45/70 loads and why

[Ethan Sackett]

I've been casting bullets and loading 45/70 ammo for about 20 years. My first loads were H4198 with a 405gr cast lead bullet.
My best accuracy load was a 350 lead hollow point with H4198. Have shot both out to 300 yards iron sights. The gun was a Marlin 1895 with a 26" barrel. What were your experience's?

 

[Belt Fed]

No experience here, but 45/70 factory ammo ain't cheap. i've shot a lot of it but i'm too stupid to reload. i'd blow myself up

 

[Ethan Sackett]

No experience here, but 45/70 factory ammo ain't cheap. i've shot a lot of it but i'm too stupid to reload. i'd blow myself up

For reason I don't think you would. What 45/70 do you have?

 

[Retired Bum]

I cast and reloaded the 45/70 for black powder rifle silhouette, many years ago. I used a 525 Lyman and went to Seaco 540 later. I got good accuracy from both out of the REM rolling block and 32 inch barrel. I never used smokeless powder because it wasn't much more difficult for black. I indexed the shell in the chamber, and neck sized only, over a charge of enough powder to slightly compress the load with a base wad of tablet backer. I believe the load with the 525 bullet was 65 grns through a drop tube, and 62 grns under the 540. Don't know if it will help you, but there's the condensed version.

 

[Retired Bum]

BTW, distance was from 200m to 500m

 

[Ethan Sackett]

Thank you, haven't tried black powder. It sounds like a great load.

 

[Belt Fed]

For reason I don't think you would. What 45/70 do you have?

Henry goldenboy, Rossi, Marlin, Henry, Marlin. i think that's all of them

 

[Retired Bum]

Thank you, haven't tried black powder. It sounds like a great load.

It was better than smokeless! A ton of fun!

But there's much to do with patching after every shot, shooting of cross sticks, I loved my Sharps because of the set trigger. I used a Lyman 310 tong tool to load with, rather than the regular presses.

 

[bc22wm]

405 cast lead with grease cookie and 65 grains of FFG. Then I'm shooting an 1883 trapdoor carbine and would just as soon not like to blow her up.

 

[Ethan Sackett]

Man I bet that is fun what sight set-up do you have on the Sharps?

 

[String]

405 cast lead with grease cookie and 65 grains of FFG. Then I'm shooting an 1883 trapdoor carbine and would just as soon not like to blow her up.

Trail boss is good for that and a lot cleaner to shoot.

 

[Retired Bum]

Man I bet that is fun what sight set-up do you have on the Sharps?

I don't remember the brand, but I used a Lyman globe front on both, and think to Quigley and his rear sight.

 

[Ethan Sackett]

I don't remember the brand, but I used a Lyman globe front on both, and think to Quigley and his rear sight.

10-4 sounds like a version of vernier sights. They are good sights with elevation and windage adjustments.

 

[Retired Bum]

Yeah, that's what they were called! Because of the difference between the rifles and barrel length, they were not interchangeable.

 

[Ethan Sackett]

Yes sir that's correct.

 

[Retired Bum]

One other thing, make sure you always use SPG lube with black powder. It helps tremendously to keep the fouling soft and easy to push out, and cleaning is easier.

 

[Retired Bum]

Trail boss is good for that and a lot cleaner to shoot.

Trail boss can not be used in BPCR Silhouette, unless they changed the rules

 

[RedGoat]

@Ethan Sackett - Thanks for starting this thread. I have a couple of 45-70 Sharps clones made by Pedersoli and a supply of brass. I need to get busy, load up some rounds and shoot them. I don't think that I'm ready to venture into black powder loading yet, although I've considered the possibility for years. Maybe someday. As I understand it, my smokeless powder loads should be limited to about the same as for Springfield trapdoor loads in these Sharps clones. Is that correct? I am looking to use these as range toys, not hunting or anything.

 

[Ethan Sackett]

Hey RedGoat, I don't know about what kind of loads it can handle. I keep to the trapdoor loads for my marlin 1895's. I missed a deal on a Sharps clone a few years ago. Been kicking myself ever since.

 

[TEXASforLIFE]

iirc bp rifles are @ 18-21k psi which includes trapdoor and all non-modern rifles? modern maxes out @ 28k (smokeless) and ruger #1 is near 40k. barnes and hornady have loaded 1895's to 42k. i have yet to reload the 2 1895's (26" cb & 18.5" sbl) i own. the r95's and s/w 1854's have my names on them, but haven't bought any yet.