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Here's a rifle that's been in my family for 5 generations. mfg. 1883

That's a beauty! Hard to see in that pic but it looks like the wood has some pretty nice grain to it.

Hi Skinner
Thats one sweet rig
Thanks for the great photo

Nice old rifle.Do you ever shoot it or take it out on a hunt?

I usually get to take it out a few times a year, and I actually took a small whitetail buck with it a few years ago. I struck it right behind the base of the ear from 35 yards, took it right off its feet and it made a 1/4 turn away from me in the air and fell in a heap. It was definitely one of the quickest kills I've ever seen. I load 350 gn. and 400gn. Flat point jacketed bullets over a lightly compressed load of pyrodex CTG. Its really fun to shoot, recoil feels more like a .50 cal muzzleloader than any high powered rifle I've shot. I'm soon going to try some blackhorn 209 that I'm using in my T/C muzzleloader, it doesn't seem to smoke as much or smell nearly as bad as pyrodex, and its supposed to be less corrosive.

That sure sounds like a fun old rifle to shoot.Have shot Winchester Model 1873,1886,1894 and 1895 rifles ,but never an 1876 model.Nice being able to take a deer with it and keep up the family tradition.

I have read that 24 grains on IMR 4198 and the 350 grain bullet work well in the .45-75 1876 rifle.Have you ever tried this load?

I know some people do this and have success, but I was always taught that its not ever a good idea to use or substitute smokeless powder for black powder. I couldn't take a chance on trying it knowing that I might end up hurting myself or damaging the rifle. The replica black powder works too well for me to mess with anything else.

Sounds like a good policy.If something works don't fix it.

In the past I have used smokeless powder loads in the 1873 and 1886 rifles that I have owned with good results.