45/70

[RJS3799]

I just picked up a H&R Buffalo Classic in 45/70. I was planning to get a Lee 457-340 mold, and powering those pills with IMR4198. I don't hunt, and my shooting is all done at 100 yards. I want to keep the velocity and recoil on the low side. Appreciate any suggestions.

Thanks
Rick

[45 2.1]

I have one of those. I've found that the LEE 405 gr. hollow base cast very soft and sized 0.462" used with SR4759 is a extremely good load to shoot tiny groups with.

[9.3X62AL]

RJS--

If I didn't say so earlier, welcome aboard!

IIRC, Ross Seyfried wrote in one or more of his magazine articles about using IMR-4198 in blackpowder cartridges as a "replacement" fuel in these calibers. His recommendation was to use the nominal blackpowder loading--in your case, 70 grains--and use 40% by weight of that figure to arrive at blackpowder ballistics.

This was a pretty close approximation in my Ruger #1 in 45-70. Using 28.0 grains of IMR-4198, velocity results were around 1175-1200 FPS with the 405 grain Lee plain base round/flat nose. Barrel length is 22", so that 125 FPS of velocity loss over the nominal 1320 FPS might be explained in that way.

I'm unsure of the strength level of this design, but others here can fill that in. My own opinion is that at 1873-level ballistics the 45-70 is a very capable target and hunting caliber "as is"--and having run some rounds through my #1 at full potential load levels......I think tackling Jerome Bettis or Shawn Alexander straight-on at full speed might be more fun.

One quirk the 45 caliber rifles display......their throat and groove diameters are OFTEN larger than nominal .457", and you'll need to cast or size boolits accordingly. If the booltis don't fit well, things won't work well downrange.

[Dale53]

Deputy Al;
I shoot a similar load in my Marlin 1895 (cut rifling): 31.0 grs of 4198 with the Lee 340 gr bullet gives me good functioning and 1.5" five shot groups at 100 yards. No filler of any kind). I don't have my chronograph data here with me, but it is just a hundred or so feet faster than yours, as I remember. It is comfortable to shoot and really ought to make a good deer load (we aren't allowed to use rifles for deer hunting in Ohio, so I make do with revolvers:mrgreen: ).

Dale53

[Dale53]

RJS;
Another possibility you might want to try is a duplex load of 10% RL-7/90% holy black. This will give you slightly more than black powder ballistics, a clean bore (you can literally shoot all day) and adequate power for deer or elk. In fact, even tho' I'll have to go out of state to use it, I am planning on using one my 45/70's (probably the Ruger #3) and the Lyman Gould 330 gr H.P. The Gould was developed for black powder and the 45/70 to maximise it's potential for deer.

Just a thought...

Dale53

[leftiye]

RJS, I have the NEF SB2 in 45-70. I just chamber cast mine, and other than having no leade, no freebore, and a .486 chamber neck area, it looks good?? I suspect that the described chamber is to SAAMI specs. Any one know?

I haven't gotten into actual casting and reloading yet. I'm still gussying up the rifle (plus it is still winter). But there are quite a few powders between 3031, and 4064 (see Los Angeles Silhouette Club's powder burning rate chart) That will produce very low pressures (like 15000 cup) when loaded to the 1400 fps level with a 400 grainer. The trick is to find powders that ignite well at these low pressures. The loads described should do two things. First, they will not deform soft bullets, and second the recoil should be mild. These H&Rs aren't very heavy, and therefore doo Kick!

Not to be hijacking your thread, but I've got a thread about this chamber in Special Projects (45-70 chamber and bullet configuration) and would really like some advice as to what to change about that chamber.

[Scrounger]

I think if I had a single shot .45-70 (so feeding isn't a problem) with some kind of a messed-up chamber, I'd re-chamber it to .45-90. The extra cost of a hundred or two Starline cases for it wouldn't be signicant. You could still load down as far as you want and top end .45-70 loads would be well under .45-90 maximums. Wish I could do that to my Marlin.

[John Boy]

Rick, another bullet that produces excellent groups in the Buffalo Classic is the Lyman 457124. It is 385grs and bullets can be bought retail if you don't want to buy the mold.

IMR 4198 will work good but will be in the 1400 fps range. It's gonna have some felt recoil with the 7# rifle. You may want to try Trailboss or Unique. Will put you in the 1000fps range

How does the BC shoot? Great. Lyman 457124 - 65gr Goex Cartridge - 300yds - 20 shots: 11 - X's, 3-10's and the rest 9's-7's

Get the 38-55 barrel also. It's a shooter too!
PS: The barrels are made by Green Mountain for the 45-70 and 38-55