45/70 bhn

[lastborn]

i have a 1895g.Deer and black bear hunting only and paper. Have the LEE 457-405 and 457-500 gs molds. What bhn do I need to be at pushing them aroun 1300 to 1500 velocity ?
Thanks

[BABore]

10 to 14 bhn will likely be ok. Use accuracy as you judge. I prefer 50/50 WW-Pb for hunting. 10 bhn air cooled, 18-22 bhn water dropped.

[montana_charlie]

Be sure to tell us how you like 1500 fps (with either bullet) in that seven-pound rifle...

CM

[rhead]

I shoot 50 50 wheel weights and pure lead in mine. Cast in the Lee 405 grain HB mold. Shot as cast. .4595. Charge is 40 grains of 3031. Recoil is plenty for me. Hardness should be around 9 or 10. I have not checked. The load is plenty accurate for hunting.

[HangFireW8]

i have a 1895g.... Have the LEE 457-405 and 457-500 gs molds.

Plan on single feeding? That 500 has a really long nose.



What bhn do I need to be at pushing them aroun 1300 to 1500 velocity ?

45/70's are not overly sensitive to BHN. If boolits come out undersized they may need to be a little softer to slug up to size and seal, or driven harder, but if they fit, it doesn't really matter that much.

-HF

[Lead Fred]

WW lead with water drop, would be more than you need.
I get 1700fps out of mine easy.

[Nrut]

lasrborn,
I have two friends that have shot bear, moose, buffalo and deer with their 45-70 single shots and they are having great luck using pure lead to 50/50 ACWW/Pb at around 8bhn if used with in a month or so after casting.. Their vel. run from 1325fps to around 1725fps.. Both use gas checks...
I was with one of these fellows last weekend when he litterly shredded the heart of a young black bear.. The other fellow endowed a black bear last spring using a pure lead (no tin) Lee 500gr RN that he HP (net wt. 470grs.) at 40yds. with a vel. of 1324fps..

I haven't shot my 45-70's going on 3-4 years but am so impressed with what they are doing that I casted up some 400gr FN 50/50 that I annealed... By annealing the boolits they should stay around 8-9bhn for a long time..Anyway that has been my experience with annealing..
Target vel. will be around 1400-1450fps as once I go much over 1500fps with the Marlin GG the lever beats my hand up..
I will use H4198 which worked well for me in the past when shooting the guide gun with ACWW.. Just waiting on a taller front site now..
So my advice based on what my friends are doing, is to stay under 10BHN which you can easily do by using annealed WW.. Adding 50% Pb if you have it, will make the boolit more ductile..
good luck