Need some Load Data help

[Boerrancher]

I need some med to stiff loads for the 45-70 using Accurate #9 and a 405 cast boolit. I am shooting it in a Sharps Replica, that I have regularly shot the Ruger #1 loads in with no problems. I don't want anything that heavy though. I was wondering how something around 20 grains would work?

Best wishes,

Joe

[lbaize3]

Joe, AA#9 (one of my favorite powders) is a bit slower than 2400. Bet you could use 2400 loads as a guide to loading the 45-70 with AA#9.

[Tatume]

You should not use AA#9 in this application. Even in the 454 Casull the case volume is too large unless you load heavy. AA#9 does not respond well to reduced loads. You will probably get bullets stuck in your bore, with the powder packed into a cake at the bullet base. This has been my experience with 23.5 gr of AA#9 in the 454 Casull with 320 gr bullets. Only with 25.0 gr or more could ignition be relied upon. Your results with less powder in a larger case will certainly be at least as bad.

You should use another powder. IMR 4198, IMR 3031, IMR (or H) 4895, or AA5744 will work well. Correct data are abundant, both here and in the loading manuals.

Take care, Tom

[Nobade]

If you must, between 20 and 24 grains max. You will need dacron or kapok filler to keep it next to the primer or it'll likely not light off the same twice in a row.

But really Tutume is correct, rifle powder is way better to use in this application.

[GRUMPA]

I just got done loading some 11.7x51R which is a little shorter version of the 45-70. Even with it being shorter I needed to use 1gr dacron with it, there was just to much room in there for my tastes. As other have mentioned already, but with 23gr SR4759 and the 405 HB LEE boolit there's a lot of room left over.

UPDATE: the 23gr of SR4759 gave me around 1340 FPS avg. through the chroney.

1) 1323
2)1385
3) 1322
4) 1270
5) 1330
6) 1353
7) 1318
8) 1340
9) 1319
10) 1365

[Boerrancher]

Well I settled on 25 grs of #9 on the 405gr Lee hollow base. I was consistently busting fist sized rocks with it ranging between 75 and 100 yards. One of the nice things about being able to walk out your front door with a hand full of shells, sit down on the bench and shoot. It doesn't take long to work up a load. I started with 20 grs and it was a bit too light for my taste, so I bumped it up a grain at a time. I fully under stand about 3031 and have burnt a great deal of it in 45-70's over the years, but I have so much #9 on hand that I figure I need to be shooting it in something if I could make it shoot accurately.

I have shot allot of #9 over the years just not in a 45-70. I have used it in many other rifle loads with cast bullets with never a problem with it being position sensitive like many other powders are. Thank you all for your suggestions and help getting me pointed in the right direction.

Best wishes,

Joe

[GRUMPA]

Yeah Joe I understand fully about having your own private range at your disposal, part of that life in the country stuff that I wouldn't give up for all the tea in China.

[uscra112]

You should not use AA#9 in this application. Even in the 454 Casull the case volume is too large unless you load heavy. AA#9 does not respond well to reduced loads. You will probably get bullets stuck in your bore, with the powder packed into a cake at the bullet base. This has been my experience with 23.5 gr of AA#9 in the 454 Casull with 320 gr bullets. Only with 25.0 gr or more could ignition be relied upon. Your results with less powder in a larger case will certainly be at least as bad.

You should use another powder. IMR 4198, IMR 3031, IMR (or H) 4895, or AA5744 will work well. Correct data are abundant, both here and in the loading manuals.

Take care, Tom

Hard to know where Tom is coming from with this. The ASSRA guys use #9 in reduced loads with great success. Some record groups at 200 yards have been shot with it, loaded for 1450 fps in .32-40 cases with a breech seated boolit. My .25-21 Stevens gets better S.D. over the Chrony with #9 than any other powder I've tried, and that's at only 12,000 psi and 35% fill ratio, according to Quickload. Long way from the 36,000 that Tom's Casull load comes to.

BTW Boerrancher's 25 grain load calculates to about 25,000 psi. + or - depending on seating depth.

[runfiverun]

the lyman book recommends a tuft of dacron with the 2400 load.
it may help with your #9 load also.

[Boerrancher]

I may try the Dacron if I have trouble with accuracy, but the way I see it, I am shooting a Sharps Cavalry Carbine, and If I can keep them all off hand in a 4 inch group at 100 yards I will be happy. I know I was not having any issues busting fist sized rocks out to 100 yds yesterday. I will play with it more today or tomorrow and see what happens. One of these days I will have it re-barreled with a longer barrel and maybe go with a 45-90 or 45-110, but for now if it shoots good enough to kill a deer or pig at 100 yards, it will be good enough. Thanks fellas for all the useful info.

Best wishes,

Joe