Home Forums Hunting & Shooting BPCR 43 Spanish

Been finishing up a project, and the brain is already starting the next one.

Planning on a blackpowder cartridge this time for a SxS short barreled plaything, and I was basing my work on finding cheap parts.

Got a line on a couple barrels for the 43 Spanish, and I just wanted to get the collective skinny on this cartridge as a viable double gun cartridge in black powder.

Been told (here) that bottlenecks don't always make the best BP cartridges, but is the 43 Espanol the exception?

Would I be better off just going 45-70?

Is there another caliber I should be looking at to handle charging woodchucks under 100 yards?

Are you aware that 43 Spanish brass is close to $3 a pop?

With Necks to THICK at no extra charge.

GTC

Buffalo Arms has the loaded ammo for 76 bucks/box of 20.

If you've not worked with BP in cartridges the 45-70 is always the best first time around and is never wrong. Selection of componets, data and a jillion rounds of experience among shooters definitely gives the old war horse the advantage. If you're wanting something different from the herd the 43 Spanish is not a bad choice. I assume you've looked into the ballistics. A little light in bullet weight compared to the 45-70 but certainly adequate for any medium game in the U. S. Given that you mentioned short barrels in a double one assumes you're looking at an express type cartridge so the lighter bullet would be right in line. To my knowledge bullet selection is limited in all the 43's and that can cause NO END of frustration when regulating the barrels with the load. Something one might keep in mind. The Mauser is .446, the Spanish 1 7/8 BN case .439, and a later Spanish straight case, the Reformado, that takes a .454. 11mm's are all over the place thus few bullets in the U. S.

I have a 43 Mauser in a German double, a BN case, and I didn't have any problems finding a good, accurate, straight BP load for individual barrels, (see post in "New guy-Old shooter", page 4 I believe). I did have problems finding a load that would regulate and ended up using a duplex load. Many years ago I worked up a good load for a Martini-Henry in 577/450 and it didn't take long. I did use a lot of filler in the 577/450. I too have heard the BN bugaboo and am inclined to believe it. My experience with BN cases was not unpleasant until I tried to get two barrels to shoot to the same POA and I've had that same issue with straight cases in BP double rifles. Good luck and I'd be curious to know what you choose.

Vic

Thanks Vic.

The whole exercise is that I like tinkering, so a black sheep in a herd of white cattle is fine. The component issue is an issue, however, unless I decided to start rolling my own, but that's still a challenge for regulation.

Thing is, I may never make another one, so do I want the cool factor or not. Guess I need to sort that out.



Do now.

I know that many of the ol' BP cases were capable of longer range performance, but I'm concentrating on big lead at shorter ranges, and the chunks that the 43 are capable of hurling are more than adequate for proposed use.

But it seems the more questions I ask, the more the 45-70 keeps rearing its head.

Which is why I ask.

Thanks guys.

Unless you're very good at regulating a double with the barrel wedge to a particular factory load you will almost certainly have to reload, regardless the cartridge you choose. I believe if I were contemplating doing something as you describe...if I was even capable of such work...I'd go 45-70 and eliminate the cartridge problem. If this is your first endeavor with a double rifle you have an education ahead of you.

crossfire mentioned necks too thick. I had that problem with some Bertram 40-82 WCF brass. More frustration and another thing to consider. And he's right, they don't charge extra for it.

jamison sells 43 spanish brass a bit cheaper than 3 $.

Another option if the barrels slug out to the proper bore and groove would be either 44-77's the bottleneck (again available brass from Jamison) or the straight version, made by running 45-70 brass into the sizing die.

The 44-77 sharps/remington bottleneck was the original US Creedmoor cartridge.

I got one of them in that caliber. Relined it for a 38/55 with lenghtened throat fer 38/70.

Go with the 45-70 ( to many reasons why to list)

Nor sure what you mean by the cool factor however to me "cool" is not the 43 Spanish.
IMHO