Recommended Reading for 45-70?

[GMW]

Hi, I am a new owner of a Shilo Sharps Military Rifle in 45-70. My 57 year old brain needs something in print to get me loading bp rounds for this rifle. I have been reloading smokeless for years and my hunting rifle of choice in one of my custom flinters. What book would be the best to get me shooting this shilo? Thanks for any help!

[Gunlaker]

Read this. It's free and probably the best resource I've found for getting started in BPCR (including any books I've bought):

http://www.wahsatchdesperadoes.com/Intro_to_BPCR_Loading.pdf

Mike Venturino's book "Shooting Buffalo Rifles of the Old West" is also very good.

SPG's "BP Cartridge Reloading Primer" is also good.

Chris.

[Kenny Wasserburger]

Another Great place for Information would be Shilohrifles.com and the Forums there.

Chuck's Data is excellent he had help from any shooters and it is a excellent resource. So +1 on Gunlaker there.


The Military Rifle begs for the Saeco 1881 bullet and 68 to 72 grs of either Goex FFg or Swiss 1.5 Powder. A very good lube, Such as White Lighting, or only one other lube, These Days that is very good for a beeswaxed base lube most likely the best one is Bullshop's Lube.

Kenny Wasserbuger
KW
The Lunger

[405]

+2 for MLV's book "Shooting Buffalo Rifles..." It gives good perspective on many of these single shots from the era. They're three basic "cast" bullet types you can shoot successfully in your Shiloh. Although heresy to some :), the gas checked bullet will yield the easiest path to accuracy and success when you first start out. The plain based and the paper patched bullets round out the three possibilities. Good SOFT bp lubes as mentioned for either BP or smokeless. Stay sane with the smokeless- these guns/cartridges/bullets were designed around BP not modern smokeless ballistics. 5744 loads work well in the 45-70 if kept to original BP velocities. I regularly switch back and forth between BP and the light smokeless duplicating loads in my 45-70 single shots.

[Don McDowell]

Don't make this to complicated. The 45-70 is the easiest to load for bpcr cartridge there is.
Cast bullet .001 over groove , weighing anywhere from 405-500 grs. 70 grs of 2f blackpowder a .030 fiber wad. Pick your favorite brand of brass or primer. Seat the bullet to just expose the driving band.

[wills]

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?t=23615

[NickSS]

Most target shooters I know use bullets of 500 gr and above for everything in their 45-70s. I do the same for long range loads when I am shooting at targets above 200 yards. However, for loads for hunting and target shooting for ranges below 200 yards I generally shoot 400 gr bullets in my single shots and 300 to 350 gr ones in my lever action rifles. I am a firm believer in not wasting bullet alloy unnecessarily. But that's me others may disagree. To get started buy Mike Ventorino's book shooting Buffalo rifles. It is full of good info and a fun read all by itself. I myself have read it through several times for info and entertainment. As far as loading BPCR ammo, I have used loads from 60 gr to 75 gr of FFG powder of several different makes with a card wad over the powder and a bullet seated on top. Some shot well and some not so well but the secret is some rifles/ loads require more or less compression with a given powder to get good accuracy. When starting out I usually measure the length of the bullet that will be inside the case, then measure the inside length of the case and subtract the bullet from the case length. I then load enough powder dropped down a drop tube that fills the case to the zero compression depth (the measurement you get after subtracting the bullet seating depth). I load 10 rounds with that amount of powder (weigh the charge after you find the amount of powder it requires). Then I add five grains of powder and load 10 rounds and then add five gr and load 10. Each five gr will be about .2" of compression. I then go to the range and fire the groups of 10 rounds using a blow tube and noting group size at 100 yards. Usually you will see one group of 10 shooting better than the others. That is your starting point and you can refine the load up or down a grain or two to get optimum results.

[semtav]

http://members.surfbest.net/aconitum@isp.com/BPCR%20ReLoading.html

http://www.bpcr.net/site_docs-results_schedules/documents/bp_cartridge_reloading_dick_trenk.htm

http://www.wahsatchdesperadoes.com/Intro_to_BPCR_Loading.pdf

[bigted]

Most target shooters I know use bullets of 500 gr and above for everything in their 45-70s. I do the same for long range loads when I am shooting at targets above 200 yards. However, for loads for hunting and target shooting for ranges below 200 yards I generally shoot 400 gr bullets in my single shots and 300 to 350 gr ones in my lever action rifles. I am a firm believer in not wasting bullet alloy unnecessarily. But that's me others may disagree. To get started buy Mike Ventorino's book shooting Buffalo rifles. It is full of good info and a fun read all by itself. I myself have read it through several times for info and entertainment. As far as loading BPCR ammo, I have used loads from 60 gr to 75 gr of FFG powder of several different makes with a card wad over the powder and a bullet seated on top. Some shot well and some not so well but the secret is some rifles/ loads require more or less compression with a given powder to get good accuracy. When starting out I usually measure the length of the bullet that will be inside the case, then measure the inside length of the case and subtract the bullet from the case length. I then load enough powder dropped down a drop tube that fills the case to the zero compression depth (the measurement you get after subtracting the bullet seating depth). I load 10 rounds with that amount of powder (weigh the charge after you find the amount of powder it requires). Then I add five grains of powder and load 10 rounds and then add five gr and load 10. Each five gr will be about .2" of compression. I then go to the range and fire the groups of 10 rounds using a blow tube and noting group size at 100 yards. Usually you will see one group of 10 shooting better than the others. That is your starting point and you can refine the load up or down a grain or two to get optimum results.



very well said nick:smile:

[G50-70]

Lots of good info in the above posts. This is a good read.

Loading Cartridges for the Original 45-70 Springfield Rifle and Carbine, By J. Spencer Wolf

[StrawHat]

Lots of good info in the above posts. This is a good read.

Loading Cartridges for the Original 45-70 Springfield Rifle and Carbine, By J. Spencer Wolf


Here's one place to get it.

http://www.the45-70book.com/

A very good book, some of the info has been found to be out of date (or fashion) but still a very good base from which to build .

[GMW]

Thank you all for the great advice! I got the SPG and Spencer Wolf's books. I also got the Saeco 1881 mold along with a .459 lyman sizer. I will be loading Goex 2Fg for now. A friend told me that Goex Express is superior. I'll get a few cans of that on my next case order. Oh yea, SPG is my lube.