Armi Sport 45-70

[500MAGdaddy]

I was recently willed a large collection of guns from my father...one of them being a 45-70 Sharps replica by Armi Sport Taylor&Co.. I have some loads around for a Marlin 45-70 Guide gun and wonder if they would be safe to shoot in the Sharps rifle. These are hand loads and are a 300gr FNHP ofver 34gr of 2400. I'm all about casting and loading however, I don't know squat about these rifles. Any suggestions?

[Don McDowell]

That's an ungodly amount of 2400 for any bullet in a 45-70. Break them down salvage the bullets and start over.
I have a Taylors sharps, I would no more consider shooting anything beyond saami spec 45-70 loads in than driving my pickup to Hawaii.

[dubber123]

My Alliant manual only goes to 30.0 grs. of 2400 with a 300. It is listed as producing 23,000 CUP. Your 34 grain charge may still be within Trapdoor, (28,000) limits, but then again, it may not. I'd be more prone to just work up some loads for the Sharps. I have one of those, and it is a fantastic shooter.

[500MAGdaddy]

Thanks for the quick replys fellas. I thought that they might be better suited to the Marlin GG and still I bet it's a slobber knocker! Think I'll get in a manual and start up some cast boolit loads for the trapdoor and try for a whitetail this winter. Any suggestions on loading this round would be a help. Thanks

500MAGdaddy

[405]

34.5 gr of 2400 under a 330 gr cast shows 40,000 CUP according to Lyman. That is WAY too much for a Sharps. The 34.5 gr load is listed as max for the Ruger #1 & #3 category. Actually, 30.5 gr of 2400 under the 293 gr cast is listed as max for the Marlin 1895 and 28 gr of 2400 under the 322 gr cast is listed as max in the Marlin 1895.

[Don McDowell]

Loading for that rifle, you'll get along very well with a 500- 535 gr bullet sized at .459 or .460
Set the bullet on top of 70 grs Goex cartridge, and a .030 fiber wad, and seat the bullet to the driving band.
Smokeless powder use 25 grs AA 5744, no fillers or wads.
Might want to check the chamber on that rifle, they have a bad habit of being almost a 45-90, so using regular 45-70 cases can give you some fits trying to get the leading to quit. I trim starlin 45-90's down to 2.25 for grease groove bullets and Norma basic to 2.3 for paper patch.
If you can keep the lock together, and all the innards from breaking, those things have a good barrel, and will shoot right along with the best of them until something in the lock/trigger group takes a dump.

[Boz330]

IIRC these rifles have an oversize firing pin like the originals and with smokeless loads you stand a really good chance of a pierced primer. I don't beleive there is any block to keep it from coming back in your face. Some of these Italian rifles even have BP Only stamped on the barrel because of that. If I am incorrect on this rifle I'm sure someone will correct me.

Bob

[Don McDowell]

My Taylors isn't stamped for bp only. The owners book even lists the trapdoor loads using 3031 and recommended smokeless loads.