started loading for my 45-70!

[horsesoldier]

Black bear season is coming up quick! I loaded for my 45-70 today. It is a 1977 marlin silky smooth and with a peep sight. I had some 500 grain cast round nose gas checked boolits given to me by a friend. It was tough to track down load data for that weight but I managed to find some data for blc-2. I loaded 43 grains and shot 6 rounds and 40 yards. From just kneeling in the driveway I was able to get them almost to touch each other so I am calling it good. This is only the 2nd time I have loaded cast for smokeless powder, most of my experience has been with muzzleloaders.

I am going to chrono them tommorow but I figure as long as that 500 grain boolit if flying through the air they should be going fast enough to work!

[bigted]

a 500 grain boolit runnin 1050 to 1200 fps is going to do anything you wish considering the alloy is soft enough to expand and yet hold together for the penetration. this style boolit has taken everything found on the American continent. most if not everything found on the African continent as well. it don't take too much to get a pretty heavy recoil with them and ... the overall length has to be watched so they will work thru the action.

I have a RCBS 500 grain bold with gas check and I loaded an undisclosed amount of RL-7 behind it and swished it thru my SBL Marlin 45-70 and was sure glad when the last one was fired. I never loaded them again for myself but a friend asked me to load him some 500 grain heavies so I gave him some for his guiding season ... he shot 3 or 4 and came back and wanted something that would allow him to be able to concentrate on things after squeezing them off. so I loaded up some 350's for him at 1700 FPS and he really like them. guess the 500's will just have to be for questions and answers or show-n-tell.

[osteodoc08]

Just make sure they function well (watch your OAL).

I've had good success with an Accurate 460400L in a GC style with a healthy dose of Varget in my 1895GS.

[Tackleberry41]

Only way I have fired 500s is low speed using pistol powders.

[horsesoldier]

They are seated pretty deep in the case. I made two dummy cartridges and the 2nd works great.

I am sure there is a better powders but I have 16 pounds of blc-2 for my 5.56 so I thought heck why not!

[Catshooter]

So were you able to chrono them?

Inquiring minds you know.


Cat

[horsesoldier]

I have been too busy trapping beaver. I promise once I get the chance I will post the results.

[hickfu]

Me and a friend were running a 540gr boolit in front of 44gr of H322 for 1600fps.... Then we found out that it was 3gr over max, Oppps
My 1895 Co-Pilot held up fine with that load for over 40 rounds at 42,000PSI

Im backing the charge down and breaking out the chrony and going for 1300 to 1400fps now.


Doc

[horsesoldier]

I just tested them and the 3 shot average was 1226 fps. That ought to kill a bear dead!

[Catshooter]

Five or six deer if they're lined up right. :)


Cat