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Hey guys looking for a load for my new 45-70. Basically for deer and elk from zero to about 200 yards. I just outfitted it with a marble peep. Any ideas?
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Well, it is a 45-70....how about a (pick your favorite) 400gr. bullet on top of 70gr. FFg? Works every time!
(I like the Lee 405HB, or the Lyman 457124, but many work.)
-Nobade
I have an original 1885 Win high wall in 45-70 with a Lyman marble peep. The tang sight does not adjust for windage which can be a pain. I use Lyman mold 457124 which is supposed to weigh 405 grains but with ww metal it drops at about 385 grains. I keep the mv down at about 1200-1300 fps using 3031 powder and am careful about where I place the curved buttplate. The action is very strong and I could push the mv higher, but above 1300 and more the recoil becomes tough to handle. It is more than adequate for deer and elk and bigger if you wish. LLS
You need to decide how much recoil you can stand because the top loads for that rifle will exceed pleasant by a mile.
Just look in the manuals and on the web for top loads with the 400 grain bullets using 4227, 4198, and 3031.
I like about 1100 to 1300 fps but that will produce a huge amount of drop at 200 yards. I prefer the very bulky SR4759 but it has been discontinued.
The closest powders are 5744 and 4227.
You can boost it quite a bit faster but it will still have a lot of drop and a lot of recoil.
Viht n130 38,5-38,8 gr before 385 round nose gr gas check bullets or 37 gr viht n130 before 427 gr flat nose plain base boolits. Cases are leverevolution hornady brass so shorter than saami. both this loads gave mev tight groups at 100 yards either with marlin sbl or henry 45-70
speeds from1550 fps for lighter bullett to 1400 for havvier
460420 (I think) with 40 grs of 3031. It's a flat nosed 415 grain with my alloy, flat base (group purchase here some years ago) that NOE now duplicates. NOE does both PB & GC. My load is pretty light by some standards, but I can tell you it's a proven meat maker at those distances. VERY accurate with DRT technology built in. Knocks 'em down with authority. Many other boolits work well but this is the best I've ever used.
I have yet to hear a bad word from ANYONE about the RCBS 405 grain flat nose gas check. It's accurate and it puts game down. If you want something a little more aggressive:
NOE 460-405-RF: http://noebulletmolds.com/NV/product...roducts_id=398 Available in gas check, or not.
Been a very accurate bullet in both sides of a Baikal double rifle and a few other things. This increases the meplat from the RCBS's .27" to .33", and the effect is notable. When you get the speed up to 1600fps or so, it is without question the single most destructive milk jug buster I have ever seen. The displacement off that big nose is simply awesome!
I'm a huge fan of the 45-70, I own a couple of them. If you want to shoot out to 200 yds with it, be prepared for some very heavy recoil if you try using that sight. You'll need a light bullet driven to some pretty high velocities and you'll still have to do some range estimation and hold over. I'd suggest you invest in a good range finder and go to a heavier, slower bullet to reduce the recoil. I have the same rifle you have and it shoots the 400g and over bullets a LOT better than the lighter ones. You'll find your gun has virtually no throat in it at all so seating some bullets will be a problem. I took mine to Turnbulls and had the throat lengthened almost .250" (yes, a quarter inch) to match what they do in their rifles. It would not seat longer bullets with wide meplates. The throat and chamber are made to original factory specs and if you research that you'll find no throat to work with. It can be a very accurate gun but it's not fun to shoot with stout loads. I keep all mine around 1400fps plus or minus a bit depending on powder and they shoot through a white tail end to end with no problem. I haven't recovered a bullet yet. Good luck.
Take a look at the Ranch Dog designed 350 gr. It was intended for a Marlin but shoots good in my H&R and Trapdoor. Pistol powder works, like Red Dot.
I have one of those in .38-55. It is a tack driver with cast bullets. I predict you will be very happy with yours.
I have one of those as well in 375 H&H that is not only a tack driver but will drive the tack through the backstop and out the other side. I used a Marbles sight which has windage as well as elevation adjustment.
I like the nose pour Hoch mould that throws a 510 grain round nose bullet.
hi, i have the same rifle but scoped. my final load ended up being..........noe .460-315 pb over 15gr unique. 1 1/2" groups at 100 yard off a bench. i havent taken any game yet, still trying. irishtoo
Hi there Fotis,
I've got one almost identical to yours. Mine has a butt pad on it though (thank God). I love the crescent butt plates, but my shoulder just can't take it anymore. And, I do tend to load hotter than most loads. I just love big bores with big bullets.l
My favorite thus far, NOE 460405 as someone else mentioned above. I bought the plain base mold. But, I wish I'd bought the double cavity (both plain base and as check). I killed a buck and coyote with mine this year. And, it performed great!!
I do plan on slowing mine down this year with more focus on right out accuracy with a more pleasant to shoot load. My current accuracy is still <1.25" groups.
Enjoy as its a great gun!!
45-70...
The one on top is my brothers 1885 load, making big things go flop, filling freezers and I fear giving himself shaken baby syndrome.
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LOL~ ! Shaken baby syndrome! Dang! Coffee out the nose... all over the keyboard. Glad the coffee wasn't all that hot.
Cough! Cough!
I have a RCBS 300 grain FNGC and a Lee 500 grain RNGC. They both shoot well out of my 1885 Browning but the RCBS always groups a little tighter.
Your 1885 is a bit lighter than some singleshot rifles, so I personally wouldn't abuse my shoulder with heavy 500+ gr. bullets, or faster charges. For deer and elk, a 400-420 grain bullet is plenty, and no reason to go over 1350 fps with loads either. Even that will be overkill on deer.
The biggest issue will be the use of a tang sight for hunting at ranges that vary from close up, to 200 yds. If you sight it in at 100 yds., you can hold higher, or lower to compensate for various ranges, but you'll need to be able to judge the distance well, and know your bullet drop.
My .45-70 load for hunting has been a 420 grain cast lead, coming out the muzzle at around 1325 fps. Devastating on deer, and complete pass through is the norm.
Absolutely excellent advice. Spot on!Quote:
Originally Posted by marlinman93
Howdy Fotis & NSB & all you posters
Here my take on it , I have rifle exactly like it in 38-55 , an a Browning BPCR in 45-70 an a Shiloh 45-70 an a Big 50 50-90 an a Browning 1886 45-70 an a
Winchester 1876 45-60 an many more If Fotis was to load 25grs. of IMR 4759 behind 300gr.rfp lead it won't beat him up while sighting it in or just target shooting and can shoot right through a deer at 200 yds. that is what I shoot out of my lever guns ,I used to shoot 405 gr same load for target shooting and hunting now I just use the 300 gr. Now in all of my Single shots I load a heavier bullet Such as 535gr.money in the 45-70 and a 625gr. in the 50-90 but these
guns are 3 to 4 lbs. heavier
Dusty Ed