RE: 45-70 Suggestions
 

IMR3031 is the best powder IMO you can pick for your 300gr bullet. So slow, its easy to work up a load, and not worry. In fact, you might hit compressed loads before you go over safety pressures.

RE: 45-70 Suggestions
 

BC,

Do the steps I posted seem like the right way to go? What about the number of rounds I intend to put together? Any thoughts on that?

Also does anyone know if the Lyman Cast Bullet Manual goes into detail on all of the most popular grain weights for the .45-70? Specifially the 425gr. I haven't seem much on the 425 gr for the .45-70.

Thanks

Tom

RE: 45-70 Suggestions
 

Steps looks good. A few tips. 45-70 brass notoriously has to be trimmed far down to get good straight rims. If you don't trim square, you will not get a good crimp. In other words, if you use new brass, alot of times, you will have a high side to the brass, and when you seat a bullet, you will notice one side covering up your cannalure, and the other side low.

Also, yep, 425 is a rare load.

Finding correct load data is tough for the 45-70. Everybodies opinion is all over the place espeically for the modern Lever.

For instance,
For a 300gr jacked bullet in 1895 Marlin
Sierra lists max for IMR4198 at 51.8gr and lists IMR-3031 max at 60gr
Hodgdon lists max for IMR4198 at 57.2gr (this seems way too high for me)
Hodgdon lists max for IMR3031 at 64gr Compressed. Again, very high.

Then lymans and hornady takes the high road, and puts max loads way lower than this.

RE: 45-70 Suggestions
 

Here is what I did when working up loads for my 45-70.

Since there was such a huge range to load powders like IMR4198, I started at 43gr, then loaded some 45's, then some 47's, 49's, and 51's. I like to load up 6 of each. I will usually load up my starting load at 9.

Here's the reason. I like to have at least 2-3 fouling shots and to get sighted in enough.

If I get a good group, I would like to repeat it. If I get two good groups with a load, I know it has promise, and never time I load around that load and finallize it second trip out.

RE: 45-70 Suggestions
 

Here the load I shot a lot out of my Marlin rifle and it was accurate
as hell at 100 yards..I even used it to shoot woodchucks..

A 416 grain cast bullet with a gas check..Probably didn't need the
gas check on it...CCI large rifle primers, 14 grains of Unigue powder,
anfd piece of tissue paper on top of that to make sure the powder
was up on the primer and just enough crimp to keep the bullet
from falling out of the case..It was low on noise and recoil,and as
I said,it was accurate as all get out..Most fun I ever had shootin....

RE: 45-70 Suggestions
 

Stat - Here is the data right out of my old Lyman Reloading Manual for these bullets with your chosen powder of 3031. These loads are for modern 45/70s ONLY.

300 gr cast bullet - 3031 - Starting load = 44 grs - Velocity = 1517 fps
Maximum load/3031- 50 grs - Velocity 1782

400 gr cast bullet - 3031 - Starting load = 42 grs - Velocity = 1492 fps
Maximum load/3031 - 48 grs - Velocity = 1745 fps


Hope these help you.

RE: 45-70 Suggestions
 

The one I've settled on( 50gr. varget,.30 vegtable patch then 405 gr. lee cast 458 dia. bullet) got plenty of punch & recoil is good. any questions e-mail me & I'll do my best to help. GB50

RE: 45-70 Suggestions
 

I like 350 grain hornaday round nose with 54 grains of varget at about 1950fps.

RE: 45-70 Suggestions
 

BC,

Thanks for the tip on making 9 for your first set. I'll also be sighting in this rifle when I'm out there. So I should be able to get the rifle pretty close in with 3 rounds.

With your system. Where in the process do you clean? Remember that I've never shot a lead bullet before. So I don't know what kind of fouling I'm going to be seeing. How does the non-jacketed bullet react in the barrel?

Thanks

Tom

RE: 45-70 Suggestions
 

Pavo,

Yes that did really help me out a lot. The 300gr load I can work with right away. However, I have a 425gr bullet not a 400gr. Does the book list a 425 gr bullet? If not how should I change the load to load for a 425gr bullet?

Any body with info on changing a load for a heavier bullet without the load data please respond. I do not want to end up in a dangerous situation.

Thanks

Tom