Need advice on loads for my .45-70

[WildmanJack]

Gentlemen, I just purchased an EMF .45-70 at a local gun show. Now I have a single stage press, the dies, and I'm waiting for a bottle of hodgdon's 777 to come in to the local gun shop. Now I need to know what weight boolit I should use and if anyone has a suggestion about powder load and mold model number. I bought a box of Remington .45-70 softpoint .405 gr bullets at the show just to try the gun out with and haven't had a chance to get to the range yet, so I'm gettin real edgy waiting to shoot this thing..
Jack

[missionary5155]

Good afternoon Well as always it all depends on what you are wanting to do ? Molds are some what costly so you may want to get real specific.... But a good all purpose bullet weight is around that 400 area. You could hunt any North American critter with it and not have to be to concerned about enough penetration. If you are going to 1000 yard matches you better look at 500 grains+ ... If you want to hunt critters under 300 pounds a 300 - 350 grain slug is around enough. I would first decide that, unless you just want to buy any mold fast. Of course there are bunches of Weights.. Nose shapes.. Gas checked... it really is endless (like Nose pour, Hollow base) But the GREAT part is there are all sorts of options.
With your 405 grain jacket You can shoot Black Powder 2F with enough in the case to compact it around 10%. This will depend how far your chamber requires that slug to be seated into the case. With smokeless it depends WHICH EMF you have as it still is going to fall into a specific action strength.

[KCSO]

First do a chamber cast and see what the rifle is chambered for. I have seen thses marked 45-70 and they chanbered everything from 45-90 to 45-110. The chambers in all of them I have seen was excessivly long for 45-70 and in most of them you will have to seat the bullet way out. This isn't bad with striaght black but is a waste of space with smokeless. I can't say about 777 as I only use B/P. Whatever powder you used the 405 jacketed slugs will work to an extent. Fouling with B/P will really bouild up so you willl need to swab ever couple of shots. With 777 you might shooot longer but I would watch for any fouling build up as you have a soft action and it won't handle much pressure. In addition the firing pin is a two piece and you may need to silver solder it to get good ignition. If the firing pin is NOT buushed stick to B/P pressure especially if your repro doesn't hhave the firing pin baffle plate at the rear of the block.

I'm sorry to be a stick in the mud here but the EMF Pedratti guns really have issues and you need to be aware before you shoot. A buddy and I each bought one and wasted 4 boxes of 45-70 ammo before we found out his was chambered 45-90 and mine was between 45-90 and 45-110. By the time we were done if we had paid to have the guns fixed we could have bought a new Cimarron Pedersoli and had ammo money left over.

[WildmanJack]

Hmmmmmm, now you have me thinking... I don't want to keep this gun if it's no good. There's a gun show this Saturday and Sunday, I can stick a sign on it and sell it for what I have in it. I got it out the door for $800.00 with a scope. The gun appears to be new. If I can sell it then I'll put a few hundred more and get a Pedersoli. I really don't want a gun that's going to give me issues... I was planning on using it for Cowboy Action shooting side matches.

[montana_charlie]

You said you bought an EMF 45/70, but you didn't say what KIND of rifle it is.
According to the EMF website, the only kind of SHARPS rifles they sell are those made by Pedersoli.

If you bought a Pedersoli Sharps for $800, you made a good deal on an excellent rifle...if it hasn't been abused.

It is strong enough for any sensible load, but 'sensible' is the operative phrase. Use 777 and copper jackets if you must, but the piece was made for black powder and 500 grain lead bullets.
CM

[WildmanJack]

Hey Charlie,
It's not a Pedersoli, it's a Pedrotti. Therein lies my fear of the gun. I don't want a gun that's going to be at the shop every other week.. Unless someone on this board can convince me otherwise, it's off to the gunshow.. Thanks for the input though..
Jack

[montana_charlie]

Hey Charlie,
It's not a Pedersoli, it's a Pedrotti.
Jack, I will ask you one more question...just so you don't do something you'll regret later.

In the picture below are the locks of two Sharps rifles. The one on the left has the standard 1874 hammer with it's low profile. On the right is the high-humped hammer normally seen on Pedretti rifles.

Which one resembles your hammer?
CM

[WildmanJack]

The one on the right. Thne higher one..
Jack

[montana_charlie]

Ok, Jack...I'm convinced.
CM

[WildmanJack]

Thanks for the help. Saturday it's off to the gun show. I sure hope I cn get my money out of it, or atleast not take too much of a beating... We'll see.
Jack

[WildmanJack]

Well the good news... I swapped the EMF Sharps even up for a brand new Uberti 1873 in .45 Colt. Now I'll start looking for a new or used Pedersoli Sharps..
Thanks for all the advice, I truly appreciate it...
Jack