Pretty package in the mail

[Matt Muir]

Well guys, after all the advice that was given in the thread that caused all the comotion last week I did call Shiloh. They had one 45-70 on the rack a Long Range Express. It has a 34" Barrel, semi buck horn sights, semi fancy wood, brass screw caps,pewter cap,and weighs a ton. It was on a few hundred more than the Ped so I asked about buying. There was a fellow ahead of me that had 24 hours to make up his mind, he chose not to buy, I did:-D

It arrived today and I am stunned. I have never seen a Ped so I have nothing to compare it to but this gun seems to fancy to shoot. It really is a work of art. My son and I rushed to load some rounds and we got to shoot it (in the dark). I put together a few rounds of 2 F @60 gr with a 405 g slug from Cabelas. The kick was so slight and a real pleasure to shoot. Cant wait for the weekend and really get after it.

Thanks all who posted and answered my questions.

Matt

[dubber123]

If it's a Shiloh, it's a beauty. You will certainly enjoy owning that fine rifle. I am well served with what I have, but the fit and finish of a Shiloh is hard to resist.

[Don McDowell]

Congratulations Matt. Looking forwards to hearing how it shakes out for you.:drinks:

[Matt Muir]

I have cans and cans of Goex 3f left for my muzzle loaders. Is this safe to load in the Sharps? Would you still push the 60 to 70 gr load? I assume the recoil would be greater at least.

This is way to fun already.

[Don McDowell]

don't sweat the 3f. It will do fine. Some folks go as much as 80 grs 3f in the 45-70 for longrange work.

In your 2f and 405 load bring that charge up to a full 70 grs and chances are the fouling will go down, especially in the throat, and the accuracy will go up. Same with the 500 gr bullets.

[Matt Muir]

Thanks Don, I will try that. So I dont have to stay with the 2.550 overall size like it says in my loading manuals? Or do I just keep mashing the powder so to speak. All of the lube grooves are in the case now on the 405, with more poweder they may show, is that ok? I see PP loads that have to be longer than the 2.5 inches. I can size the chamber and see just how far the lands are and get a true picture.

The 500g round seems very long, I was wondering how deep to go and how much less powder would be in the case.

[Jon K]

Matt,

Set the boolit to touch the lands & grooves, and just back off .005"-.020"

Compression is whatever it takes to have the loaded round chamber easy. You can only seat the boolit out as far as it takes to engrave, so compression is needed, if you wish to up the powder charge. Goex likes compression to shoot accurate, Swiss not as much compression. Your gun will tell what it likes best.

3FG Swiss 65.5 grains/PJ 540 gr 45001 = .900" exposed/.531" in the case, that's what I'm using out to 500.

Jon

[Don McDowell]

Matt , the 2.55 col is to keep the things short enough to work thru the Marlin actions.
You can set the bullet clear out to the lands if you and the rifle think that'll be best, but it seems to me accuracy is a bit better with the bullet just short of the lands. I would imagine that rifle of yours is throated for the longrange bullets, and you may have a hard time getting those 405's to the lands.
Main thing loading black in the cartridges is just like shooting round balls , the bullet needs to be in firm contact with the powder.
65grs goex 2f and a .030 wad makes a good place to start with the 500s as the bullet will just sit on the powder. I once got 7 out of 10 hits at 1000 yds with that load using the barrel mounted ladder sight at the Alliance Ne shoot.
As long as you don't buckle the case you can pretty much stomp whatever you can get in there, and seat the bullet.

[Matt Muir]

Great guys, thanks.

[crossfireoops]

Congradulations, Matt!

.....you'll not regret your choice, ....you lucky Dog !

GTC

[405]

Congrats.... like cfoops, you won't regret it! Before wearing the lands smooth :mrgreen: get some decent sights on her so you'll know just how accurate that thing CAN be.

First tip- been there done that- get a quality long 30+ cal cleaning rod like the Dewey. When shooting for load development or max accuracy potential... take the rod and some cleaning equip to the range. If shooting blackpowder, you'll need the rod, a correct 45 jag, lots of soft cotton or tee shirt scraps, some Ballistol/water mix in an applicator bottle, and a muzzle guard. I always clean those things from the muzzle...with the guard.... helps keep most of the crud/solvent out of the action.

Shoot one shot. Position rifle so muzzle is slightly below breech. Put cleaning patch on jag and apply a liberal dose of Ballistol/water mix. From the muzzle- run through bore in a back and forth motion as you approach the chamber. Stop at the chamber, don't push the fouled patch all the way through! Pull the fouled patch out and discard. Do this twice. Put clean dry patch on jag and run through bore. Push all the way through with the clean dry patches... including the chamber. Do this twice. That should clean all the fouling out and leave a dry bore and chamber. Once you get into the rhythm of this it's not too bad. Also helps break in the bore. Of course you can clean from the breech end. I just have settled on doing it from the muzzle. If lead starts to build up in the bore then a more serious cleaning will have to be done.... most shooters do this back at home.

Some loads just won't shoot in them just like some loads won't shoot well in the finest benchrest high power rifles made. Slug your bore to make sure but just about every Shiloh and C Sharps I've slugged has been right at .458" groove or very close. Might try 400-425 gr bullets to start. Usually helps to put at least a .030" or .060" card between powder and bullet. Use some compression.... but not too much. I've found .1"-.3" compression is plenty. Might try GC bullets also. Experiment in seating depths with the cast bullets with bullet off the lands, at the lands or lightly engraved into the lands.

Even try some 405 gr jacketed bullets (like the bulk Remingtons) over a trapdoor pressure load of 4198 or Rel 7. Don't run these into the lands- back off .020-.050". Also, you won't have to clean any more often than with any J bullet gun. But will have to clean all the copper jacket fouling out before going to lead bullets. The J bullets might surprise you about accuracy potential!!!

Then, if you want to jump in with both feet try some paper jacketed, swaged, tapered bullets over blackpowder. I've found a carefully built BP round using the paper patch is the only one that will compete equally with the jacketed in top accuracy. I'm sure others here will disagree- but what the hey, opinions and experiences vary!!! Getting top accuracy with the J boolit will be the easiest. The other combos.... cast plain base, cast gas checked, and swaged/paper patched will all require more work. Keep us posted.