45/70 and reloader 7

[mikej]

Howdy. I'm just starting to load this cartridge and have noticed quite a wide variance of powder loads for this. I have some reloader 7 that i'd like to use and found some bear creek 360g cast flat nose lead boolits and starline brass. I'm using a rossi rio grande lever action with a 20" barrel. I've been trying to find loads for people using the marlin 1895, since its the closest design. Loads i've seen vary from 35 g of r7 up to 51.5 or so. Anyone have experience with similar loads? the 350g cast seems to be more common, if anyone has r7 experience with a similar gun or similar cast boolit, I'd love to hear it.

[joec]

First off I have the Rossi Rio Grande 45-70 also and load with IMR 3031, 4198, 5744 and RL-7. Now so far I've kept all of these loads below the maximum bullet speed ratings in FPS. It is generally about middle of the scale from lowest to highest for modern lever guns. I will tell you however the lightest bullet I mess with is 405 gr water quenched by Badman Bullets. The strongest being Laser Cast or Tombstone bullets for hunting. Your best bet is to go to Allient and download their load data book. That is pretty much how I do it personally.

[Outpost75]

I fired alot of rounds in an original 1884 Trapdoor with 40 grs. of RL7 and an LBT . 460-370 WFN bullet and killed all manner of game from whitetail to elk and moose with it.

[frnkeore]

RL7 has about the best (if not the best) pressure to velocity ratio for the 45/70. That said, it burns dirty at very low pressures, such as 25 gr. I hope you guys have good ortho doc's, because with those 20" barrels, they will hurt like H, probably around 35 gr (I hurt myself at 39 gr with a 12 lb rifle and 405 bullet) and if you can get to 45 gr, off the bench, I'll keep my mouth shut :eek:

Frank

[mikej]

He he, thanks Frank. Im not too worried about recoil, Im expecting it. I did check alliant for data and didn't have a load close enough to my bullet.

[MT Chambers]

48 to 50 grs. is a pretty good load for the Leverguns....Marlin shows these loads for their 366gr. cast boolit...the 48 grain load is in their Trapdoor loads.(all are RL-7)

[Lloyd Smale]

I shoot 50 of re7 with a 450 for a heavy hunting load and it will get your attention in my light little oct barreled marlin. Heres are article by paco kelly with some real good info from the a guy thats forgot more about lever guns then most of us know. http://www.leverguns.com/articles/paco/4570_leverguns.htm

[mikej]

Great article Lloyd

[MT Chambers]

While I agree that he may know his stuff as he recommends RL-7 and esp. AA2015, the best 45/70 powder....however when he gets to Level 2 and heavier loads, he only uses jacketed bullets and we all know that the best heavy loads use heavy CAST flat point bullets, NOT j-word bullets, which, in my opinion are too soft at 2000 fps and penetration can suffer.

[mikej]

I agree. I plan on using almost exclusively lead rounds and it has been somewhat of a chore finding load data for such rounds

[CPL Lou]

I've been testing out a 360 grain gas checked boolit with RX 7 in all three of my 45-70's.
A Marlin 1895G, an 1895 CB and an H&R Buffalo Classic.
I started at 41.5 grs, shooting 5 round groups, and worked up to 49.5 grs. 1/2 grain increase at a time.
I used 2 alloys. One was 50/50 coww/pure with 1% tin added to the final mix. The other alloy was straight #2 alloy from Rotometals.
I did not get any leading with the #2 alloy at all levels. I started to get some leading from the 50/50 alloy when I got up to 48.0 grs in one of the Marlins (1895CB). All 3 rifles got leading in the bore at the 49.5 gr. level using the 50/50+1% alloy.
Loob was 2500+ and all were sized to .4595".
Brass was new Starline and primers were Winchester large rifle.
Overall length was 2.542"
My best groups were at 47.5 grs in all 3 rifles, hovering around an 1.5" range. These are 5 shot groups using a lead sled (no lead on board though, to save my stocks from splitting).
Recoil will get your attention, but acceptable for any seasoned big bore shooter.
I've been working on these loads for a possible elk hunt in Saskatchewan next fall and wanted a load that had some serious thump. :D

Hope this helps!

CPL Lou

[TXGunNut]

I use 46 grs RL7 under a 350gr RD boolit in my Guide Gun. I don't enjoy it much heavier and the TX deer and hogs don't seem to care. Plenty enough for me and it shoots pretty tight as well.

[Corbi]

My 45/70 is a Ruger #1.

I am using a 350RD boolit with 40 grains of Rx7, mixed brass, WLRP. My apologies I did not record the velocity in my notes, I believe the load was around 1800FPS. It is easy to run out of shoulder before reaching max load!

I have killed a couple of whitetails with this combination.

Corbi