ackpepe

I have a modern replica of a 1865 sharps,22 inch barrel.I have been loading my own shells,an I wan't to try black powder to be authentic.I cast my own bullet's.I have a 300gr mould an a 450gr mould.I was playing around, so I measured out 70gr of black powder,and it filled within 3/16" of the top of the case. Can you compress the powder that much to seat the bullet?

HELP!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

driftrider

The .45-70 was originally named the .45-70-500 Government. This meant it was a .45cal bullet (.458"), 70gr of black powder under a 500gr hardcast lead round nose bullet. If it worked 125+ years ago, it'll work today, too. And yes, you can compress the charge that much. The more the better with black powder...just do NOT slam the bullet home. Just use enough smooth pressure to seat it. Remember, black powder is impact sensitive.

I met a guy that didn't even bother to measure the charges. He had a hand-held press and was loading as he went to feed a Sharps replica. He just filled the case up level with the top with Goex and seated the home cast lead bullet (looked like about 300-350gr, NOT the big 500gr pills). He was getting what I would call very respectable accuracy at 200 yards with that rifle. Looked like about 4-5" group with the vernier-type iron sights.

Black powder is a low-energy propellant (relative to smokeless powder, that is), so I doubt there is any significant risk of overloading it because the case simply won't hold enough powder to produce dangerous pressures.

Mike

HEAD0001

Just fill up the case and lop off the excess with a butter knife. Tom.

graybeard 50

A friend of mine swears by useing a drop tube & has no problem in seating a 525 gr. postell on top. great shooter GB 50

ackpepe

thanks for your help...

early

Please keep in mind that my voice is that of no experience, but I have read extensively on the subject.

Its my understanding that you need a softer lube on your bullets for best accuracy and reduction of fouling. Also after the volume of powder has been established by how much the case can hold, a drop tube should be used to insure consistant loading.

Everything Ive read on the subject calls for magnum primers in BP loads for best accuracy and consistant ignition.

In many cases lubricated stiff paper wads are also used to protect the bullet base during ignition.

Plastic funnels and tubes should be avoided due to the build up of static electricity, and dead air space in your cartridges will cause sudden and eratic spikes in pressure.

early

eldeguello

I have a fine load for my Ruger No. 1 in .45/70. It also has the 22" barrel.

My bullet is the Lyman 457122HP, which from my mould casts 342 grains from pure, soft lead. The powder charge is 65 grains of Swiss FFg Sporting Rifle black powder. Primers are Federal 210's in Remington nickel-plated cases (these are better for black powder because theydon't corrode and turn green like brass cases do. And they are easier to scrub out clean after shooting with BP).I use a .45 caliber greased felt Wonder Wad of the type made for cap & ball revolvers on top of the powder charge. This is the ONLY lubricant I use in this load, and it does NOT LEAD the bore. MV is 1350 FPS, and it is very accurate!

I have found that by using 44 grains of IMR 4064 smokeless powder and TWO Wonder Wads on top of that powder with these pure lead bullets produces the exact same MV as the black powder load, but of course is not nearly as dirty as the BP load. NO LEADING with the smokeless load either. The lube in those Wonder Wads must be great stuff! Both the BP and smokeless loads shoot well in my rifle. That old Lyman-Gould 457122 hollowpoint bullet was highly regarded as a game bullet 130 years ago, for everything from deer to grizzly bears!

You could probably use the same, or a similar, load with your 300-grain bullet. I had to cut my powder charge to 65 grains with the Swiss powder in order to have enough space in the case for the Wonder Wad and still be able to seat the bullet and crimp the case. I don't know if you'd need to cut your charge as well-probably depends on the make and granulation of the powder you have. You might want to try the IMR 4064 load first to see if it gives the kind of performance you want, before you dirty up your rifle with black powder!

graybeard 50

ALWAYS! use a fiber spacer between powder &CAST bullets to keep fire away from bullet.
Cabellas has a vegetable fiberdisk for about 16.00 ? per thousand. I find those very easy & clean to use also takes up less space. Just an after thought rfom previous post. GB 50

eldeguello

Haven't tried those Cabelas' wads yet, but they sound good!

Rock Lock

I dug up some old BP loading data and here is what they give:
45-70-405 57 gr charge/405 gr bullet/1300 fps vel/1520 ft lbs energy/26.7 efficiency in ft lbs.
Efficiency is energy imparted to the bullet per grain of powder. In bp it is safe to use the energy figure which hardly varies so multiply the charge by the efficiency and you get the ft lbs energy at the barrel muzzle. Only on this cartridge.
Rock Lock