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Thread: Well, I've finally got a 45-70: Now what!

  1. #21
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Aug 2019
    Posts
    27
    "Oh, what a lucky man he was"
    Congratulations on your acquisition. I love to hear when a person acquires a beautiful old firearm that he appreciates, respects and will use.
    I have just bought my first 45-70 and have been very fortunate to get great advise from many folks here on castboolits. They have been amazing. The rifle is a Uberti 1884 Hiigh Wall.
    I will be reloading my own ammo and am just starting to cast boolits also.
    So, I have bought 45-70 dies, some cast lead bullets from a gunsmith where I bought the gun to get started. I am waiting for a Lee Lead Pot to arrive and am going to build a PID controller for the lead pot. Since I reload already, I have powder, primers, press, etc.
    Good luck with your new rifle. I'm sure you will have a great time with it.
    Keep us updated with how it shoots when you get it cleaned up.

  2. #22
    Boolit Master piwo's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2006
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    St. Peters, MO
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    587
    Thanks again guys. Yes, i WILL be shooting this rifle, and will at some point start reliading for it. I cast round ball and some conicals for a couple flintlocks and a percussion shotgun, and got a couple hundred pounds of pure lead, and maybe another 100 lbs of "dental lead", which pings when blocks are dropped onto each other so i know it has some antimony in it. And i load for modern rifle and pistol, but never for BP cartridge. Doing my reading now..
    "So how many Divisions does this Pope have?".. Joseph Stalin

    "Be not afraid"..
    Pope John Paul II

    Stupidity is also a gift of God, but one mustn't misuse it.
    Pope John Paul II

  3. #23
    Boolit Buddy Tazlaw's Avatar
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    Dec 2019
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    Conway, AR
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    193
    It seems I remember reading (several places) reloading BP cartridges requires NO AIR GAP! It causes way too much pressure. If you want a reduced load, you must use a filler to take up the space. Unlike modern powders. It’s been a bunch of years since I read that, so do your own research. Better safe than any other way.
    Just knowing enough to do it, is not enough to do it right! -Taz

  4. #24
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Oct 2018
    Posts
    32
    What kind of field of view do you get with a scope like that


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  5. #25
    Boolit Buddy Rick459's Avatar
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    Jan 2006
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    485
    Quote Originally Posted by grantharris1945 View Post
    What kind of field of view do you get with a scope like that


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
    https://media.mwstatic.com/productdo...ual_927781.pdf

  6. #26
    Boolit Master Groo's Avatar
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    Mar 2009
    Location
    Ohio
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    956
    Groo here
    Unless you just dont want to , the gun will shoot smokeless 45-70 loads just fine..
    If you want to shoot BP get the correct manual .
    I suggest the SPG reloading manual [ got mine from Shiloh rifles.]
    There are some tricks to shooting BP cartridges we have forgotten.

  7. #27
    Boolit Master Drm50's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2016
    Location
    SE Ohio
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    2,361
    I have had Trapdoors, RBs and replicas of both as well as Marlin 1895 and #1 & #3 Rugers all of which I still have. Unless there was reason I would shot smokeless and cast bullets. I have a manual that is special for only 45/70 loadings, got it at midway USA. Your rifle repro is much stronger than original BP model and made with factory ammo in mind. 45/70 name brand ammo is mild because of liability of shooting it in old original BP era rifles. If you are going to use it for fun gun you can load factory dupe with cast and smokeless as a good starting point. There are many smokeless loads to choose from. It's an easy cartridge to load and long case life.

  8. #28
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jan 2015
    Location
    Indy
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    537
    A very good book for BP loading, Loading cartridges for the original .45-70 Springfield rifle and carbine By J. S Wolf. The book represents a wealth of both research and personal information about reloading 45-70 cartridges with blackpowder for those of us who appreciate tradition and strive to keep it alive! A book no 45-70 black powder cartridge reloader should be without! Was always advertised in SPG's Black Powder magazine, have not seen one since Gibbs sold it. The BPCR shoot out to 1000 yards using heavy bullets.

  9. #29
    Boolit Mold
    Join Date
    Sep 2018
    Posts
    7
    You will find that the Pedersoli loves the 535 grs Postell for greasers. In my 30" heavy target barrel, I have found a load with that bullet that likes much more compression than is conventionally recommended. Paper patched loads are tougher to advise on. If you want to pursue it, there are some good books, like Mathews, "The Paper Jacket". People have very strong, often bizarre, opinions on paper patching, so keep that in mind.

    Great rifle. Enjoy!

  10. #30
    Boolit Master Toymaker's Avatar
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    Nov 2012
    Location
    Winterville, Georgia
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    576
    St. Peters, eh? Always help out a fellow Missourian. From Ste Genevieve, wish I was back there.
    It's a shooter. You're going to love it. This powder isn't available any more ( but Accurate 5744 works about the same. Couldn't find my pictures for that powder load or for black powder. Have fun!!
    Click image for larger version. 

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  11. #31
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Jun 2012
    Posts
    760
    I shot the heavy loads in mine.
    I no longer hunt .
    I got a collar button mould and shoot forager loads.
    The mold casts a 130 grain, others may cast 140 grain.
    Can be loaded over 5 grains of black powder by seating the bullet deep in the case, down on the powder.
    Just a fun load in 45/70.
    Close by in IL.
    Last edited by Alferd Packer; 01-02-2020 at 10:37 AM.

  12. #32
    Boolit Buddy Captain*Kirk's Avatar
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    Dec 2009
    Location
    Waukegan, IL
    Posts
    421
    You will love it!
    If you choose, factory Remington ammo launches at around 1330fps with a 405gr FN jacketed bullet. I shot these out of my High Wall before reloading and found accuracy outstanding...3 shot groups at 100 yard I could cover with a quarter off the bench.
    The beauty of a single shot is when reloading, you can extend the bullet seating just off the leade for better accuracy and no crimping is required for range fodder. The Pedersoli should handle smokeless as well as black powder with equal dexterity.
    Congrats on a great acquisition!
    "Are you gonna pull those pistols, or whistle Dixie?"

  13. #33
    Boolit Mold singleshotcajun's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2010
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    8
    I just purchase an identical rifle on GB, should have it next week. Click image for larger version. 

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    I'm going on this journey with you Brother. I already load for my Swedish military Rolling block and a Snider . I'm thinking this will be a piece of cake comparatively.

  14. #34
    Boolit Master oscarflytyer's Avatar
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    May 2009
    Posts
    778
    Condolences for your friend. Also sweet rifle. If you are interested in a smokeless start load, I suggest this one, a Trapdoor level load. Lee 405 HB cast pushed by 38.5 gr of IMR-3031. 1375 fps from my Marlin. Also shoot it in my Rem Rolling Block.

  15. #35
    Boolit Bub
    Join Date
    Dec 2017
    Posts
    32
    First,congrats for having such a nice friend...and such a nice gun.This model is next on my list.
    I already own a Billy Dixon Pedersoli Sharps in 45-70 and was so impressed by the quality of fit and finish that I bought a Pedersoli High Wall in 38-55.
    I don't shoot black powder in my guns.My 45-70 groups good with 4198 and very good with 4759 which I'll replace with 5744 when my supply gets exhausted.Very good to me is between 1'' and 1 1/2'' at 100.
    My 38-55 started at 4 to 5'' at 100 and is now an honest below 2''.Since I'm quite inexperienced at shooting cast in rifles(beginning my 2nd year),I have good hope I'll break the 1'' barrier quite soon.
    All this not to brag about my performance(lot of good cast bullet shooters can do a lot better)but just to say that the process is really fun and can be done shooting smokeless.

  16. #36
    Boolit Master
    Join Date
    Sep 2016
    Posts
    2,377
    Spence passed away a few years ago. The book can be purchased through his wife. I believe she lives in Louisiana. Don't have and address. Best to use google She does take credit cards and is very nice. Frank

  17. #37
    Banned


    Join Date
    Feb 2013
    Location
    NJ via TX
    Posts
    3,876
    congrats on a fine rifle. pedersoli rollers and sharps are typically way under rated, and i've had more of their rollers and sharps than my fingers (and a few toes) ... all will probably be more consistently accurate than their shooters and all will digest modern smokeless ammunition let alone proper black powder cartridges. most of mine were of the .45-70 persuasion, with a few .40-65's thrown in for good measure. but it's the .45-70 that's top dawg in my 19th century cartridge book. for the kids, i load 12 grains of trail boss under a 340 grain greaser, and a pedi .45-70 roller becomes shoot-all-day fun plinker to 200 yards. for getting target serious out to 200 and way beyond, time for a full case of black powder, a wad, a tad of compression and top it off with a paper patched 525 grain slick. love the rollers as much as the sharps. love the pedi guns.

    a favorite .45-70 pedi roller i wish i had back ...


    here's a real remington roller .45-70 that i'll be working on purty soon ...

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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