loads for heavy boolits in 45/70

[hornsurgeon]

i'll ask this another way.

since it seems that nearly no one here shoots the 462560 mold in the 45/70, what loads do you have for heavy boolits in the 45/70? specificly, boolits over 500gr, closer to 550 gr.

[oldhickory]

I never shot a 45/70 that wasn't an antique, but my heaviest load for Springfields is a Rapine 460500 with 5gr. of Unique topped with 55gr. of 3F. Probably not what your looking for, but...

[Larry Gibson]

oldhickory

I shhot the Rapine 460500 over 7 gr 4759/54 gr GOEX Cartridge in my TD target rifle....probably not what he's looking for either but it sure does shoot nice.......

Larry Gibson

[oldhickory]

A 500gr. + boolit traveling anywhere over 1000fps is gonna hurt whatever it hits!:twisted: I never felt the need to load past the arsenal loadings.

[softpoint]

I've loaded 47gr AA2495 with the Lee 500 gr GC. Thats as heavy as I've been. That load was deep seated to work in a Marlin, too. I haven't chrono'ed it yet, but it's pretty accurate out of 2 Marlins:drinks:

[hornsurgeon]

thanks guys, but not exactly what i was looking for. hopefully more people chime in here.

[Johnw...ski]

I shoot a 535 gr. Postell style boolit in my 45-70 with either 39.0 gr of IMR 3031 or 42.0 gr. of IMR 4064 and usually get sub MOA accuracy. These are plain base boolits using under boolit wads, the wads help but not a huge amount.

John

[bobthenailer]

saeco # 020 a 540 gr gc sized to .459 with hornday gc , 50 grains of h- 4831, fed match primer . 25 shot composit of 5 / 5 shot groups at 200 yards 2 1/4 inches. some were as tight as a inch at 200 yards but real word repeatble accuracy is 2 1/4 inches ! velocity about 1300 fps

[oldhickory]

thanks guys, but not exactly what i was looking for. hopefully more people chime in here.

I trust you're looking for something to make a Ruger #1 kill at both ends...Well here's what you can do with a Lyman 457125, 500gr. boolit.

42gr.start for 1550fps and 52gr. max of IMR3031 for around 1850fps...It's gonna hurt.

From the 3rd. edition of Lyman's Cast Bullet Handbook.

[NickSS]

I loaded some 457124 500 gr bullets over 45 gr of 3031 for use in My Ruger #3 carbine several years ago. I shot an elk in the rump in a going away shot and the bullet came out the chest. By they way the elk DRT.

[cajun shooter]

This is from the Handloader site for Ruger guns; 45-50 grs of IMR-3031 with 457132 which is the 535. They give a cup of 24,000 to 37,000. Very stout loads!!

[Larry Gibson]

i'll ask this another way.

since it seems that nearly no one here shoots the 462560 mold in the 45/70, what loads do you have for heavy boolits in the 45/70? specificly, boolits over 500gr, closer to 550 gr.

I understand from a post on another thread that you want smokeless powder loads in the "trapdoor" pressure range for your rifle with the heavier bullets(?).

I don't shoot anything heavier than 500 gr cast bullets in my TDs so I could help you with that if it's what you want?

Larry Gibson

[hornsurgeon]

thanks for the start guys. my sharps repro is rated for 40,000psi according to the manufacturer, but i am looking to keep the loads in more of the lever action pressure range. i did get a response from accurate. they suggested 23.5 to 26.5 grains of 5744 for 1200-1400fps. i still have not gotten any response from hodgdon yet.

[Cannoneer]

Using Spence Wolf's formula of 70 grains of 2fg, compressed under a Lyman 457125, 500 grain RN, with a WW case that has had its primer flash hole opened up with a 3/32nds inch drill and using a Federal Large Rifle Magnum primer, I have enjoyed shooting the .45-70 Government as it is supposed to have been like back in the 1880's.

This load is accurate in any .45-70 that I have fired it in. YMMV.

[bearcove]

Lyman 48th ed has ruger #1 data for 535gr. Pressure starting in low 20k ballpark. That is what I'll use for my Encore with 462560.

[twotrees]

in my Marlin. I can tell you that I shoot a Lee 405 gr FB with 48 gr of 3031 and that will get your attention.

I shoot a Lee 500 2r in my Hi-wall but as others have said 5 gr of "a Pistol Powder" under 55 gr of 2 F Goex over powder card wad and a felt grease wad under the boolit.

The last load shoots well enough to hit the Creedmor Buff at 1000 meters. And Yes you can hear it clang, even in North Texas winds.

A friend tried his Ruger #1 with a 500 gr boolit and 52 gr of 3031 and he didn't shoot the second one. He said it was a very effective sinius un-blocker. (read it knocked the snot outa him.)

To Each his own.

Good shooting,

[Dale53]

I like the Lee 340 gr in my Marlin 1895 (modern) with an appropriate load of RL-7 (plain base bullet that I keep under 1600 fps).

This will also work well in my Ruger #3.

However, I had a good friend that wanted to take a Bison with his Shiloh Sharps (45/70). He asked me to load to 45/90 Black powder specs using a duplex load. 20% RL-7 and 80% Goex 3f gave him what he wanted. He took a large mature Bull. I cast him a 30/1 cast Government bullet (Lyman 457125) that weighed 522 grs.

The Bison was about 125 yards away. He hit it 1/4 up from the bottom just behind the shoulder. It took out a rib going in, one coming out and lodged, perfectly expanded, just under the hide. It took out the aorta and both lungs. The Bull hit the ground at the shot. It struggled to get up, went five or six steps and collapsed for good. The Guide was impressed, too...

FWIW
Dale53