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Thread: Suggested loads for 45-70 with 340gr WW LEE bullet

  1. #1
    Boolit Bub Three Bears's Avatar
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    Suggested loads for 45-70 with 340gr WW LEE bullet

    Have a CVA Optima Elite 45-70 and have been trying IMR 4895 42grs and the Lee 340 gr cast WW bullet. Not getting very good results…… any recommendations on a better load using this bullet?

  2. #2
    Boolit Buddy
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    27gr AA 5744 is my favorite.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master at Heaven's Range. txpete's Avatar
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    data on target.rifle used marlin LTDII.


  4. #4
    Boolit Master Guesser's Avatar
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    I use that mold in my Ruger #1 over 29 gr. of SR4759 for an even 1500 FPS and very good accuracy. Using air cooled ww gets me 345 gr. after lubing.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master Maven's Avatar
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    +1 on what Dave B. said!

  6. #6
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    curator's Avatar
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    My experience with the Lee 340 grain boolit has been less-than-stellar. It casts at .457 from WW +2% tin in both moulds I have, which is a bit on the small side. I feel the lube grooves are inadequate, but--if filled with LBT blue than the entire boolit dipped in Liquid Alox they shoot a bit better. I've tried soft (40 to 1 lead/tin) to hard (50/50 Ww/lino) with velocities from 1100fps to 1800fps nothing is particularly good. On the other hand the Lee 459/405HB is a pain to cast but shoots accurately in all 4 of my .45-70 rifles (and my .458 winmag too!)

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    The Lee 340 gr. and Lee 405 gr. both shoot very good out of my Marlin 1895 CB and I have had good luck with the 4198 powder for both. I mainly shoot the 340 gr. because it takes less lead to cast and is big enough for anything I will ever need it for. I use straight wheel weights and LLA for lube.

  8. #8
    Boolit Master

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    45-70 loads

    Some depends on rifle. What is bore and groove diameter? That Lee bullet is a good design but may be more for VERY low pressure smokeless loads or BP loads with a base wad. That bullet may drop from the mold slightly undersized for your bore??

    If I were shooting that bullet I'd go low end pressure & velocity (1100-1200 fps) with smokeless along with low density dacron fill. Powders like 5744 or 4759 are best suited for that purpose. For BP shooting just use FFg topped with .030 or .060 wad and lightly compress to best OAL for throat fit..... adjust powder volume for the light compression.

    If I were trying to get that rifle to shoot its very best with a cast bullet I'd try something like the RCBS 405 GC bullet at about 11-12 BHN lubed with something like Felix sized to about .001 larger than groove diameter on top of mild load of 5744 with a low density dacron fill. The "target" velocity would be something like 1200 fps.

  9. #9
    Boolit Mold
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    Quote Originally Posted by 405 View Post
    Some depends on rifle. What is bore and groove diameter?
    If I were trying to get that rifle to shoot its very best with a cast bullet I'd try something like the RCBS 405 GC bullet at about 11-12 BHN lubed with something like Felix sized to about .001 larger than groove diameter on top of mild load of 5744 with a low density dacron fill. The "target" velocity would be something like 1200 fps.
    I'm very interested in that bullet (RCBS 45-405 FN+ ... the plus sign means single cavity only). I use the very similar 37-250 FN in a .375 H&H with and without gas checks. At my glacial velocities the GC doesn't seem to matter much and it's accurate as I could want. I have to buy something for the .45-70 and I was hoping someone had experience with the RCBS offering.

  10. #10
    Boolit Master

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    RCBS 45s

    Yes, the RCBS 405 w/GC is about as good an all around 45-70 bullet as there is. It seems to do well in most all rifles. Even the RCBS 300 w/GC is a good one particularly for some levers where a little less bullet is wanted. Both bullets in that softer, approx. BHN hardess range of 11-12, do very well when shot at the lower pressures/velocities over mild charges of either 5744 or 4759 with a low density dacron filler (fluffed out to fill case and weighing .5 to .75 gr.).

    Both the 405 and the 300 will drop at slightly greater weight with the softer alloys. Mine drop at about 415gr and 320gr respectively.

  11. #11
    Boolit Grand Master







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    My #1 45-70, likes the 340 lee shot as cast (about .4585) over 20-22 gr of 2400 with 1 gr of fluffy dacron fill. Shoots better than I can.
    1Shirt!
    "Common Sense Is An Uncommon Virtue" Ben Franklin

    "Ve got too soon old and too late smart" Pa.Dutch Saying

  12. #12
    Boolit Mold
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    Ditto. Lube grooves... if that is what they are called are totally inadequate. To enlarge. I have beagle the mould. I have swagged the boolit from the base with success. wish Lee would increase both lube groove width and depth and increase the boolit diameter two or three thousands. They would have a GREAT mold then.

  13. #13
    Boolit Master Drm50's Avatar
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    I don't use Lee bullets in any of my guns. They are designed to be tumble lubed in Alox. I only buy
    Lyman Ideal, RCBS or other quality mould with well defined grease grooves. I like square edges, it
    provides more surface on bullet to engage rifling. The largest game I'm going to shoot with a 45/70
    is deer. Therefore I don't need a massive slug. I use the 322gr Gould Express Hp a old Ideal design
    I use 20.5gr of H-2400 with tuff of Dacron. aprox 1300fps. I have used IMR-3031 & 4198 but like the
    2400 for cast.

  14. #14
    Boolit Master

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    If you aim for 1100fps, 10.5 gr. Unique ought to get you there
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    The Second there to protect the First!

  15. #15
    Boolit Master
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    9 years...and it lives again!
    Evangelical, deplorable redneck and proud of it.

  16. #16
    Boolit Master
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    a true phoenix from the ashes it rises

  17. #17
    Boolit Master
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    The 45/70 just won't die!!

  18. #18
    Boolit Master redhawk0's Avatar
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    I've had success with 46.5gr of IMR3031 under that boolit out of my Henry. Specified velocity for a 24" barrel is 1500fps...but out of the 18.5" I'm getting about 1350fps. This load downed a nice buck last Fall.

    redhawk

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  19. #19
    Boolit Master marlinman93's Avatar
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    Maybe the OP still hasn't got his brass loaded?

  20. #20
    Banned


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    i cast and dip lube the lee 340 with GF#1, then load the brass with 14 grains of trail boss. an accurate load out to 200 yards. for more pep and much longer distances it has to be 26 grains of AA5744. but every gun requires careful evaluation and careful load testing.

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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