Contender 45 70

[Spokerider]

Getting all of the components together..........contender with 12" ported 45 70 barrel, 360gr GC mold from Tom, Lyman 45 sizer and lube, Rx 7, H322, [ may get some H4895 ] dacron filler, Starline cases, etc, etc.

For those of you shooting the 45 70 contender with the 12" barrels, wondering what kind of fps are you getting? I'm looking for approx. 1500 fps from my combo and staying within the trapdoor pressure limits. The loads provided in the Lyman 49th manual for contender that I have does not show pressures, so I have to cross reference from other sources for appropriate powder measures / pressure info. The Lyman manual does show pressures in the trapdoor rifle section, but then the test gun has a 24" barrel.......not quite accurate with the 12" ported contender barrel.

Anyone have one of those contender loading handbooks that give 45 70 load info to share?

Thanks.

[Franklin7x57]

My contender manual only list a 292 and 405 grain cast bullet in 45-70. In 405 grain and RX 7---33 grain (1274 fps) to 41 grain(1447 fps) with 10" barrel. With 16" barrel they were about 125 fps faster.

[Spokerider]

Thanks for the info.

[Coonazz]

I have the same barrel for my contender. 36 grs of IMR 4198 and the Lyman 457122 Gould bullet are just about all I care to tackle comfortably. Having said that, range sessions with stiffer loads and heavier boolits are usually shot only 10 times with the help of shooting gloves.

[Spokerider]

Have you shot any 350-360gr boolits in the 45 70 Contender? If so, what was the velocity?

The Lyman 457122 you shoot is pretty close in weight at 330gr to what I will be shooting.

Mine will be shot in the carbine form, with a brand new HiViz XCoil recoil pad installed on the stock. Recoil should be tolerable.

[Coonazz]

Have shot some 350 gr. Hornady FN out of the Contender but that was many years ago. Velocity, IIRC was around 1450 fps or so using 45grs. of IMR 4198. Recoil was pretty stout.
Only have 2 moulds for the 45-70: the Lyman Gould and the RCBS 405 GC. I use the same load for both. The Gould bullet is devastating on deer and similar size animals, plus it shoots well out of all my 45-70's.

[John Allen]

I like the 400 grain flat nose myself in my contender 45/70 it is a real thumper.

[Spokerider]

Well I took the contender to the range for the first time, and discovered that I ain't finished tweaking it yet. 50% of the rounds were misfires. Looked like the firing pin strikes were too light. I'm hoping that this is a simple fix like a new hammer spring and not a stretched frame..........grrrr. I just bought the frame too.

Anyway, I was hoping to reach 1500fps with the 360gr boolits I had cast. The load that showed the most promise in the 12" barrel was 46.5gr of H-322 with 1gr of Dacron filler. I shot one ragged bullet hole at 25m with four rounds, and that is good enough for my needs. Velocity was 1445fps. No black bear, cougar or blacktail deer is going to know or care about the other 55fps, lol. So, it will be off with the scope and on with the Skinner peep sight for close in hunting.

Now, if I can just get the dang thing to fire on every shot..........

[quilbilly]

Very likely it is an old hammer spring. They seem to need replacement ever few thousand rounds. Contact Mike Bellm.