Reduced Loads for my .45-70

[LAPM9]

I am planning on making up some reduced loads for my modern .45-70 Highwall using a 150 gr. cast bullet (Lyman #457130) and about 12 grains of Bullseye. This load is attributed to an older Lyman manual.

Does any one think that I am at risk of "ringing" my chamber?

[HWooldridge]

I use an equivalent collar button load but with 8-10 grs of Red Dot; I put a small square of quilt batting on top of the charge. Never had any issues, recoil is light and extraction is easy. I think you could get into trouble with two or three round balls if the charge went off and the balls weren't touching, but a single projectile should not be a problem.

[LAPM9]

Thanks!

[Winger Ed.]

Does any one think that I am at risk of "ringing" my chamber?

Like firing .22 shorts in a LR chamber-- clean it when you're done shooting them and you're good.

[Duckiller]

Next time you are in the gun powder store buy a couple cans of Trail Boss. It turns 45/70 into 22LR. From memory. 485 gr lead,10 gr Trail Boss yields 800 fps MV. 405 Lee maxs at around 1100. 330 gr Lee around 1200-1300. Trail Boss takes up lots of space.

[HWooldridge]

The nice thing about the collar bullet designs is that they are only 150-200 grs. That's two shots for the price of a 405...

[Milky Duck]

Next time you are in the gun powder store buy a couple cans of Trail Boss. It turns 45/70 into 22LR. From memory. 485 gr lead,10 gr Trail Boss yields 800 fps MV. 405 Lee maxs at around 1100. 330 gr Lee around 1200-1300. Trail Boss takes up lots of space.

BUT when you look in manuals..the trailboss loads in this big case have MORE pressure than similar AR2208 loads.... and black smelly powder does similar thing a whole lot easier and a whole lot more fun... 150grns sounds VERY light for .45 calibre...what is it??? a round ball??? or very short sided mini???

[LAPM9]

BUT when you look in manuals..the trailboss loads in this big case have MORE pressure than similar AR2208 loads.... and black smelly powder does similar thing a whole lot easier and a whole lot more fun... 150grns sounds VERY light for .45 calibre...what is it??? a round ball??? or very short sided mini???

Here you go!

305420

[1Hawkeye]

Collar buttons are fun to shoot I found an old ideal mold for them a while ago and use 6.0 grs of unique without filler at 25 yds its one ragged hole and not much bigger at 50 yds. The 1929 lyman Ideal manual I have suggests 9 grains of 2fg black powder for a collar button but I haven't gone to the darkside with them yet.

[Larry Gibson]

Suggest you drop back to 5 gr Bullseye and then work back up in 1 gr increments.

No filler or wad. No chance of ringing.

[Milky Duck]

Here you go!

305420

WOW thats hard case looking boolit.....they would be just the berries for smaller game...wonder if I can find any "down under"???

[1Hawkeye]

Lyman still lists it as in production so I guess the trick will be to find one in inventory someplace. NOE makes a copy and there on sale right now at 15% off regular price.

[swamp]

I am another fan of the collar button. Isn't CBE down your way? They might make a mold for it.

I checked their site and they do list a collar button.
swamp

[GregLaROCHE]

Have you ever considered shooting black powder? It’s a lot of fun with less of a punch.

[Larry Gibson]

While my favorite and most used cast bullet is a 270 gr Rapine (460250) over 8 gr of Bullseye the better small game load is the Rapine 460210 over 6 gr Bullseye for 950 fps. It has a very deep HB with a very long bearing surface giving it excellent accuracy. It is very deadly as when cast of 40-1 alloy it will almost invert itself on small to medium size game, very deadly indeed. It's the left bullet.

305431

305432

[NEKVT]

Anyone shooting a RB in their Trapdoor? I have a relatively mild 459-405-HB hunting load for it but would like a load using less alloy for plinking. I have the Lee .457 RB but may have to opening it up some. Maybe a harder alloy will cast a bit bigger. Haven't tried it yet.

[technojock]

I've shot round balls from my .45-70 Handirifle. It's been awhile but I think I used around 7 grains of Red Dot. Right now I'm waiting for the collar button molds to get back in stock at Midway before I make more light loads. I've also Teflon tape patched .452" 230g bullets for the same rifle with very good results...

Tony

[HWooldridge]

Anyone shooting a RB in their Trapdoor? I have a relatively mild 459-405-HB hunting load for it but would like a load using less alloy for plinking. I have the Lee .457 RB but may have to opening it up some. Maybe a harder alloy will cast a bit bigger. Haven't tried it yet.

Round balls don’t seem to be as accurate as collar buttons. I suspect it has to do with bearing surface inside the bore.

[mehavey]

See https://www.marlinowners.com/threads/45-70-rabbit-gun.619063/post-8249077
Think Red Dot....

[Harter66]

The .458 RB should be about 150 gr . I've seen collar buttons advertised as light as 135 gr most are 165 gr .

I have an old Rapine mould , 458-201 that drops a .458 -255 RNFP probably intended for a 1st gen Colts SAA . I was surprised that it shot well run hard .

It may be blasphemy but most cast pistol bullets @ .453/4 paper patched work fine also and don't seem to mind a full tilt snort for a 45 Colts in the 45-70 case of powders like Unique.

[BLAHUT]

Try unique at about 6 gr and work your way up? Makes for a nice plinking round. if I remember correctly I was some ware in the 10 to 15 grs with unique in a light bullet and light load and was very accurate. In my 45/60 and 45/70 with pure lead.

[JSnover]

Try unique at about 6 gr and work your way up? Makes for a nice plinking round. if I remember correctly I was some ware in the 10 to 15 grs with unique in a light bullet and light load and was very accurate. In my 45/60 and 45/70 with pure lead.

It's good advise. If I remember, 12.0 grains of Unique will easily reach a 200 yard gong.

[Edward]

I am planning on making up some reduced loads for my modern .45-70 Highwall using a 150 gr. cast bullet (Lyman #457130) and about 12 grains of Bullseye. This load is attributed to an older Lyman manual.

Does any one think that I am at risk of "ringing" my chamber? 10 grains unique under a cast boolit goes a long ways ,see Sagebrush Farms on youtube 8-900 yds

[MNruss]

10 grains unique under a cast boolit goes a long ways ,see Sagebrush Farms on youtube 8-900 yds

I’m not finding Sagebrush Farms on YouTube.
Any chance it’s a different name ?

Thanks !!

Russ

[725]

I've always liked a .457 round ball over 9 grains of Unique. It zips but is a very light recoil round.

[Gobeyond]

Collar buttons are fun to shoot I found an old ideal mold for them a while ago and use 6.0 grs of unique without filler at 25 yds its one ragged hole and not much bigger at 50 yds. The 1929 lyman Ideal manual I have suggests 9 grains of 2fg black powder for a collar button but I haven't gone to the darkside with them yet.

What do you shoot them in- black powder revolver with conversion cylinder? 45 colt.

How important is bearing surface? You’d think with that little bullet that .300 inch would be enough.

[1Hawkeye]

What do you shoot them in- black powder revolver with conversion cylinder? 45 colt.

How important is bearing surface? You’d think with that little bullet that .300 inch would be enough.

I shoot them in 3 different shiloh 1874 sharps rifles and an early 1884 trapdoor all .45-70's but the trapdoor isn't quite that accurate.

[longbow]

https://www.nzha.co.nz/wp-content/uploads/2015/08/IdealHandbook38.pdf

.45-70 is on page 48. Collar button load is on page 92 (page 48 on PDF) and collar button load is on page 93 (page 48 on PDF).

There are other reduced loads there as well.

Longbow