Relative strength, Encore in 45-70

[Wayne Smith]

I'm sure it's not as strong as the Ruger #1, but I'd guess its between the mid range loads and the Ruger loads. I'm loading the Gould boolit at the top of the midrange loads to the bottom of the Ruger loads from the Lyman Cast handbood.

Am I likely to be making a mistake?

[part_timer]

Wayne, what load/powder? I have a contender manual I can look it up in if ya want. In an encore I doubt you are going to hurt anything. Look at some of the calibers they put through them.

[largom]

Will probably hurt your shoulder and jar your teeth loose first. I have an Encore barrel in 45-70 and shooting 1800+ fps loads just plain hurt. The light weight of the rifle and the cut of the butt stock made it uncomfortable for me to shoot. I made and installed a muzzle break which helped considerably but I never obtained the accuracy I wanted. Always had verticle dispersion of shots. Going to recut butt-stock one of these days.
LARRY

[Scrounger]

Largom, I have found that vertical dispersion in single shots and lever actions, (And any rifle with a two piece stock) can often be traced to the screw attaching action to stock being a little loose. It's worth checking that and rechecking periodically.

[Wayne Smith]

I'll second Scrounger's point.

I am using 3031 in 52-54gr. weights behind the Gould hollowpoint 457122 boolit. In the Lyman Cast manual the 53gr. load is the top of the midrange (lever action) loads and shared as the bottom of the Ruger load. I figured the Encore would hold at least 54gr.

Largom, I have the Encore Katadin - shock absorbing stock and 20" barrels - I have them in 45-70 and 500 S&W. The 500 can produce noticable recoil but it wasn't really painful with that stock. That recoil was in shooting a 512gr boolit.

[Seafarer12]

I know my Encore will rattle your teeth shooting a 500 grain 45-70 with a mild (max springfield load) of 2015. I think I will lower the charge on my next batch. The aren't any fun to shoot thats for sure, but I know anything I shot with it would meet it's maker.

[Wayne Smith]

I know that a 520gr boolit in front of 70gr FFG in a Trapdoor w/ steel buttplate will rattle my teeth. That's when I bought a PAST pad!

However, I'm shooting a 330gr boolit out of an Encore with recoil absorbing stock. I'm expecting a totally different experience!

[stillhunter]

Wayne, you need your head examined..!! If you want to explore the limits of pain, get yourself a Ruger #1 or a Marlin 1895. At least they will put them in nice groups at the destination..!!

[Wayne Smith]

Wayne, you need your head examined..!! If you want to explore the limits of pain, get yourself a Ruger #1 or a Marlin 1895. At least they will put them in nice groups at the destination..!!

Hey, that Trapdoor put them in nice, round circles about 2" @ 100 yds. I wouldn't hesitate to take that one into the woods anytime. I do think I'd drop to the 405 group buy when it comes in, though! I'll be taking the Encore to the range tomorrow. Can't be worse than the 500S&W with a 520+gr boolit.

[Potsy]

From a strictly pressure point of veiw, I don't know why an encore couldn't handle anything you would load in a #1. If I'm not mistaken; don't they chamber encores in .375 H & H, .416 Rigby, etc.? About the only thing TC won't chamber them in are the Weatherbys or Ultras; at least from what I've seen.

Currently, I'm shooting a 350 grain Ranch Dog out of my #1 with 55 grians of 3031. The latest Hogdon manual lists 60 grains of 3031 under the 350 grain j-word Hornady as max in appropriate leverguns. My #1 flings them at spot on 2000fps. FWIW, the top end #1 load for the hornady bullet was with H4198 (I don't remember the charge) at 2300 fps.

Lot's of folks here don't care to shove their bullets that fast, and that's fine. I put 8 rounds through mine off the bench the other day, I was feeling it, but my last two (my final "group") were .6" apart, center to center, iron sights, 50 yards.

Understand, I'm a newb to the .45-70, I've put about a whopping 15 rounds or so through mine. But to me, it's my "elephant gun". It will get shot, it will get hunted, and thus far, I really like the rifle, but if I need quiet or low recoil, I've got a .22 Magnum Marlin I've been shooting for 25 years in the cabinet. I know too well how well it will work on close in groundhogs, and know enough semi-retired road hunters to know it will for darn sure kill a deer plenty quick (not that I have any intent of doing so).

I'd dump powder till I hit top end of the #1 loads, accuracy fell off, or my shoulder started telling me I was having too much fun. Whichever comes first.

[lathesmith]

That pro-hunter stock really seems to lessen felt recoil for me. Of course, if you don't like plastic stocks, you are kinda SOL here. But, as Wayne said, the PAST pad works very well and you can use these with anything.
I don't have to worry about loading my Encore too hot with these large diameters. My shoulder and back will give out long before I can reach the upper limits of what the Encore will safely handle in these calibers.
lathesmith

[JohnH]

From a strictly pressure point of veiw, I don't know why an encore couldn't handle anything you would load in a #1. If I'm not mistaken; don't they chamber encores in .375 H & H, .416 Rigby, etc.?

2nd on this. The Encore will do anything the #1 will do in 45-70. The question will revolve around the throating. The early #1's had longer throating whcih allowed for seating the 500 grianers out longer, increasing the case capacity. Look carefully at the OAL of bulelt loads for the #1. Then make up dummy rounds to insure that your Encore barrel will chamber that length. So long as the barrel will chamber the coorect casrtridge length, you will be in business. If the barrel won't take the length, then rent a throating reamer. It is a simple task that anyone who is mechanically inclined enough to cast and reload can do.

[Wayne Smith]

I discovered one thing at the range today. When you have your scope mounted too far back its really hard to concentrate on accuracy! Since I have to re-mount the scope in the rings I didn't shoot too many of them, only the lightest load. Sorry, no blood!

[Bassleg]

In my Pro Hunter I take off the recoil pad and fill it with # 8 shot and put the pad back on and that takes the sting out of most reloads at the bench and when its time to go Huntin I dump out the shot.

Tight Groups Bassleg

[Pete D.]

Bass:
I take off the recoil pad and fill it with # 8 shot
I like that idea. About how much weight does it add?
Pete

[Bassleg]

I think its about 4 LBS. for a 338-06 24" tube without the 8 shot it kicks like a mule and I have the scars
to prove it, but I get 2774 FPS out of a 200 gr hornady bullet and thats clocked! Try it you will like it.
It in the Hornady reloading manual!!!!