Light Bullseye Powder Loads in a 45/70

[John Allen]

I know there are some people out there doing this. I was looking at using 2 to 4 grains of bullseye with a round ball.

The question I had are you guys using a filler such as dacron in the case or just letting the powder in there loose??

[Jim]

I've made 'gallery' loads with 5 grains of Unique under a RB in .45-70. I stuffed the case almost full of TP and seated the ball on it. Looks kinda' funny when you light it off, what with the 'snow' from the paper, but it works fine.

[John Allen]

Jim, I was looking at some screw around loads and thought they would be fun how was a accuracy at 25 yards? Was it pretty quiet?

[stubshaft]

I used 2.5grs of BE and seated the ball on the powder ala Veral Smith. Accuracy was decent to around 15yds.

[SciFiJim]

Bullseye can be downloaded until you stick one in the barrel. This would have to be done with very careful testing and checking the barrel after each round until one sticks. The load above that one is the lowest you can go. Gallery loads in 45/70 have been done for a long time with great success and fun. You are probably looking at around 2gr or a bit lower before one sticks. Each gun is different, so you would have to find out for your particular rifle to be sure. Be careful and have fun.

[John Allen]

Bullseye can be downloaded until you stick one in the barrel. This would have to be done with very careful testing and checking the barrel after each round until one sticks. The load above that one is the lowest you can go. Gallery loads in 45/70 have been done for a long time with great success and fun. You are probably looking at around 2gr or a bit lower before one sticks. Each gun is different, so you would have to find out for your particular rifle to be sure. Be careful and have fun.


Jim, can you just load the powder and leave the air space or is a filler needed?

[SciFiJim]

You can get the boolit out of the case and stuck in the barrel with only a primer. Bullseye is pretty position insensitive so filler is not needed. If you do use a filler for that low a load, make sure to take the weight of the filler in to account when figuring load.

[RoyEllis]

I don't have a 45/70 to load for, but I shoot 1gr Bullseye pushing a Lee 113gr soupcan bolit in a .308, sounds like a cap gun. Shoot in the backyard & neighbors never say a word. I'd be willing to bet you can get under 2gr B'eye before sticking one in the barrel, esp. if you cast them from soft lead.

[John Allen]

Thanks guys, I am going to try it in my Ruger #3 with soft lead. That way if I get one stuck it is easy to get out.