How does everyone like RL7 in 45/70?

[osteodoc08]

Rainy afternoon and kids were taking a nap so I snuck downstairs to do some reloading, reflect on the movie American Sniper and have a chat with my late father who passed away 2 years ago on the 22nd of the month.

While down there I found 50 accurate 460350VG boolits he had cast sized and lubed and an unopened 1# of RL7 i had picked up to give a whirl with. I referenced my Lyman manual and made up a ladder load to test out in my 1895 ABL.

Ive never used RL7. How does everyone like it? I'm also gonna cast more and give it a whirl with IMR 4227 and possibly Varget.140396

[NSB]

All my 45-70s like Rel7 a LOT. I have four cans of it on the bench right now and almost picked up a couple more at Cabela's today. I may go back tomorrow and get some. None of my 45-70s are really fussy. It's the easiest caliber to load for that I've ever owned. Rel7 is one of the top 3 best powders I've found for that caliber. In fact, it's the best. I get very, very good results with Rel7, 4198, 2400, and 5744. Of all of them, Rel7 is my first choice. I seem to get mixed results with 4227 in this caliber but it's my first choice in 357max.

[TXGunNut]

I tried about half a dozen powders in my GG and kept coming back to Rx7. I shoot a 350 gr boolit, will PM you the charge to avoid the warning to Trapdoor shooters.
Hard to believe your dad's been gone two years. Seems like only months ago I sent him some GC's to try.

[osteodoc08]

TGN, I probably have some of those GCs laying around. Time sure does fly by. I still miss him very much and we always have a way of connecting while loading and shooting. I'm looking forward to sending some of these down range.

Will have to do a report when I have a chance to do so.

[TXGunNut]

Looking forward to the range report, don't forget your PAST pad! lol

[osteodoc08]

Looking forward to the range report, don't forget your PAST pad! lol

Got sidetracked today with family stuff. Maybe Friday. It already has a decelerator pad on it from the factory. ��

[frnkeore]

Got sidetracked today with family stuff. Maybe Friday. It already has a decelerator pad on it from the factory. ��

RL7 or RX7, will give the highest velocity to pressure ratio in the 45/70. Lyman gives loads that will approach 458 Win Mag energy with a jacketed 405 gr bullet (Ruger only).

Most people do not like the recoil of the 300 gr 1800 fps factory loads that are suppose to be TD suitable.

I had to stop at 39 gr with a 430 gr cast bullet in my 12 lb RB.

Remember that, no matter what pad you may use, YOU still abrorb ALL the recoil. It will slow the "jab" at your shoulder but, your neck will still take it. I got a torn rotor cuff from my 45/70 shooting BP, 500 gr, 1470 fps loads.

Frank

[Clay M]

Rel 7 is my favorite powder in the .45/70 with cast bullets..(for full powered loads)
Otherwise I use MP5744.
I have also had my best results with Rel 7
in the .405 win.
You may need to play with the bullet Dia..
Two thousandths over bore dia. seems to work really well for me..
I use Carnauba Red lube and GC bullets.
Rel 7 is the most accurate powder I have tried in those two calibers..
Good luck, and start low and work up..
I hit a sweet spot somewhere in the middle..

[MT Chambers]

Actually I believe that the best press. to vel. ratio is with H-335, however RL-7 is my go to powder in the 45.70 along with AA2015.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

I did a bunch of testing with RL7 using a 355gr Wide Flat Nose cast and even hunted with that powder my first 45/70 hunting season. Tested to a bit over 2500fps and hunted at 2300fps.

Didn't like the devastation at that velocity level, and was not satisfied with the groups/consistency.

Went to a heavier bullet, 465gr and the RL7 didn't work out along with a bunch of other powders. Best was H335.

However, Have just completed some tests with IMR 4895 and they look REALLY promising.

You can read about those results in another post I just started under this same topic heading.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[osteodoc08]

Saw it here and over on MO. Promising indeed.

I didn't have a chrony but the mid level loadings were cutting 1" groups at 50 yards. Can't complain with that! My shoulder did of course and I much prefer shooting from non-benched positions.

[warboar_21]

I read people used Reloader 7 for the 45-70 so I tried it out and found that it worked great. Now I use two powders for the 45-70 and Reloader 7 is one of them. The other is Unique.

[Terrence Clarke]

Hope you have better luck than i did with the 460350VG, it will not chamber in my Marlin XLR

[upr45]

I really like RL7 in my Marlin 1895's for the 405gr various bullets and boolets I've tried. Never tried 350gr's because the 405's worked so well. My Marlins don't like anything longer than 2.55" oal. I load in the 1600 to 1700 fps range which is "springfield level" loads. Easy on the shoulder & gets the job done without excessive mess.

[Dan Cash]

It is a superlative propellant for its intended purpose.

[osteodoc08]

Hope you have better luck than i did with the 460350VG, it will not chamber in my Marlin XLR

Hmm. My 1895GS and ABL don't have any issue with this boolit when crimped in the crimp groove which is right at max OAL

[Bill*B]

In my brief .30 caliber experience, it gave a very dirty burn. I abandoned it because of all the soot.

[flint45]

RL 7 is agreat powder for 45-70 its what i uesd for my old hunting loads.

[oscarflytyer]

I tried about half a dozen powders in my GG and kept coming back to Rx7. I shoot a 350 gr boolit, will PM you the charge to avoid the warning to Trapdoor shooters.
Hard to believe your dad's been gone two years. Seems like only months ago I sent him some GC's to try.

TXGN - I would appreciate a PM with the load data. I am shooting a modern Marlin 1895 and the Ranch Dog 350 grn GC. Thanx!

[Michael J. Spangler]

I haven't tried RL7 but I would plan on doing so soon.
In response to the varget question. I loaded some 405 grain boolits to approximately 1400 fps with varget and with H4198 and the H4198 had way less perceived recoil. I could shoot them all day. The 40 grains of varget on the other hand was very snappy and not as fun to shoot.

I wonder where RL7 falls as far as recoil VS velocity?

Has anyone compared the two?

[tdoyka]

its just my opinion, but in the 444 marlin "kicks" much more with the h4198 load than one with a rel7. in mine(tc encore with a 23"MGM barrel with a 280gr ranch dog) i had to stop short of 42.0gr of h4198(with a PAST pad, i would have been done at 9 or 10 shots). i could have gone a couple/three grains heavier than rel7(42.0gr) before it started to "kick" me(my loads are for a stroke-abled guy...me:-D). i think that h4198 has more velocity, with the same loads, than rel7.
also my quest for varget has been turned off. in my 30-40 krag with 165gr ranch dogs, i used h4198, rel7 and varget. h4198 kicked more than rel7(not much, but enough). the varget basically recoiled more(more than enough!) than did my h4198.
: a couple more... (http://castboolits.gunloads.com/showthread.php?283189-a-couple-more)

[oldblinddog]

A great load in my (one of several) M1895 was 50 gr RL 7 under a 400 gr Speer. That is a stout load but very accurate. I have not used it with cast. SR4759 was good with the 330 gr. Gould HP.