45-70 300 & 350gr Unique/2400 loads

[mcal762]

Hello all,
Been looking around the threads and figured I throw this one out there.

Looking for some load data for 300 and 350gr Cast or Jacketed bullets using Unique or 2400 powder; loads will be for practice as well as whitetail deer and hogs out to 100yds, velocity range 1400-1500fps desired.

These loads will be shot through a Marlin 1895ss and Magnum Research BFR.

Thanks,
Mcal

[Edward]

My Marlin 1895 likes 22 grain 2400 and a 1/2 grain dacron (fluffed) under a NOE .460- 350gr FN .With that load cross hair @ 100yds and bottom post @ 200yd dead on . The scope is a Leupold 2x7 and the load is deadly /pleasant to shoot all day long ! If unsure of filler read Larry Gibsons sticky on fillers .

[mcal762]

do you know what velocity your getting out of that load? I use dacron (fluff) on all of my 2400 loads for 45-70.. there are some folks that use it and others don't..

25.0 gr 2400 and 405gr with CCi 300 is a good load. 1400fps in Marling and 1250fps in BFR.

[tsubaki]

There is too much varying data for me to put here, especially with my fumble fingers trying to type.
Get Loadbooks USA for the 45-70.
I have the 2000 edition, the new edition should have many more.
My 2000 edition has 3 levels using Sierra's 300gr HP with 2400.
It also has Lyman cast data using their 293gr and 322gr with Unique and 2400.
It also has RCBS cast data using their 300gr with 2400.
It also has Alliant data using a 300gr and 350gr with 2400.

[NSB]

In several (like six or seven) different 45-70 guns, I've never gotten the "lighter" 300-350g bullets to shoot as well as the 400+ grain bullets. My favorite load has been 24-25g of 2400 powder. It's easy on the shooter, deadly on deer, and very, very accurate. It's pretty hard to beat.

[mcal762]

my Marlin and BFR like the 405gr bullets with 25gr of 2400, I just have a lot of 305gr cast and 350g bullets that I need to shoot up. so was looking for loads to burn some powder and do some practicing and if they prove accurate enough take to the woods..

[NSB]

my Marlin and BFR like the 405gr bullets with 25gr of 2400, I just have a lot of 305gr cast and 350g bullets that I need to shoot up. so was looking for loads to burn some powder and do some practicing and if they prove accurate enough take to the woods..
Unique or 2400 are great choices for any bullet weight in this caliber.

[fredj338]

I would not use a jacketed bullet with pistol powder charges but I shot a bunch of 300gr over 8gr of unique with an Dacron wad. Like 45colt soft.

[tsubaki]

One of the Lyman loads with Unique and their 293gr #457191 is 12.0gr (1200fps) to 15.0gr (1416fps), each using a 1/2gr Polyester fiber wad 5/8" square by 1/4" thick over the powder.
The same bullet and wad combination using 2400 was 24.4gr (1524fps) to 30.5gr (1842fps).

An RCBS load with their 311gr 45-300-FN using 2400 is 27.0gr (1538fps) to 29.0gr (1655fps)

[mcal762]

I've shot 30gr of 2400 with a 300jhp and its produced 1870 fps from the Marlin and 1550fps from the BFR. Not a bad load at all.

[Oklahoma Rebel]

I didn't realize that you could get those kind of speeds (1500fps+) with the faster powders, without going over pressure, that's a 50% savings in powder!

[pls1911]

As stated in the prior posts, 24-26 grains of 2400 + a wisp of dacron with properly sized RCBS or NOE/RanchDog 300-405 bullets have provided me 1400-1550 fps in Marlins, Ruger #1s, Browning 1888, Remington Rollers, and Sharps.
Accurate and easy on the shoulder, these loads are deadly on my usual targets... pigs and limestone rocks.

However, they are uncomfortable in a TC contender pistol, a Ruger #3, or lighter Handi rifle.

[mcal762]

pls1911,
I use the 25.0 gr 2400 and the 405gr load with a cci 300 (dacron fluff) in the 7.5" BFR and it produces 1250 fps avg. recoils isn't bad but you will defiantly know when the hammer falls! It produces about 1.5" at 50yds consistently. I've never kill anything with it but I did shoot a deer this year with a 300gr JHP over blue dot at 1375fps.

I loaded some Lee 405gr FPHB with 16.3 of Unique with CCI 300 (No Dacron) and these produced around 1.75" at 50 yds 1150 fps. (BFR) seems like a good load for Deer or Hogs out to 50yds.

[mcal762]

Shot some 405gr lee FPHB .459 with 16.3 gr of unique through my BFR 7.5" and had them tumble at 50yds.. any ideas why. Velocity is 1140fps..

[Butchman205]

Shot some 405gr lee FPHB .459 with 16.3 gr of unique through my BFR 7.5" and had them tumble at 50yds.. any ideas why. Velocity is 1140fps..

I’d recommend slugging the barrel. I’ve had several friends tell me they had the same results with .458 JHP bullets. One friend said his would tumble unless he sized his cast powder coated boolits at .460-.461.

[mehavey]

350gr cast & Unique ("Brush Gun"):
https://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?450875-quot-Brush-Gun-quot-loads-for-45-70-cast-HP&p=5502496&viewfull=1#post5502496
My older Lyman/45th manual lists 385 cast/10-14gr Unique for reference

[8x33]

My favorite load is 12 grs. Unique behind a 350 grs. cupper plated boolit,
shoots excellent at ranges up to 100 Meters with my Pedersoli-Sharps, no filler.

[mcal762]

I think some bullets tumble because of the lower velocity and short pistol barrel. Not enough spin on the bullet to stabilize. Over 1250fps in the 7.5 barrel no issues

[mehavey]

Shot some 405gr lee FPHB .459 with 16.3 gr of unique through my BFR 7.5"
and had them tumble at 50yds.. any ideas why. Velocity is 1140fps..That's more than enough velocity, and w/ a BFR twist of 14 (https://www.chuckhawks.com/magnum_research_BFR.htm), should also be more than enough spin.
(`85 Marlin is 1-20 and does just fine with that weight bullet/velocity)

How hard ? (may be too hard)
(Also... the BFR may not like hollow base at that ~21kpsi pressure)

[robg]

i use 24g 2400 with a 1/4 sheet of toilet paper as a filler with a 350g lead boolit and 28g with a 300g jacketed boolit.accurate and pleasant to shoot

[mcal762]

My go to is 25.5gr 2400 Lee 405gr fphb with a cci 200 at 1250fps out of 7.5” BFR shoot less than 1” at 50yds with 2x leupold scope from bench. Same load in Marlin 1895 runs at 1450fps ..

[huntinlever]

If 2400 was available locally somehow, I'm itching to try it. Just can't deal with more powder at $70+ the pound with Hazmat + shipping.

[mcal762]

Yeah sad times for the country our own folks in the shooting industry local and big box store price gouging just because they can… primers prices are disgusting �� at best.. i don’t want to open this topic but I’ve used pistol primers in 45-70 when using pistol powder with no issues… I wouldn’t do it with rifle powder but who knows it might work on loads up to level 2

[mcal762]

Just have to be EXTRA careful when loading because 25 gr doesn’t take up much case.. if you’re distracted and double charge a case is all over with.. destroyed gun or even death!!

[huntinlever]

Just have to be EXTRA careful when loading because 25 gr doesn’t take up much case.. if you’re distracted and double charge a case is all over with.. destroyed gun or even death!!

Thanks, I am planning on being triple careful from past experience - I used to use only 4198 and thank god a double charge spilled everywhere.

At 24-25 grains (seems to be the sweet spot for many folks), do you use a filler?

[mcal762]

I have used fillers before and honestly I didn’t see any difference in the overall accuracy or fps. I drop 25.5 of 2400 a 405gr and let it go.. its easy on shoulder and still will kill anything that it hits..

[huntinlever]

I have used fillers before and honestly I didn’t see any difference in the overall accuracy or fps. I drop 25.5 of 2400 a 405gr and let it go.. its easy on shoulder and still will kill anything that it hits..

Great, thanks for the info. It will be interesting.

[450 Fuller]

I have had good results with Oregon Trail Silver 405 gr-27.5 grs of 2400 -with a wisp of tissue to keep
the powder in place close to the primer. It pushes the 405 gr bullet to just under 1400 -about 1390 fps-which is acceptable.
A bit more than a target loading, but dead coyotes tell no tales. Pushes back similar to black powder.

It has been used with success in a 30 in barreled Sharps and an early Marlin 1895 22 in bbl rifle. {Loading requires care: hand weigh and charge each case-watch powder levels CAREFULLY with 2400.} Will use 4198 in an original Winchester 1886 and 1885, 405 gr same bullet-no
jacketed bullets used with 2400. This loading is a bit more authoritative than the 25 gr loading and is quite effective on deer or even black bear.


(Alliant/Herc 2400 can be found at local gun shows w/o HAZMAT-Same with primers.)

[groovy mike]

After reading this thread I'll try 25 grains of 2400 in my Marlin Guide Gun with its favorite cast 405 grain bullet.

My current low recoil tack driving load is 25 grains of H322, so if you have that powder on hand you might want to give that a try too.