4831 in a 45-70?

[freedom475]

Title says it all. Anyone ever get this powder to work well in a 45-70 load?, if so.....
Thanks freedom

[The Dust Collector]

You can not get enough in a case to cause for an overload. You will find alot of unburned powder in the tube. In my opinion it's a waste of good powder!
Once again in my opinion, start with a burning rate of RL7 to 4320. There is something in that range of medium rate powders that will show you economy and preformance.
IMR 4831 is way to slow to be considered for this application.

[JDL]

Well, it went boom but, left a handfull of unburned kernals in the bore. I can't remember the charge but, 60 grains sounds familer. I even duplexed some loads with a kicker of 5 grains of Unique which burned all the powder but, I became wiser and went to a more sutiable powder for my .45/70. HTH
JDL

[georgewxxx]

Pends on what your after. A clean bore or good groups. I get some of my best groups with both 50-70 & 45-70 guns with 4831 & AA3100. My hunting load for both calibers include a 55gr
charge. Do you really think a few grains of partially burned powder is going to effect a 450grain lead slug? If you do that means you've never targeted you gun with said powder. You shouldn't spread scare stories like that......Geo

[KCSO]

I have tried this several times with different lots of IMR and H 4831 and have gotten some very accurate loads as reduced velocity and with a lot of unburned powder. I can't say I was ever that impressed. I would choose a different powder for 45-70 if it was me.

[KirkD]

You didn't mention what weight bullet you are using. I've not used that particular powder, but the slower the powder, the heavier bullet you need to give complete burning in my experience. I would think it should give you good burning with a 500 grain bullet, but more unburnt kernals with a 405 grain cast bullet and doggoned poor burning consistency with a 330 grain Gould.

[Bent Ramrod]

I've done this a number of times, and it's quite accurate if you blow the unburned/partially burned kernels of powder out of the bore and chamber between shots. The main advantage was the use of smokeless powder plus the elimination of the possibility of a double charge. However, with a little care, other powders can be as accurate, with the same velocities and pressures. Using 4831 in this manner was much more practical when it was surplus and a quarter the cost of canister powders.

[freedom475]

I had a load worked up for 4831 in the 45-70 out of my sharps with 405's and 500gr. cast a long time ago. Velocity deviation was terrible with a heavy roll crimp.

I removed the crimp and it became one of the most accurate loads you could have, even with the unburnt powder still in the barrel.

I have since lost all the info so this post was an attempt to find a good load to start with. I shoot a lot of BP and the load pretty well duplicated it.

I have a LOT of 4831, way more than my 338 or 7MM could possibly digest so I was hoping to use some in my Sharps. When I go out with the Sharps I take my 100 rnd box and a 40 round belt...I usually come home with none, so the Sharps really eats up the powder.

I know that this is not THE powder for the 45-70, and I have no intention of using it in my lever action because of all the unburnt powder left behind.

Thanks for the good info guys! Please keep it coming.:Fire:

Wes

[JDL]

Pends on what your after. A clean bore or good groups. I get some of my best groups with both 50-70 & 45-70 guns with 4831 & AA3100. My hunting load for both calibers include a 55gr
charge. Do you really think a few grains of partially burned powder is going to effect a 450grain lead slug? If you do that means you've never targeted you gun with said powder. You shouldn't spread scare stories like that......Geo

Wasn't meaning to spread any stories at all and I never said anything scary. I just told it like I saw it and I didn't get any better accuracy than when using a more suitable, better burning powder. The muzzle had to be held at a downward angle after firing so the unburned kernals wouldn't get into the action but, if you like it, by all means, use it.
JDL

[Junior1942]

I use surplus WC860 with the Lee 500 3R in 45-70 Handi-Rifle, and it works great giving 1250 fps. Lots of unburned powder kernals until I applied a heavy crimp. It's my main 45-70 load now. WC860 is even slower than 4831.

Load for slight powder compression, just like with black or Pyrodex.