45-70 Powders?

[joec]

Here are my choices and what I've used. 4198, 3031, RL7, 5744, Trailboss, and FFg black powder with all kinds of bullet weights all cast.

[41 mag fan]

Varget so far thru my Remlin, and 3031 so far thru my Browning. 300gr GC casts so far, after lining these up, it's off to the 400-425gr casts

[Larry Gibson]

I'm with NSB. Reloader 7 and SR 4759

With 350 - 360 gr cast this would be an excellent choice.

Larry Gibson

[runfiverun]

i'm cheap and have a lot of 2400 around.
the 45-70 responds well to loads from about 900 fps through 17-1800 fps with it.
sometimes I use a filler, sometimes not.
littlegirl really likes a 435gr gas checked lee boolit at 1650 fps in my browning.
this is easily accomplished with 2400.
maybe if the rifle didn't have a steel crescent buttpad I would want to bump the load a bit more and need a different powder.

[NSB]

i'm cheap and have a lot of 2400 around.
the 45-70 responds well to loads from about 900 fps through 17-1800 fps with it.
sometimes I use a filler, sometimes not.
littlegirl really likes a 435gr gas checked lee boolit at 1650 fps in my browning.
this is easily accomplished with 2400.
maybe if the rifle didn't have a steel crescent buttpad I would want to bump the load a bit more and need a different powder.

I also use a good bit of 2400 in my 45-70 loadings. It's also one of my favorite powders (sometimes). I use a very little bit of filler over the powder which I've convinced myself tightens up my groups just a little bit. However, I could be wrong. I have my good days and my bad. I too find that I have a power limit on my loads. Too heavy a bullet, too light a gun, and a wimp behind the trigger just tops out at around 1650fps.

[TMSCU]

I have always used 5744

[Foto Joe]

Don't ever shoot Black Powder out of a 45-70, you'll never be able to put that new fangled smokeless stuff in it again.

Realistically though, if you're looking at a Marlin chances are it has the "Micro-Groove" rifling in it instead of a Ballard type barrel, if it's MG then it will be clearly stamped on the barrel. The reason I mention this is that if you do plan on using Black Powder in a MG barrel you will find out that after about the third round it's anybodies guess as to where the boolit will go, the Micro Groove rifling just doesn't work well with Black Powder. It's a shame too 'cause I've got a '95 that I love to shoot BP out of, the problem though is that by the fifth or six round I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn from inside the barn.

[olereb]

Don't ever shoot Black Powder out of a 45-70, you'll never be able to put that new fangled smokeless stuff in it again.

Realistically though, if you're looking at a Marlin chances are it has the "Micro-Groove" rifling in it instead of a Ballard type barrel, if it's MG then it will be clearly stamped on the barrel. The reason I mention this is that if you do plan on using Black Powder in a MG barrel you will find out that after about the third round it's anybodies guess as to where the boolit will go, the Micro Groove rifling just doesn't work well with Black Powder. It's a shame too 'cause I've got a '95 that I love to shoot BP out of, the problem though is that by the fifth or six round I couldn't hit the broad side of a barn from inside the barn.

I'm not buying a Marlin with micro groove,i'm going to get a older used one without the micro groove. For what I am going to shoot through it its worth the wait to find a decent older one,i love BP so I have to be able to shoot that through what I buy. I have several BP rifles and pistols and love them,i bought 50lbs of BP 6 years ago and its been one of the best things I have ever done.

[olereb]

Thanks a lot everyone for all the posts!!,I have several manuals that I always look at before asking but its always nice to hear real world opinions. I'm gonna get a few of the powders mentioned here for the different loads that i'm going to work up,some are also going to work good in my other rifle calibers that I have.