45-70 brass and boolits

[KnotRight]

Thinking about get a lever action 45-70. Been wanting one since the late 70's. That is when I shot one 1 time.

How hard is it to find brass and boolits for this caliber?

This is a caliber that I might shoot 40 to 50 rounds a year. That would be at paper only. I do not hunt.

Thanks,

[Beagle333]

Not hard. Starline makes and sells brass very reasonable, and 45-70 brass is often sold on the swappin & sellin page here as well.

Lots of folks make boolits too. 8-)

[country gent]

Remington, Winchester, norma,Hornady and starline all make 45-70 brass. Loaded ammo is available fairly readily also. Lead, jacketed bullets are also readily available for purchase ready to go. Mould are very available in a wide range of weights and styles. While an old round it is still quite popular with hunters and BPCR shooters. There is alot of good data available for both smokeless and black powder loads for the handloader to use also. reloading equipment is readily available. It is a easy cartridge to work with and can be very rewarding on the target range or in the hunting fields.

[Lucky Joe]

I bought a Marlin .45-70 from a friend a great round, he regretted the sale and I felt compelled to sell it back to him. Looking for another. I really doubt you would regret the buy. Supplies are easy to obtain as stated above.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

The 45/70 has been around for a very long time. Brass has always been available and still is, as already indicated. Many different molds are also on the market made by the major mod producers. In choosing a mold you need to establish what you are going to do with it. Original muzzle velocity was usually around 1200-1300 fps with bullet weights ranging from 350 grains or so to 400 grains. Both the MV and the bullet weight can be increased, but along with either the recoil factor also increases. I would suggest some reading in the 45/70 world of literature before making any choices so that you do not wind up as an unhappy camper. LLS

[ghh3rd]

I doubt that you will find any 45-70 brass laying around at the range, but it's easy to find new brass. I just bought 100 Starline 45-70 for $54, and they had 50 for $28. Of course, since you are only going to shoot 45-50 rounds a year, you might just want to buy a box of 20 and reload them.

I wasn't ready to load 45-70 when my rifle arrived and I bought a box and figured at least I would have brass after emptying them. It turned out that Leverevolution ammo cases are shorter than usual, so I put them on the PIF forum and gave them to someone who wanted to use them.

Since you won't be shooting many, you may want to keep it simple, and check out a Lee Classic Loader 45-70 Government (http://www.midwayusa.com/product/224711/lee-classic-loader-45-70-government). If you will be loading cast boolits I believe that you will also need something to flare the case mouths though.

Randy

[ghh3rd]

(deleted dupe post)

[wrench man]

Yep, components on the shelf nearly every time I visit the gun shop, not hard to get at all.

[Freightman]

Darn I shoot 40-60 rds every range trip, love my Shiloh and Rem RB

[NSB]

I've owned a number of 45-70 rifles (have two right now), and it's the easiest, least fussy caliber I've ever loaded for. Just about everything you put together shoots pretty good. Keeping the loads down to 1350-1500fps makes it pretty easy on the shooter also.

[KnotRight]

I am getting closer and closer to ordering one. The Marlin comes in a "Guide Model" and I think a 22" barrel. I am thinking the 22" model.

I was able to find someone that was selling RanchDog 170 gr bullets for my 30-30 on this forum. Is there anybody selling lead boolits with gas checks for the 45-70? If not, were is the best place to order them?

Thanks,

[sprinkintime]

KnotRight, is it really necessary to use gas checks at this low 1350-1500fps ?

[EDG]

I have seen a number of companies that sell gas checked cast bullets for the 45-70. Unfortunately most of them are nearly as expensive as j word bullets so they are not much of a bargain. There are a lot of gas check moulds out there if that is what you want.
For the most part you do not need gas checks since the velocity is so low. However I can remember the gas check bullets are usually a little more accurate.
I don't own a Marlin 45-70 but I know from other Marlins that they often need a little larger diameter cast bullet. If your Marlin has a .460 groove diameter you might need a bullet that is about .462 and I am not sure you can buy cast bullets that fat. I have several 45-70 single shots and I have used a mold that cast .461 to .462 and shot the bullets through .458 groove diameter barrels as cast with NO sizing. So I was shooting .004 oversize bullets and was getting excellent accuracy. You may need an oversize custom mold or a standard mold that is known to be oversize.


I am getting closer and closer to ordering one. The Marlin comes in a "Guide Model" and I think a 22" barrel. I am thinking the 22" model.

I was able to find someone that was selling RanchDog 170 gr bullets for my 30-30 on this forum. Is there anybody selling lead boolits with gas checks for the 45-70? If not, were is the best place to order them?

Thanks,

[Lead Fred]

I have lots of cases, boolits we gettem the ole fashion way.....

We makem

[NSB]

You don't need gas checks on the 45-70 to get good accuracy. I've shot sub moa groups out of my Pedersoli Sharps with three shots several times. Five shot groups will come very close. What you do need is the right size bullet for your bore. You're going to have to slug the barrel to see what you need. Then play around with which powder gives you the best group. I think you'll find that velocity has a lot to do with shooting good groups. I don't push them too hard and the heavier bullets always shoot better. For me, the best shooting bullets start at 400g. The 300g are only fair, the 350g are "hunting good" and the 400+g are the best. YMMV

[EDG]

Shooting a 40-65 gas checked NEI 325 grain bullets gives the best accuracy by far. I have also shot the 400 Snover (PB) and the 410 grn Redding/Saeco (PB) in this rifle and they are not even close to the NEI bullet. I have shot a 10 shot group at 100 meters that measured just under 1".
In various 45-70s I have gotten excellent accuracy out of 300 grain RCBS gas check bullets but never out of a 300 grain plain base.
The best accuracy from my 45-70s comes from a 500 grain plain base bullet.

While I would agree that you don't always need gas checks, they can, in some cases give excellent accuracy.


You don't need gas checks on the 45-70 to get good accuracy. I've shot sub moa groups out of my Pedersoli Sharps with three shots several times. Five shot groups will come very close. What you do need is the right size bullet for your bore. You're going to have to slug the barrel to see what you need. Then play around with which powder gives you the best group. I think you'll find that velocity has a lot to do with shooting good groups. I don't push them too hard and the heavier bullets always shoot better. For me, the best shooting bullets start at 400g. The 300g are only fair, the 350g are "hunting good" and the 400+g are the best. YMMV

[Lead Fred]

Darn I shoot 40-60 rds every range trip, love my Shiloh and Rem RB

Ive never shot any of my 45/70s under 80 yards. 200 yards is where the fun begins


KnotRight, is it really necessary to use gas checks at this low 1350-1500fps ?

Nope I shoot plain base 405s up to 1750fps, Id not go past that.

Some day Ill plain base my Ranch Dog 435, but till then, Im checking them, just to make sure they fly right.

[Edward]

Let me know what you need ,I make 320 /350/405 /420 grain GC/PB /lubed /PC and paper patched in 460/459/458 sized I"m retired and it keeps me busy and my Marlin 1895 guessing .That would be a good (try em pak) just cover the shipping/Thanks Ed

[John Boy]

How hard is it to find brass and boolits for this caliber?
Bullets with gas checks but not necessary ... http://westernbullet.com/lee9gr2.html
Brass ... https://www.trackofthewolf.com/Categories/PartDetail.aspx/239/1/CASE-45-70-PACK-050
Loading data... http://reloadammo.com/4570load.htm

[ghh3rd]

The bullet link is for 475 Linebaugh Pistol Bullets :-). I found that this link (http://www.montanabulletworks.com/BB_45_caliber.html) on their site has lots of .459 .460 boolits.

[KnotRight]

ghh3rd, thanks for the link!

[ClydeP]

http://oregontrailbullet.com/

I am shooting the 405 gr from these guys now. Real good accuracy loaded light in my 1873 Springfield. Variable in my Guide Gun but, I suspect it is me with the GG.