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Thread: Decent but not heavy load for 45-70 cast

  1. #21
    Boolit Buddy wendyj's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by TCLouis View Post
    Wendyj
    Give us some hints
    How far will be your longest shots?
    What is your load now?

    I always find it interesting the answers one gets when there is no starting point.
    Right now I've been using 43.5 grains of 4198. Longest shot in mountain area around 125-150 yards in our Northern zone. Southern zone maybe 75-400 yards but I use 7-08 and 7 mag for that hunting. A 300 grain mold would have been ideal but I wanted one from Noe and all Al had at time was the 395. I know',,, I could have waited but casting is my favorite hobby now next to reloading and shooting.
    Eyes are not good enough for open sights so using a 1-8 vortex with bdc reticle. Using Starline Brass with a CCI BR2 match primer. Recoil at max loads are not so bad hunting with adrenalin high while hunting but I like to shoot several rounds a month. If I'm going to shoot at the bench I'd like my practice loads same as my hunting loads. I see you are middle Tn and I'm originally from East Tn on Va border so our hunting here not much different altitudes and mostly mountains and valleys until you get about an hour south. Not valleys; Hollers.

  2. #22
    Boolit Master




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    I shot and killed 3 deer with the Lee 405gr. cast from straight COWWs over 15gr. Unique. Mild load and accurate. Never recovered a bullet. NEF Handi Rifle.
    You can miss fast & you can miss a lot, but only hits count.

  3. #23
    Boolit Grand Master Tatume's Avatar
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    Any load that emulates the 45 Colt will kill deer like the hammer of Thor. The only restriction is range.

  4. #24
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    I must be a wimp. I like the Lee 405, sized to .459" and lubed with TAC-X, loaded over 11 gr of Unique. 1000-1100 fps out of my 1895CB. Rocks the steel plates at 100 yards. Very accurate also.

    It is all I need and easy on the shoulder.


    Steve in N CA

  5. #25
    Boolit Buddy wendyj's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tatume View Post
    Any load that emulates the 45 Colt will kill deer like the hammer of Thor. The only restriction is range.
    The 45 colt and 44 mag are my other short range rifles.

  6. #26
    Boolit Master redhawk0's Avatar
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    Just as a guestimate when working up a load. I have a Henry 45-70 with the 18.5" barrel. Whatever you're load data is listed at you will likely not get. They are tested from a 24" barrel. With the 45-70 you will loose approx 25fps per inch below the 24" test barrel. So...if you load for 1500fps load data...you'll be in the 1350fps range real world out of that shorter barrel. I use H4198 out of my Henry with 330gr and 405gr bullets. I keep mine in the 1200-1400fps range as well. Its a stiff recoil but nothing you can't handle for 50-100 rounds at a time.

    redhawk

    The only stupid question...is the unasked one.
    Not all who wander....are lost.
    "Common Sense" is like a flower. It doesn't grow in everyone's garden.

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  7. #27
    Boolit Buddy wendyj's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by redhawk0 View Post
    Just as a guestimate when working up a load. I have a Henry 45-70 with the 18.5" barrel. Whatever you're load data is listed at you will likely not get. They are tested from a 24" barrel. With the 45-70 you will loose approx 25fps per inch below the 24" test barrel. So...if you load for 1500fps load data...you'll be in the 1350fps range real world out of that shorter barrel. I use H4198 out of my Henry with 330gr and 405gr bullets. I keep mine in the 1200-1400fps range as well. Its a stiff recoil but nothing you can't handle for 50-100 rounds at a time.

    redhawk
    I'm using a 22 inch barrel. I'll be happy with 1300 fps. I loaded up about 20 with 30 grains of 4198. Loaded a few stouter with 41 grains. May try some 3031 in some. Going to ladder up in 2 grain increments on the 4198 and go from 30 to 40 grains. Most of my levers are Henry's and I wish I had bought the Henry in this. Still got bids on gun broker for a Ruger#1. Was what I wanted when I got this one.

  8. #28
    Boolit Master
    Rick Hodges's Avatar
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    My experience with 3031 has not been good. It is extremely dirty with lots of unburned powder until It is loaded up stiff. I never got acceptable accuracy with it in my rifle with 300 or 385 gr. projectiles except as I neared maximum loads.
    I use H-322 burns clean and accurate. They are stiffer loads than what you are looking for.

  9. #29
    Boolit Grand Master Tatume's Avatar
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    At the time it was introduced, IMR 3031 was considered a very slow powder. Elmer Keith raved about the "new" 3031 when it came out. While we have powders now that are much slower, it is still a fairly slow burner. That means it will perform best when stiff loads are used.

  10. #30
    Boolit Master redhawk0's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by wendyj View Post
    I'm using a 22 inch barrel. I'll be happy with 1300 fps. I loaded up about 20 with 30 grains of 4198. Loaded a few stouter with 41 grains. May try some 3031 in some. Going to ladder up in 2 grain increments on the 4198 and go from 30 to 40 grains. Most of my levers are Henry's and I wish I had bought the Henry in this. Still got bids on gun broker for a Ruger#1. Was what I wanted when I got this one.
    Like others have mentioned...3031 is dirty until you load up a bit stiffer. I've run 340gr with 46.5gr of 3031 and they were ok...just not as clean as my H-4198. Out of a 22" barrel you should be in the 1350 fps range with 30gr of H-4198. I think I may get a can of 2400 next....I see that 20gr of 2400 for a 340gr gives 1300fps...so that's ~1150fps from my Henry. Its supposed to be a very accurate load.

    I really like my Henry. I like that it has no crossbolt safety and I do like the tube magazine. The Henry has a transfer bar safety for the hammer. I figure, if I can't get a deer in the 5 shots available to me (then I shouldn't be shooting)...and I shouldn't be trying to quickly reload for more shots. I do however like being able to pull the tube out and dump my shells instead of cranking each through the action to unload. Many don't agree...but that's ok...I bought what I wanted....others can buy what they want.

    redhawk

    The only stupid question...is the unasked one.
    Not all who wander....are lost.
    "Common Sense" is like a flower. It doesn't grow in everyone's garden.

    If more government is the answer, then it was a really stupid question. - Ronald Reagan

  11. #31
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by redhawk0 View Post
    Like others have mentioned...3031 is dirty until you load up a bit stiffer. I've run 340gr with 46.5gr of 3031 and they were ok...just not as clean as my H-4198. Out of a 22" barrel you should be in the 1350 fps range with 30gr of H-4198. I think I may get a can of 2400 next....I see that 20gr of 2400 for a 340gr gives 1300fps...so that's ~1150fps from my Henry. Its supposed to be a very accurate load.

    I really like my Henry. I like that it has no crossbolt safety and I do like the tube magazine. The Henry has a transfer bar safety for the hammer. I figure, if I can't get a deer in the 5 shots available to me (then I shouldn't be shooting)...and I shouldn't be trying to quickly reload for more shots. I do however like being able to pull the tube out and dump my shells instead of cranking each through the action to unload. Many don't agree...but that's ok...I bought what I wanted....others can buy what they want.

    redhawk
    Henry's are fine, but you don't have to crank rounds through the action to unload a Marlin either. Just the round in the chamber, the rest slide out the loading gate just as easy as can be once you learn how.

  12. #32
    Boolit Buddy wendyj's Avatar
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    So for trial and error I loaded up some with 42 grains of h4198 and just wore my sissy pad and it's been manageable for 20 rounds so far. 1.89 3 shot groups at 100 and I can live with that. I wont need the pad for hunting but was perfect for bench work.

  13. #33
    Boolit Master redhawk0's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rick Hodges View Post
    Henry's are fine, but you don't have to crank rounds through the action to unload a Marlin either. Just the round in the chamber, the rest slide out the loading gate just as easy as can be once you learn how.
    Great to know...I stand corrected...I've never owned a Marlin...I guess I assumed it was like my Winchesters where I have to crank them through.

    Quote Originally Posted by wendyj View Post
    So for trial and error I loaded up some with 42 grains of h4198 and just wore my sissy pad and it's been manageable for 20 rounds so far. 1.89 3 shot groups at 100 and I can live with that. I wont need the pad for hunting but was perfect for bench work.
    Oh yeah...42 grains is a little stiff...but not too bad. Sounds like its in the 1700fps range. I load a little lower than that...I keep mine in the 31gr with my 405s which puts me in the range for 1400fps. (1250fps at 19.5" barrel) The recoil is still quite manageable at the range for 50-100 rounds.
    For deer...I like as much meat as I can get so I keep my velocities down a little. The Henry is my walking gun so I keep it open sights for super fast target acquisition...so...I likely won't get a shot more than 100 yards. The 1200-1400fps range works fine for my needs.

    redhawk

    The only stupid question...is the unasked one.
    Not all who wander....are lost.
    "Common Sense" is like a flower. It doesn't grow in everyone's garden.

    If more government is the answer, then it was a really stupid question. - Ronald Reagan

  14. #34
    Boolit Master
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    My favorite in my Marlin 1895 CB or 24" Encore is the old Lyman 456192 sized to 460 with 13 grains of Unique.

  15. #35
    Boolit Master
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    Like many here I do not subscribe to magnum level,loads in the 45-70. I like the 325-350 grain WFN cast GC in the 1200 FPS range kills game quickly easy on me and my shoulders. I am fan of Unique and a puff of pillow ticking for clean shooting accurate loads in the 45-70.

  16. #36
    Boolit Master

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    I use 29-30 gr IMR 4198 in my 1895 CB with Dacron and get 1350ish with the 330 hp

  17. #37
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    I load my 45/70 down in Fl the deer are mostly small I have shot some big ones but most are around 140 # but I got some hogs over 300# and that takes a good sized boolit or a 12 ga slug. My shoulder is shot and I need the whole thing rebuilt I have put it off for years because it sucks being laid up and cant do anything but being over 65 if I dont do it soon I guess it wont get done.

  18. #38
    Boolit Master
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    My wife killed her first deer (a small buck) with her Guide Gun loaded with a 400gr commercial cast boolit over 14gr of Unique. The range was only about 20 FEET in thick brush. Toppled him right over.

    Don’t forget it’s perfectly acceptable to have a “Hunting” load and a “Plinking” load that’s easier on your shoulder. The .45/70 is a grand old cartridge that graciously shoots everything from gallery loads to fire breathers.

  19. #39
    Boolit Buddy wendyj's Avatar
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    I fooled around with some Unique since I had cast more than I can shoot this year. I found around 15.5 grains was my best accuracy and recoil very manageable.

  20. #40
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by wendyj View Post
    I fooled around with some Unique since I had cast more than I can shoot this year. I found around 15.5 grains was my best accuracy and recoil very manageable.
    I always seem to do the reverse and shoot more than I can cast.
    Your 15.5gr load should put any deer ever born in the freezer if you do your part.

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check