45-70 BFR 7.5" accuracy loads

[44man]

After I got my BFR it took a month of research before I ever pulled the trigger. Seems so much is not compatible in the revolver. Even 4759 loads were slim to none.
Nobody has done much work with them and if you do a search most of my stuff will pop up. No powder maker has revolver loads.
MR told me stay at 30,000 psi or under but they make a .450 marlin cylinder for the frame so it must be just brass. The .450 would be WAY too hard to work with.
Knowing revolvers and all short barrels, even single shots with short barrels and large cases, I knew I was biting off a lot with a 45-70 and do not know why I even thought about it.
I went with 10" for a reason. The stinking gun is already so huge what is a few inches?
It turned into a love affair far above any other gun. Same with all my BFR's. I had to sell great guns to get mine but you will never pry a BFR from me.
Going with a 45-70 in 7-1/2" might not be a good decision and just makes it harder but I am seeing some good results so far. I expect 1" at 50 might be the best. Nothing to sneer at and good for hunting.

[44MAG#1]

As I stated in an above post the 425 RanchDog bullet that weighs 435 grains from my alloy ran above 1460 from a 7.5 inch barrel. And while I was shooting offhand at fifty I dropped the first shot slightly low left but put the next four into 3.5 inches. That is good for me with Iron sights and no more than I shoot now.
Many on here can do better than I but I still done see any thing wrong with a 7.5 inch barrel.
From the Lyman 49 th handbook the 405 Lyman runs 46 gr or RL7 at 23600 CUP. The RanchDog bullet seats roughly the same depth in the case so pressures at 47 grain can't be to much more than a Lyman 405 with the same load.
Of course, what do I know? Nothing it seems to many.
Oh well.

[Ramjet-SS]

Test loads for today:

405 gr (badman) imr 4198 38.0 gr cci 200 w/dacron
1365 fps 1 1/4" @ 50 yds

300 gr cast imr 4198 38.0 gr cci 200 w/dacron 1" @ 50 yds

retested for velocity RL7 35.5 gr 405 cast cci 200 w/Dacron
average was 1212fps 1 1/2" @ 50yds

cheers...

Well it is interesting playing with different loads but you have it down anything you mention above will take a deer without issue.

[mcal762]

yeah I'm leaning on the 405 gr (Badman Boolit) RL7 35.5 gr cci 200 w/Dacron at 1250 fps 1 1/4" @ 50 yds. I think it will get the job done with no issues on pretty much anything that it connects with. The 300 gr Hornady JHP with 4198 is also a very capable round to take to the woods.. I like the cast boolit better of the two...


44Man,

"It turned into a love affair far above any other gun. Same with all my BFR's. I had to sell great guns to get mine but you will never pry a BFR from me."

You are so right... this BFR is one sweet pistol!! I look at my SRH go.. ughhh maybe i'll take you out to play tomorrow....

Gotta another list of loads that I'm working on will post later..


Cheers...

[44man]

Last thing I worry about is velocity and barrel length is not that huge an affect. It is powder burn and consistent burn that bit me.
The velocities you fellas are getting would actually be better for deer since mine is too fast with hard boolits. Complete explosion with too soft.
Short barrels are only harder to find "the" load. That goes for all large calibers, large cases.
No, you do not need 1/2" at 50 for deer but you need all chickens in a row to clang steel at 547 yards.
I watched Jerry clang steel at 1000 off hand but he is not normal or human so I can't go there.
Now we have that fastest archery guy that runs up a wall and hits targets on the way down, shoot an arrow at him and he shoots it out of the air. He shoots two card cheats on the other side of a table before they can move. Cardboard of course but you fellas have to find that video.

[mcal762]

I really like the 405 gr load at 1060fps it accurate and fun to shoot! I think it would do well on a deer also... I'm sure that it would go completely through both shoulders.... It's nothing compared to the 405gr at 1365 fps but dead is dead...

[44man]

I really like the 405 gr load at 1060fps it accurate and fun to shoot! I think it would do well on a deer also... I'm sure that it would go completely through both shoulders.... It's nothing compared to the 405gr at 1365 fps but dead is dead...

It sure will, no stopping it.
The deer I just about ruined was shot with a 420 gr cast 50-50 with a HP but I did not chronograph them. It was one of Babore's boolits, oven hardened. OH MY, what destruction. Lost a whole shoulder at exit.
I have not seen him here for a long time. I know he had to change jobs and move. He made fantastic boolits.

[mcal762]

what is the average penetration from a 405gr boolit at 1250fps? I saw a youtube where a 500gr at 1300fps penetrated 25 one gallon water jugs....

My next loads are going to be the Badman .459 405gr boolit, bluedot with Dacron (2.0gr) and a pistol primer...

[44MAG#1]

"I really like the 405 gr load at 1060fps it accurate and fun to shoot! I think it would do well on a deer also... I'm sure that it would go completely through both shoulders.... It's nothing compared to the 405gr at 1365 fps but dead is dead..."

No one questions whether the load you mentioned is enough because it is. I don't shoot full power in mine.
But, one question is this, why buy a mazaratti to go to wal mart in? My old Chevy Impala does just as well for that. It does not get the ooh's and ahh's as much but it gets the job done.
Now if I want a soft recoiling revolver I will break out my 45 Colt with the 270 SAA bullet backed by 19 grain 2400 and carry it.
Of course one must do what one wants to do. Farmers have killed hogs with a 22 LR for years and Bell used a 7X57 on Elephants too.
While I don't run wide open I want something worthy of the launch platform.
I have lately been experimenting with a 410 grain bullet in my Redhawk 45 Colt for future rat medicine. Good load for that.
Oh well what do I know?

[Cornbread]

what is the average penetration from a 405gr boolit at 1250fps? I saw a youtube where a 500gr at 1300fps penetrated 25 one gallon water jugs....

My next loads are going to be the Badman .459 405gr boolit, bluedot with Dacron (2.0gr) and a pistol primer...

It's 10' 4" of penetration through 20 jugs and into the 21st at 1325fps:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_pJHjSfap7c

I bet you get at least 7' of penetration with a 405gr at 1200 - 1300fps if the jugs are close enough that the bullet is still traveling that fast when it hits them and the bullet is hard cast. With hard cast at 100 yards or less that would probably completely north to south enter and exit any North American animal and most African ones too. I guess it depends on how dead you want the elk and the six other ones behind it in a single shot

[44man]

Total penetration means little except you do want 2 holes. It is what the boolit does in the short distance between the ribs. Deer are small. Requirements for larger animals will change towards more penetration. I believe my best deer boolits will be just right for a huge buf or bear.

[Ramjet-SS]

I shot deer with my 475 Linebaugh the load chronographed from the rifle at 1100 FPS the bullet was LFN that weighed 355 grains the big doe was facing me I put the cross hair right on the white patch. The deer was 70 yards I was in a tree stand. At the shot the deer reared up ward and flipped over to her back and kicked twice and was done. The bullet traveled the entire length of the deer and exited just to the left of her anus. Her boiler room was a mess. so that load you like so much will do just fine shoot right behind the shoulders or quartering away.

[mcal762]

That is at least 4 feet of penetration.. and a water hose clean up...

[Ramjet-SS]

Well today I ran the 330 grain cast from my 458 SOCOM same bullet I use in the 45-70. A water soaked news print as the test media.

458 SOCOM AR RRA 16" upper my build
330 Grain GC LFP from an Accurate mould hard cast. Loaded over AA1680
Shot from 25 yards velocity 5' from the muzzle 1300 FPS.
28+ inches of penetration very similar to the 475 above just deeper.
Retained weight 313.8 grains

Should be no doubt that the 405 grain will do everything you need.

[mcal762]

That would go through both shoulders of any deer standing in NA!

[mcal762]

Test loads for this week:

405 gr cast 35.5 IMR 4198 cci 200 2.0 gr Dacron filler

405 get cast 22.0 gr blue dot cci 300 2.0 gr Dacron filler.
tested once at 25yds 1/2" group moving back to 50yds for this test.

cheers

[mcal762]

And the results are:


405 gr cast 35.5 IMR 4198 cci 200 2.0 gr Dacron filler
5" at 50 yds 1295fps medium recoil.
Poor accuracy gonna shelf this load...


405 gr cast 22.0 gr blue dot cci 300 2.0 gr Dacron filler
1 1/8" at 50 yds! No pressure signs cases came out of cylinder with no issues.
1250 fps.

Good load, very accurate and medium to low recoil.

R-P brass and Badman cast bullets.


cheers

[mcal762]

Next load test




405 gr cast 36.0 gr RL 7 cci 200 1 gr Dacron filler


405 gr cast 24.0 gr 2400 cci 200 2 gr Dacron filler


R-P brass and Badman cast bullets.




cheers

[mcal762]

Load results:


405 gr cast 36.0 gr RL 7 cci 200 1 gr Dacron filler
2 1/4" at 50 yds


405 gr cast 24.0 gr 2400 cci 200 2 gr Dacron filler
3"at 50yds

retesting with 25.0 gr 2400 and cci 300 primer.

[Ramjet-SS]

Looking forward to the report.