Interesting 45-70 loads, (long)

[dk17hmr]

I have been playing with light loads, since I cast my own bullets I have a life time supply at my finger tips. My normal cast bullet is 405gr or 500gr with a medium load so velocities are around 1200fps, I have to work hard at it to get a load that wont shoot good out of my barrel.

Well I cast a 255gr RNFP for my 45 ACP, I beagled the mold so it throws around .459, then I size to .457 and I have a 45-70 bullet. Well I have been playing with hollow pointing my cast bullets on a drill press with a #2 center drill and a jig I made.

After I drilled my bullets I have a 240gr Hollow point for my 45-70, first thought "how fast can I get this thing cooking with accuracy". I had them close to 2500fps accuracy was ok about 4" at 50 yards off the bench, oh there is a 3-9 Redfield scope mounted on the barrel. I stopped at about 2500 because, IT HURT!!! recoil was to much to enjoy shooting it.

So I went back to middle of the road loads, right now I am about 1600fps and accuracy is one hole for 3 shots at 50 yards, very tight clover leaf. I am going to start working back up and try for accuracy and speed. I really want to see what this bullet will do to a deer or a coyote at around 2000fps.
http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f208/dk17hmr/hp1.jpg

Tomorrow I am going to try some more loads and then some hollow points with wax filled tips. I eyed a big jug in the garage I am going to fill with water and shoot to see what the bullet will do to it.

http://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f208/dk17hmr/hp2.jpg

So you guys know this is all your fault. I stopped in here close to a year ago to ask about cast bullets for my 45 acp. Now look at me, I cast for about 10 different calibers. I all shoot now is cast, execpt in my "terrorist rifles":twisted: (special name drop Jim Zumbo) I still use condom bullets.

[Bass Ackward]

Water is going to make your expansion / explosion testing difficult.

Hollow points expand because the weakened metal deforms. If you are shooting game, the nose has to penetrate far enough to fill with material that liquefies. So expansion can be delayed depending on the material hit. Plus, the hollow point can actually collapse inward on itself depending on shot angle, losing the rapid opening effect making results less desirable.

What the wax does is start the hydraulic action upon entrance no matter the shot. Outward expansion occurs virtually all the time and is why results observed on game are so much more destructive. (consistently)

Well, .... water is the perfect hollow point medium. The nose is going to fill so rapidly and every time that I doubt you will see the difference between the filled and unfilled.

[Ricochet]

I'll bet standard .451-.452" boolits would paper patch up to .45-70 size, too.

[arkypete]

Had friend who drilled out the nose of his 500 grain 458 American. shortened 458 Win. He used a drill bit that allowed him to drop a 22 LR in the hole, base forward.. I never saw the reselts but he said it was spectacular.
Jim

[John Boy]

I'll bet standard .451-.452" boolits would paper patch up to .45-70 size, too.
Ricochet, a 2 wrap 100% cotton Vellum tracing paper will add 0.010 to a 452 bullet. One wants a bullet diameter plus the PP width to be 450 for a 45-70 bore. Accordingly, the bullet diameter, in this case, should be no greater than 440

If the over all diameter is much greater than the bore diameter, the paper will shred in the grooves. The rule of thumb is:
If blackpowder is to be used the unpatched bullet should be .003” to .004” smaller than the bore diameter. If smokeless is used the unpatched bullet diameter should be about .001” larger than bore diameter.

Here's a excellent read on the subject ... http://rceco.com/mn.asp?pg=RBSBook

[Ricochet]

I think the paper-patched boolit group buy a couple of years ago (which I still need to cast up and try) was for one about .451" diameter, but my memory could be wrong.

[Larry Gibson]

I think the paper-patched boolit group buy a couple of years ago (which I still need to cast up and try) was for one about .451" diameter, but my memory could be wrong.

The 275-325 gr cast bullets for the .45 colt/Casul paperpatch very well in the 45-70. Cast of soft lead excellent hanting accuracy is acheivable up through 1700-1800 fps. Expansion of the soft lead slug is impressive.

Larry Gibson