't get it backwards. Yes traditional duplex load is smokeless first and then black powder and bullet but Russian way is opposite with smokeless on top of black powder.
If you watch everything black powder and I forget which episode but he did the whole Russian duplex loading and got better results than traditional duplex.
If I'm remembering right the Russians used black over the primer because in extreme sibiberian winter temperatures smokeless is harder to ignite.
Anyway in our normal temperatures the Russian duplex way gave him superior results.
I highly recommend that black powder everyday channel. He is always doing something cool.
saskgunowner101
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- near Prince Albert
I literally had no idea that was a thing, at least in Russia. I'll have to look into that to understand why.
