Anyone with hands on experience using Accurate 5744 and 450gr+ cast bullets in the 45

I bought some Accurate 5744 to load for a friends OLD Winchester rifle awhile back, and looking at the 45/70 data in the Lyman cast bullet book, see it listed.

This powder is listed as the go to powder in a number of cartridges for optimum performance.

I'm shooting a RUGER #1 - 45/70 and my go to bullet is a Wide Flat Nose bullet of 465gr. Velocity 1650fps

I have been using H335 for some years, and this bullet/powder have accounted for a growing pile of deer and three elk.

However, always interested in improved accuracy and while I fully understand that only testing in my rifle with my bullets will tell the whole story, I am interested in any info pro/con that anyone may have.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

i like and use 5744 for cast lead in several rilfes. but nothing as big as the 45-70.

I find it a wonderful powder for the 45-70. Accurate says, in order to duplicate black powder pressures and velocities, load 5744 in a weight that is 40% of the black powder load. For 70 grains black powder, that indicates 28 grains of 5744, with which I get fine accuracy and a muzzle velocity of 1270 (405 grain bullet) from a 28" Sharps barrel. Accurate also advises against using any fillers with 5744.

There are routinely a scatter of unburned grains in the bore, which matters not. See the Accurate site for their current advice on max charges.

I use it in a number of much larger cases, 50-70, 450 N.E., 470 N.E., 450/400 N.E. and a couple of others. I have never used it in 45-70, I suspect you can find load data for other more cost efficient powders easily. The only complaints I have about 5744 is cost and incomplete ignition. 5744 is probably the most expensive powder to buy. I have seen it above $40/lb. regularly. On the incomplete ignition, Accurate says that is normal, I have not noticed any problem with accuracy, it's just weird to look down the barrel of a rifle after firing and see a number of un-burned powder kernels. I normally blow down the barrel to clear them out of the chamber at a minimum. If you don't, when you slide in the next round some will be in the chamber and dent your cases on firing. Life is to short to have ugly dented cases.:drinks: