Remington Rolling Block 45-70

[Charlie, AKA The Deacon]

I have a 45-70 RRB 1-22 twist, I am looking for starting loads with a 350gr cast GC boolit.

Any info would be great!! Save on some time and lead! I have several powders to choose from, 3031/R7/Varget and a few others.

Thanks Charlie

[Tatume]

http://hodgdon.com/

[Nobade]

It all depends on what action that rifle is built on. If it is an old blackpowder action I wouldn't be shooting it with smokeless. If it is a Pedersoli or other modern reproduction, go ahead just keep the loads pretty light up to low Marlin levels in the loading manuals.

-Nobade

[Charlie, AKA The Deacon]

Thanks for the input!!

[John Boy]

I have a 45-70 RRB 1-22 twist, I am looking for starting loads with a 350gr cast GC boolit.
Charlie, for starters, where or how did you determine the bore is 1:22? Never heard or saw such a twist rate. The 45-70 is a 1:20 twist rate

Secondly, good luck finding a 350gr GC lead bullet. There isn't any such animal.

Don't believe your real intention is to save lead but reduced felt recoil. That being said, use the 300gr Gould bullet or the 405 HB. If you want a bullet that really shines in a 45-70, buy or cast the 535gr Postell or Creedmoor, 70grs of 1.5FG or FFg black powder with a card board wad, seated to touch the leading bore cut

If it is an original, keep the psi under 18,000 and the SAMMI standard for the caliber is 28,000 psi ... and best to use smoke reloads that are in the BP psi range. Why? Don't believe you will ever be shooting the rifle at Mid or Long range distances.
Good Luck!

[Tatume]

I have a 45-70 RRB 1-22 twist, I am looking for starting loads with a 350gr cast GC boolit.

Any info would be great!! Save on some time and lead! I have several powders to choose from, 3031/R7/Varget and a few others.

Thanks Charlie

I have several 350 gr GC molds for the 45-70, and it is my favorite bullet weight in that cartridge. They are particularly deadly on game.

Your best bet is going to be IMR 3031, and the Hodgdon site I referred you to has a load for a 385 grain cast bullet in the Trapdoor section. You can substitute your 350 gr GC bullet. My notes show that I've had excellent results with 350 grain GC cast bullets using considerably less IMR 3031 than the starting loads offered by Hodgdon, with excellent accuracy and muzzle velocities equaling those of the Hodgdon starting load. Send me a PM and I'll share details.

Take care, Tom

[rbertalotto]

the 350g GC bullet is a great hunting round. I have a mold that throws a nice flat-point that is extremely accurate.

I have a few 45-70 rifles and two of them are 1-22 twist so I'm not quite sure of what John Boy speaks.

Any of the powders you listed are "go to" powders for the 45-7-. My favorite is RL7........

[Charlie, AKA The Deacon]

My 45-70 mold drops at 348gr GC bollit, My gunsmith put the new barrel on this RB last week. not trying to save lead as far as the load just trying to cut back on some of the ground work developing a good load that's why I said to save lead.

Thank you guy's for all the input.
Charlie

[tacklebury]

Reloader 7 is my go to also. I use between 34gr. (trap door level) to 52 gr. Ruger #1 level. In my 32" barreled .45-70, the latter make my 250# frame take a step back when firing. I tend to stick to the 47 gr. to 48 gr. load for regular use. If I ever need to shoot an elephant, I'll probably jump back up. ;) All these have been safe in my H&R Buffalo Classic, but stick to the level your firearm and shoulders can handle. I too use a slip on recoil pad by limbsaver when shooting more than 3. ;)

[John Taylor]

Charlie, for starters, where or how did you determine the bore is 1:22? Never heard or saw such a twist rate. The 45-70 is a 1:20 twist rate


The 1 in 22" is the twist used in the trapdoor Springfield and many other old guns. The 1 in 20" twist was started by people wanting larger bullets than the 500 grain and shorter barrels. When you have a 33" long barrel the velocity is up there enough to stabilize the 500 grain in a 1 in 22" twist. If your running a shorter barrel you need a faster twist or a lighter bullet. The trapdoor carbine used a lighter load and lighter bullet, 55 grains of powder with a 405 grain bullet, but it still had the 1 in 22" twist.

[Charlie, AKA The Deacon]

Thanks for the info John T.

Took it out today loads were 3031 and reloader 7 with the 348gr flat nose cast! the recoil was not an issue I think I will be able to run with these powders.

need to do some work on the rear sight and than run some more loads from a bench with a chronograph.

Charlie

[doulos]

Saeco has a 350gr gascheck bullet in .459 diameter. It is a single cavity . It is on Midways web site

[missionary5155]

Good morning
Just for fun russle up enough 3F to load just one round. Figure out how long to seat the boolit so it nudges the rifling.
Fill the case near to the top and gently tap the rim on wood to shake it down well. Get the powder leveled so when you seat the boolit to that "nudge the rifling length" it will compress the powder about 1/8 inch. Load and fire.
You may be amazed at the power 3F will develope. I use it in all my BP cartridge rifles. In the 50-95 it will give nearly 175 more fps over 2F with the same boolit. My 32 inch 45-70 roller picks up 125 fps. Anyway you may just realise that a 385 grainer moving at near 1400 fps has all the power most any critter can handle. Use a soft enough boolit and it will bump up to fill that barrel precisely and you may have just found the most accurate load that rifle will ever fire.
I also shoot smokeless in most of my BP rifles... but few will shoot better than with a case full of 3F.
Mike in Peru

[fifty4]

I bought a Remington rolling block in 45-70 from a gun smith, he said it was about 70 years old and could handle about any load I put in it, I have been shooting and reloading for over 35 years, this just don't sound right to me. can someone help me out.dose this sound wrong to anyone else.

[Nobade]

That gunsmith is trying to get you hurt. Even modern made rolling block actions shouldn't be fired with anything more than Marlin level loads (in the reloading manuals) and even then I wouldn't be doing it with my own guns. A 70 year old Remington action is going to be proofed for smokeless powder and have the smaller firing pin, but there's no need to abuse it. Rolling block action failures can be deadly, that cartridge is aimed at your face with nothing to stop it if the action opens under pressure. Besides, hotter 45-70 loads just plow a bigger ditch in the ground after going through the deer compared to milder ones.

-Nobade

[rfd]

heck, i'd never load any roller for more than trap door levels with either *special* smokeless (aa5744, sr4759, trail boss), or real bp.

[offshore44]

Saeco has a 350gr gascheck bullet in .459 diameter. It is a single cavity . It is on Midways web site
I have that mold in a double cavity. Works great in the wife's Ruger #3 in 45-70, and in my 45 x 2 1/2" belted express. Very accurate, and reliable on game. Depending on usage, alloy and rifle it works from around 1,300 fps all the way up to 2,600 fps.

[fifty4]

thanks , I have been shooting the 45-70 for 20 years or better, out of marlins and RBs . most of my loads are under (way under ) the trapdoor max of 28,000 psi. when he told me this I knew that didn't sound right. 54

[bigted]

I bought a Remington rolling block in 45-70 from a gun smith, he said it was about 70 years old and could handle about any load I put in it, I have been shooting and reloading for over 35 years, this just don't sound right to me. can someone help me out.dose this sound wrong to anyone else.


well I gotta say that any person calling himself/herself a "gunsmith" should have his tools taken away and blackballed for that kinda information!

you sure this aint some goober with a hacksaw, some screwdrivers and a file or two? he don't sound like anybody I would even care to talk to ... let alone allow to work on or give me advice on any of MY firearms.