45/70 loads

[Superduty]

I am working on loads for my pendersol rb in 45/70 to shoot, My question is for shooting chicken,pigs and turkeys will a 405 gr moving at 1325 to 1350 fps be enough. I have to be carful of recoil because I had surgery for a torn and detached eye this October. Im doing my load testing using a lead sled till after the first of the year. I am planning on using a 500gr for rams.

[Doc Highwall]

Are you asking for smokeless powder or black powder loads? A 405 grain bullet will knock the rams down.

[Superduty]

I am getting 1346 from 61 gr of 1 1/2 swiss and a 405 hb with a ox felt under the bullet.

[Doc Highwall]

Is that the LEE bullet and what kind of accuracy are you getting and at what distance? Remember having a good or great load is one thing and knowing how to read the wind and light conditions is needed, and neither is good without the other.

[Nobade]

I am getting 1346 from 61 gr of 1 1/2 swiss and a 405 hb with a ox felt under the bullet.

That sure sounds fast for that load. You sure your chrono is accurate?

It'll be more than powerful enough for all the animals if you hit them.

-Nobade

[kokomokid]

I never got a 405HB bullet to shoot accurate enough to use. I have used a 535gr Jones with 59gr 1 1/2 swiss that has light recoil in my 12# rifle. It is subsonic and will work to the rams. LB

[CanoeRoller]

When shooting BP, the ballistic coefficient is more closely related to weight than anything else. A 400 grain slug will be more likely to drift in wind, and will product a bit bigger groups.

The 400 grain boolit can get you started, but if you get hooked on the sport, you will probably want to move to something a bit heavier.

[John Boy]

Superduty - 2 bread and butter bullets for accuracy, either black or smokeless are:
457124 - 385gr for the chickens
457125 - 500gr for all others out to the rams
Be sure to only just remove the case bell and do not crimp the bullet if shooting BP

[Superduty]

The crony is right I test it almost every time I use it with a .22 rf gives me a baseline. I am getting 1 1/2" groups at 100 yd with the lee bullet from my 30" barrel with a 10x scope. I have two other 500 gr molds I am planning on working with later this winter. Thank you for your thoughts.

[Doc Highwall]

Superduty, take care of that eye.

[bigted]

i second the "take care of that eye" sentiment. i had a detached retina and now i gotta wait to yard the trigger till the floaty gets outta the way. sometimes it wont and then i have to look away for a few seconds and allow it to rest and then go back to it. just isnt worth rushing on the healing of an eye ... only 2 issued per person.

[Superduty]

Thank you for your cares on my eye. I never used my lead sled much before but now it lets me work on loads and saves the wear and tear on me. I have a load room and 200yd range with a crony set up and I don't even have to leave the house, makes our winter go buy a lot easier. This week I am working on different wads and seating. I shot bench rest for a number of years and did shoot High Power rifle including the nat at camp perry.

[bigted]

superduty ... not trying to doubt ya however the speed seems a bit high to me as well. my loads of 70 grains cartridge just do the over 1300 FPS being around 1320 to 1340 depending on my compression and load column.

something to consider is the distance you use your chrony at. it be just a bit diff with smokeless then the BP in the distance. i Chrony at 15 feet so the boolit is all that goes over my screens and at 8 to 10 feet with smokeless as there is no smoke nor wad screaming thru either first or after or during the shot.

just a observation from the peanut factory.

[Superduty]

I just checked my cable for my dig readout it is 16 feet long so end of barrel to crony is around 15 feet and I shoot about 6" over the eyes. The same load out of my trapdoor is only 1210 fps I am thinking the pendersol barrel being smoother and tighter must be more efficient. Maybe tomorrow I will run a few more shots and check again.

[bigted]

rite on. i hope your speed is rite and maybe mine is a bit off. maybe this arctic weather has the same negative effect on it that it has on my old bones ... LOL

is your trap a rifle length or carbine?

[Superduty]

Trapdoor is a rifle length. My Pendersol roller has a 30" heavy oct. I wont get to shoot today we are getting ready for a major snow storm today.

[taco650]

...I have a load room and 200yd range with a crony set up and I don't even have to leave the house, makes our winter go buy a lot easier. This week I am working on different wads and seating. I shot bench rest for a number of years and did shoot High Power rifle including the nat at camp perry.

I envy your set up! Take care of the eye too! Like another said, you're only issued two.