Took the plunge - Henry LeverX in 4570

[TjB101]

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Went to my local LGS to sell / transfer a CZ yesterday and thought I’d bring an old Sig227sas and see what low ball price they would throw my way ... they offered me top dollar for it (actually more than I paid) so left it there and went home with the HenryX in 4570.

I’ll cast and PC for it and started my required research last night. Looking at a Lee 340 or 400 gr mold and noticed that Unique and 2400 were discussed in my threads for medium velocity range fodder. However, I could source any load data for those powders.

For those that cast / reload 4570, any recommendations on good, low recoil reloads? Also, anyone have a source for once fired brass?

Thanks in advance,
TJ

[fastdadio]

Nice rifle. I'm sure you will get a life time of good service from it. To answer your question about the medium level loads, here's a source for some data not found in the traditional loading manuals. I've had a lot fun playing with the data listed for 30-30, and 30-06.
http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm

[redhawk0]

I cast both 340 and 400 Lee's....I am a huge fan of the H4198 powder. I keep my velocity in the 1200-1400 range. Its not too bad on the shoulder and it definitely takes down white tails.

redhawk

[TjB101]

Nice rifle. I'm sure you will get a life time of good service from it. To answer your question about the medium level loads, here's a source for some data not found in the traditional loading manuals. I've had a lot fun playing with the data listed for 30-30, and 30-06.
http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm

Nice ... thanks for the reply & link. I dug threw my manuals and found a few confirmed loads for Unique and 2400 ... unique sounds very moderate at the lower end of loads.

[TjB101]

I cast both 340 and 400 Lee's....I am a huge fan of the H4198 powder. I keep my velocity in the 1200-1400 range. Its not too bad on the shoulder and it definitely takes down white tails.

redhawk

Seeing that a lot of loads for this powder ... never used it, how’s it meter?

[robg]

405g lee 20-24gn 2400 350g lee 22-26gn 2400 .work fine in my marlin slb .lyman manual has plenty of loads .

[TjB101]

405g lee 20-24gn 2400 350g lee 22-26gn 2400 .work fine in my marlin slb .lyman manual has plenty of loads .

Thanks found a few loads in my Lyman manual ... appreciate the reply

[lar45]

That is a sweet looking rifle for sure. I am soo glad that Henry added the loading gate.

On a side note, does anyone know if the GMDR.Load software linked above is still availible?

[44Blam]

Ooooo... I really like those.
Henry finally put a side loading gate AND still has the tube load.

[redhawk0]

Seeing that a lot of loads for this powder ... never used it, how’s it meter?

Like most stick powders...there is a small amount of error. For just plinking, I throw a charge...for hunting ammo, I weigh EVERY one.

redhawk

[USSR]

For those that cast / reload 4570, any recommendations on good, low recoil reloads?

As a 45-70 reloader, best advice I can give you is shoot light weight bullets. The first mold I bought casts a 405gr bullet - lot of recoil even with light loads. Next mold casts a 345gr bullet - better, but not particularly pleasant. Just got a mold that casts a 300gr bullet, and am very hopeful with this one.

Don

[Cosmic_Charlie]

Those Remington factory 405 gr. loads are quite pleasant to shoot. Bet there is a homebrewed recipe out there for those.

[TjB101]

As a 45-70 reloader, best advice I can give you is shoot light weight bullets. The first mold I bought casts a 405gr bullet - lot of recoil even with light loads. Next mold casts a 345gr bullet - better, but not particularly pleasant. Just got a mold that casts a 300gr bullet, and am very hopeful with this one.

Don

Thanks Don ... I will choose my molds wisely ...

Interesting I found a load for Bullseye ... got a 16lb jug of it... may have to give it a try

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[USSR]

Yeah, 11.0 - 12.0gr loads of Bullseye and other fast powders typically used for loading shotshells (Red Dot, Green Dot, 700X, etc.) with 300 - 350gr bullets is a good place to be.

Don

[44Blam]

As a 45-70 reloader, best advice I can give you is shoot light weight bullets. The first mold I bought casts a 405gr bullet - lot of recoil even with light loads. Next mold casts a 345gr bullet - better, but not particularly pleasant. Just got a mold that casts a 300gr bullet, and am very hopeful with this one.

Don

I load a fair amount of 45-70 and I load pretty high velocity large(ish) boolits. I found that slower powders in longer barrels are much nicer. I like Varget under a 400 grain boolit at around 1850 fps. It's less of a jolt and more of a push.

[TjB101]

I cast both 340 and 400 Lee's....I am a huge fan of the H4198 powder. I keep my velocity in the 1200-1400 range. Its not too bad on the shoulder and it definitely takes down white tails.

redhawk

Read a lot about H4198 and went to local shooting supply store today. Zilch ... no LR primers either ... had to get the BR2 LR (for a premium) ... also got another pound of 2400. I think I’ll try 2400, Unique, and maybe Bullseye to start and will look for 4198 at the next show.

Tell me, do you use the Dacron filler referenced in some of the manuals? If so, do you use it like a shotgun wad or stretch it apart before inserting into the case?

Can’t wait to get the new mold and sourcing some brass.

[TjB101]

As a 45-70 reloader...

Hey Don ... question above towards another member regarding Dacron filler for lower volume powder... do you? If so what is your methodology?

Thanks TJ

[mvozz]

I too started with a 405gr cast boolet for my 45-70. I started playing with the loads on the GMDR site but didn't like the soot on the brass after shooting low velocity loads. There just wasn't enough pressure to seal the brass against the chamber. I had some Trailboss that I was playing with and decided to give it a try. WOW!!! 14 grains shoots like a dream and no sooty brass. I just picked up some NOE 185gr collar button boolets and tried them this last weekend. Again 14 grains of Trailboss and it was flat fun and surprisingly accurate. I was only shooting at 60 yards but it was pure pleasure. The Boolets came unsized so a little of Smokes yellow green powder and sized to 458 made this great for 45-70 fun. I am afraid they were a little too fun because I ordered the mould today!

[TjB101]

I too started with a 405gr cast boolet for my 45-70. I started playing with the loads on the GMDR site but didn't like the soot on the brass after shooting low velocity loads. There just wasn't enough pressure to seal the brass against the chamber. I had some Trailboss that I was playing with and decided to give it a try. WOW!!! 14 grains shoots like a dream and no sooty brass. I just picked up some NOE 185gr collar button boolets and tried them this last weekend. Again 14 grains of Trailboss and it was flat fun and surprisingly accurate. I was only shooting at 60 yards but it was pure pleasure. The Boolets came unsized so a little of Smokes yellow green powder and sized to 458 made this great for 45-70 fun. I am afraid they were a little too fun because I ordered the mould today!

Trailboss ... over the last few days I’ve read a lot of good things about Trailboss and the 4570 but nothing in my manuals. Wondering what the top end is for 340 - 400gr boolits.

[mvozz]

This is an easy answer. Lay your boolit next to an empty case and put a mark on the case where the base of the boolit is. Fill the case to that line and weigh the charge then multiply by .7, that is the starting charge. You can go up from there but never compress the charge, the pressures become erratic. This is a high pressure low velocity powder designed for cowboy action shooting. I don't do any cowboy action shooting but I do like the Trailboss charges for easy shooting loads. I haven't chronographed the loads yet but I wouldn't hesitate to take a deer with the collar button load! Some people don't like Trailboss but it has become one of my go to powders for shooting cast boolits for enjoyable plinking. If I want to get serious I have plenty of powders for that end of the spectrum but I find that I like shooting more often if I don't have a load that will kill on one end and wound on the other, something my Ruger #1 45-70 is very capable of doing!!!

[USSR]

Hey Don ... question above towards another member regarding Dacron filler for lower volume powder... do you? If so what is your methodology?

Thanks TJ

With the fast shotshell powders, including Unique, I don't use a Dacron filler. With 2400, 4227, and 4198 I use a 0.75gr filler. Hope that helps.

Don

[scattershot]

Trail Boss is pretty pricy stuff... It’s not a pound.

[mvozz]

Little price - true! I was lucky enough to walk into a Sportsman's Warehouse that was selling two 8 lb containers for $99 each. They said they had been on the shelf too long and wanted to get rid of them. A quick calculation showed that it was $12.5 per pound. Win, win - they got them off the shelf and I took them home. Now I get to have cheap fun and lots of it!!

[TjB101]

Little price - true! I was lucky enough to walk into a Sportsman's Warehouse that was selling two 8 lb containers for $99 each. They said they had been on the shelf too long and wanted to get rid of them. A quick calculation showed that it was $12.5 per pound. Win, win - they got them off the shelf and I took them home. Now I get to have cheap fun and lots of it!!

Aside from the 4570 that you mentioned above, what else do you use it for?

[mvozz]

I use it in: 44 mag - 6 grains behind a 240gr boolit. (I am using them to teach a co-worker to learn not to flinch as you squeeze the trigger). 357 mag 4 grains behind a 150gr wadcutter - 4 grains behind a 125gr SWC for plinking fun and 2.5 grains behind a 85gr wadcutter gallery boolit. Then there is 8 grains behind a 173gr in my 30-30. My wife loves all of these and will shoot them all day long. After 40 years of reloading I have finally learned that "Bigger, Faster and Flatter" doesn't exactly equate to more fun. Now don't get me wrong I still shoot plenty of Blue Dot, BE86, H110 and etc... but that is when I am loading my serious rounds. My fun rounds are for the pure enjoyment of putting lead down range and punching paper or ringing steel without all of the recoil! Even with the added expense of Trailboss it is still cheaper than factory rounds and a whole lot more fun!

[TjB101]

I use it in: 44 mag - 6 grains behind a 240gr boolit. (I am using them to teach a co-worker to learn not to flinch as you squeeze the trigger). 357 mag 4 grains behind a 150gr wadcutter - 4 grains behind a 125gr SWC for plinking fun and 2.5 grains behind a 85gr wadcutter gallery boolit. Then there is 8 grains behind a 173gr in my 30-30. My wife loves all of these and will shoot them all day long. After 40 years of reloading I have finally learned that "Bigger, Faster and Flatter" doesn't exactly equate to more fun. Now don't get me wrong I still shoot plenty of Blue Dot, BE86, H110 and etc... but that is when I am loading my serious rounds. My fun rounds are for the pure enjoyment of putting lead down range and punching paper or ringing steel without all of the recoil! Even with the added expense of Trailboss it is still cheaper than factory rounds and a whole lot more fun!

Interesting ... appreciate the feedback... I may have to pick up a pound, err, 9oz jug one day and give it a whirl.

[TjB101]

Cast about 500 360gr projectiles and loaded 80 for testing based on a few weeks of research and powders on hand.

20 each of: 11gr Bullseye, 11gr Unique, 14gr of Trailboss, and 22gr of 2400. Only added a buffer to the 2400 round. Range time soon with the new rifle.

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[sutherpride59]

I want to here everything! I have been thinking about this rifle for the last two months but I’m worried about accuracy with cast in a microgroove barrel.

[TjB101]

I want to here everything! I have been thinking about this rifle for the last two months but I’m worried about accuracy with cast in a microgroove barrel.

I believe all new Henry production is button-riffled ... at least hoping so.

TJ

[sutherpride59]

Oh I see I’m sorry I was thinking Henry had the microgroove like marlin.

[TjB101]

I want to here everything! I have been thinking about this rifle for the last two months but I’m worried about accuracy with cast in a microgroove barrel.

Finally got out to the range ... first scrounged about 50lbs of range scrap before testing my 4 test loads. 25 yards, the new Henry allows you to raise or lower the sights and adjust for windage by loosing the rear sights set screws. When I raised the sight it did slight changed the POI to the right about 2” ... tweaked the windage and set it. Sights are very bright. The Unique and Bullseye were very soft, could shoot those all day. The 2400 was very nice and provided some nice groups.

Like this Henry ... it’s a keep

[ironbrew]

I ordered mine in February after someone wanted my gbl more than I did. It arrived yesterday. I have not been able to range it yet.

I’m assuming my mild cast for the gbl should be fine in this? They were loaded gentle and to the manual for length.

I’m interested in hearing about the henry loads/slugging/etc. Trigger feels very nice. I may need to trim about 1/2” off LOP. Hurts to do that to an unfired rifle though, so I’ll probably wait a bit.

[Wayne Smith]

My best friend's son has a 45-70 Marlin, among a lot of other guns. My 457122 Gould is the only cast boolit he will shoot, and shoots that one because it is effective, doesn't lead, and is very accurate in his gun.

[TjB101]

I ordered mine in February after someone wanted my gbl more than I did. It arrived yesterday. I have not been able to range it yet.

I’m assuming my mild cast for the gbl should be fine in this? They were loaded gentle and to the manual for length.

I’m interested in hearing about the henry loads/slugging/etc. Trigger feels very nice. I may need to trim about 1/2” off LOP. Hurts to do that to an unfired rifle though, so I’ll probably wait a bit.

Have you had a chance to slug your barrel? Any custom loads you were happy with?

So far the best plinking round has been my 11gr of Bullseye with a 350gr cast pill. Still trying to source some H/IMR4198 for a heavier load.