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Thread: 45-70 hunting load, Accurate 46-405V

  1. #1
    Boolit Mold
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    45-70 hunting load, Accurate 46-405V

    Hi guys, Im hoping to work out a deer/hog/black bear all purpose 45-70 hunting load for my Marlin 1895.

    The barrel slugs 0.458. I picked up a 46-405V mold from Tom at accurate, and 459 and 460 dies are on the way from Lathesmith. I think what I want is a fairly soft bullet that may be willing to expand a bit in the target, and speeds in the 1400-1500fps range. Im hoping this will be a deadly load on medium game that wont be so hard on my shoulder or rifle. Am I headed in the right direction here?

    Between wheel weights and range scrap (or some mix) or possibly wheel weights with 2%tin, which alloy would you guys pick? I have had good luck at these pressures and MV range with air cooled pure WW metal, but would be curious about using something even softer for expansion.

    Is Felix Lube a good starting point for a load like this? Its all I use in pistols from 45 auto up through full snort 357 loads. My rifle experience is very limited.


    I think I have a pretty good handle on popular powder choices, but Id be happy to hear about any pet loads too..

    I do have a reloader 7/RCBS 405 4570 load that clocks in around 1800 on the chronograph. Those bullets are water quenched pure wheel weights, and the load is accurate with 3 shots in a 1-1/4 @ 100 yards through the skinner sights off the bench. The recoil from this load is on the edge of what Id really like to "experience", but Id be happy to shoot them one or two at a time for hunting.

    Thanks for any advice - John.

  2. #2
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by JTodd View Post
    Hi guys, Im hoping to work out a deer/hog/black bear all purpose 45-70 hunting load for my Marlin 1895.

    The barrel slugs 0.458. I picked up a 46-405V mold from Tom at accurate, and 459 and 460 dies are on the way from Lathesmith. I think what I want is a fairly soft bullet that may be willing to expand a bit in the target, and speeds in the 1400-1500fps range. Im hoping this will be a deadly load on medium game that wont be so hard on my shoulder or rifle. Am I headed in the right direction here?

    Between wheel weights and range scrap (or some mix) or possibly wheel weights with 2%tin, which alloy would you guys pick? I have had good luck at these pressures and MV range with air cooled pure WW metal, but would be curious about using something even softer for expansion.

    Is Felix Lube a good starting point for a load like this? Its all I use in pistols from 45 auto up through full snort 357 loads. My rifle experience is very limited.


    I think I have a pretty good handle on popular powder choices, but Id be happy to hear about any pet loads too..

    I do have a reloader 7/RCBS 405 4570 load that clocks in around 1800 on the chronograph. Those bullets are water quenched pure wheel weights, and the load is accurate with 3 shots in a 1-1/4 @ 100 yards through the skinner sights off the bench. The recoil from this load is on the edge of what Id really like to "experience", but Id be happy to shoot them one or two at a time for hunting.

    Thanks for any advice - John.
    I shoot a lee 515 FN in pure lead in my guide gun, for bears, 27grs of 5744, very accurate, no problem having 5 touching at 100 yds, does kick some on both ends. I shoot a lee 500+ 3R in pure lead with 42 grs of blackhorn209 at about 1200 fps from my roller, very accurate out to and beyond 1000yds. You will need to find what your gun likes and a lube your gun likes? Both of these guns like them a little on the fat side .460-.461 your target will lead you to the most accurate, Just keep matriculas records.

  3. #3
    Boolit Master Castaway's Avatar
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    JTodd, any of the combinations you mentioned certainly would be good enough. Wheelweights, range scrap, 2% tin to either or starting from scratch with a 1:16 or 1:20. At the velocity you’re shooting for, I think you’re worrying too much about minutiae. As we know, shot placement is the key, although as the caliber goes up, so does the size of allowable error. Depending on your 1895, you may have a micro-groove version. Micro-groove barrels can shoot cast quite accurately, just add an extra 0.002” to your bullet diameter. Expansion wont hurt, but a 0.458” - 0.460” diameter bullet is already bigger than a 30 caliber can ever hope to expand to and isn’t necessary. If your rifle feeds a bullet with a generous meplat, any accurate combination will do the job.
    Last edited by Castaway; 11-08-2022 at 08:47 PM. Reason: Typo’s

  4. #4
    Boolit Master
    405grain's Avatar
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    Attachment 306636 I saw this meme awhile ago. Hope it helps with matching cartridge to game. I've been loading the rcbs 405 grain slug over 37 grains of Reloader #7 for nearly 40 years, and using it for everything from jackrabbits to deer.

  5. #5
    Boolit Master
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    The Accurate mold I use for the 1895 45/70 is also a wide flat point with gas check. The alloy is plain range scrape sized at .460". It hits with authority at the 1,700 fps muzzle velocity, but I'm confident a few hundred fps less wouldn't be anything to sneeze at.

    This Marlin is about 8 years young, never had a copper clad bullet fired through the bore except for the gas checks. On occasion with a tight oiled patch small flecks of lead may show on the cloth, but a few passes and all is gone. After quite a number boollits fired down range it appears the bore is slicked up very well. Haven't noticed any flecks in quite a while.

  6. #6
    Boolit Buddy
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    A couple years ago I began powder coating for the 45-70 and have never looked back. Mostly 5744 but am looking for an opportunity to try Shooters World buffalo. My "do-all" is a Lee 405 pc'd and sized to 460. No gc, runni g any where from 1200 to 1600. It doesn't take much to get there. Usually AC WW but im going to try some 1:30 & 1:20 tin. Worked on hogs but that's been the only game with it for me.

  7. #7
    Boolit Master
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    I should have mentioned, White Lable Lube 2500+ has given the best accuracy for the 1895CB I shoot them out of. Each gun can be different, though.

  8. #8
    Boolit Mold
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    Wow guys! Thanks for all of the advice. I have the rifle loaded with the RCBS 405 load, hopefully I can sit in the woods over the north Ga cold snap this weekend.

    BLAHUT - Thanks! Black bears or brown? How does the pure lead act in Game? What kind of lube do you like for these loads?

    Castaway- thanks for the alloy advice, and you are probably correct about the minutiae advice as well. Ill probably start with air cooled pure wheel weights and see if they will fill out and make my velocity goals without issues. I do have ballard rifling in my 1985.

    405grain- I may or may not have read all of the categories before seeing the cartridge labels. Thanks for the laugh

    ChristopherO- excellent information. Wjat have you taken with this load? How would you describe the wound channel? My boolit will he plain based so I may not push it that fast. Thanks for the lube advice! Felix lube has served me well but Im certainly open to change.

    Longcruise - Thanks! Ive never gotten into powder coat. Maybe down the road! What did the wound channels look like in your pigs? Your load sounds very similar to what I would like to try.

    Ill keep you guys postes if Im successful with the rcbs bullet, and as I get the chance to cast and develop loads with the new accurate bullet. Thanks again!

  9. #9
    Boolit Grand Master

    Wayne Smith's Avatar
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    If you have any mix ww and pure 50%. That gives you close to 20/1 which was the original Remington mix. Sharps loaded with a 16/1 mix. Those boolits would penetrate two bison side by side, so will do anything you need. Pure ww is a touch hard if you expect any expansion, but as noted, that is by no means necessary.
    Wayne the Shrink

    There is no 'right' that requires me to work for you or you to work for me!

  10. #10
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by JTodd View Post
    Wow guys! Thanks for all of the advice. I have the rifle loaded with the RCBS 405 load, hopefully I can sit in the woods over the north Ga cold snap this weekend.

    BLAHUT - Thanks! Black bears or brown? How does the pure lead act in Game? What kind of lube do you like for these loads?

    Castaway- thanks for the alloy advice, and you are probably correct about the minutiae advice as well. Ill probably start with air cooled pure wheel weights and see if they will fill out and make my velocity goals without issues. I do have ballard rifling in my 1985.

    405grain- I may or may not have read all of the categories before seeing the cartridge labels. Thanks for the laugh

    ChristopherO- excellent information. Wjat have you taken with this load? How would you describe the wound channel? My boolit will he plain based so I may not push it that fast. Thanks for the lube advice! Felix lube has served me well but Im certainly open to change.

    Longcruise - Thanks! Ive never gotten into powder coat. Maybe down the road! What did the wound channels look like in your pigs? Your load sounds very similar to what I would like to try.

    Ill keep you guys postes if Im successful with the rcbs bullet, and as I get the chance to cast and develop loads with the new accurate bullet. Thanks again!
    With a shoulder hit in a big pig with a 45/70, 500 gr+ FN, 1200fps, will take a pig off its feet and move it sideways a bunch.

  11. #11
    Boolit Buddy
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    Longcruise - Thanks! Ive never gotten into powder coat. Maybe down the road! What did the wound channels look like in your pigs? Your load sounds very similar to what I would like to try.
    Looked good. Not explosive but a nice big clean hole all the way through.

  12. #12
    Boolit Master
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    A number of deer have succumbed to these boollits. The wound channels are through and through without looking like a bomb explosion that high velocity rounds can produce. Sometimes they topple right over while other times they run a bit before the fall. Nearly the same as when we were constrained to shotgun slugs. But the rifle is much more enjoyable to carry.

  13. #13
    Boolit Buddy Static line's Avatar
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    That 46-405V is a nice bullet with a WFN. You don't even need any expansion. I often use my WFN designs from Tom with a 50/50 mix of COWW and Pure and then just air cool them. I fill the grooves with BAC lube and go hunting.

  14. #14
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    ammohead's Avatar
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    A .459 405gr WFN style won't need to expand to be effective, but at 1500 fps or less there is no need to cast the bullet harder than 8-10 bhn. Expansion surely wouldn't be a bad thing.

  15. #15
    Boolit Master
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    Some things depend on the nose shape if you have a wide flat nose say .80 of caliber expansion is not really needed. The tissue disruption is pretty darn impressive with that big meplat. That said one of the best boolits in a 45-70 is the old Gould designed HP in which case 12 BNH is a good compromise of expansion and performance. What’s so great about the 45/70 is it’s ability to be so darn versatile in a modern weapon.

  16. #16
    Boolit Buddy
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    I will second the Lyman/Gould 457122 HP as likely the best hunting boolit for the 45-70 if the quarry is deer. My most used load is 30 grains of AA5744 with this boolit, however 24-26 grains of 2400 works well also. No need to push them fast. With the Gould boolit loaded to 1400-1450 I sometimes get multiple exit wounds at close range on smallish whitetails. I use the Lyman 457193 for pigs loaded to about 1300 and get good expansion cast of 40/1, and plenty of penetration.

  17. #17
    Boolit Master

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    Stick with that RL7 load you have. I've burned a bunch of that powder in .45/70. And I use Felix lube on everything. I make a couple of bread loaf pans at a time.
    Last edited by softpoint; 11-14-2022 at 12:00 AM.
    Cast Boolits, Where lead balloons go over....

  18. #18
    Boolit Mold
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    Hi guys - I had a big weekend, I took my first ever cast boolit big game animal. I took a small doe at about 45 yards with my 1895 with irons and the rcbs 405 bullet at about 1750. Ive taken lots of small game with cast bullets, but this was my first big game animal with one.

    The results were simply astounding. Entry hole in the hide looks like it was cut with a 45cal punch, exit hole in the hide was about 1" in diameter. The holes on meat, ribcage and lungs were about 1.5", the lungs were completely scrambled. It was a "bang flop", the deer never moved. There was a 2' spray of blood and lung chunks on both the entry and exit side which Ive never seen before.

    Meat loss outside of the bullet hole was minimal with basically zero "jellied meat".

    Im very pleased with how this shook out, and it has me wondering if I should be looking for a 1700-1800fps load with the accurate 405v instead of the more pedestrian 1400-1500 I was considering before. What do you guys think?

  19. #19
    Boolit Master
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    Quote Originally Posted by JTodd View Post
    Hi guys - I had a big weekend, I took my first ever cast boolit big game animal. I took a small doe at about 45 yards with my 1895 with irons and the rcbs 405 bullet at about 1750. Ive taken lots of small game with cast bullets, but this was my first big game animal with one.

    The results were simply astounding. Entry hole in the hide looks like it was cut with a 45cal punch, exit hole in the hide was about 1" in diameter. The holes on meat, ribcage and lungs were about 1.5", the lungs were completely scrambled. It was a "bang flop", the deer never moved. There was a 2' spray of blood and lung chunks on both the entry and exit side which Ive never seen before.

    Meat loss outside of the bullet hole was minimal with basically zero "jellied meat".

    Im very pleased with how this shook out, and it has me wondering if I should be looking for a 1700-1800fps load with the accurate 405v instead of the more pedestrian 1400-1500 I was considering before. What do you guys think?
    1200 FPS is all you need.

  20. #20
    Boolit Buddy
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    45-70 does not need a lot of speed. I have been shooting 405 gr sized .460 for 30 years with 36 gr IMR3031, around 1300-1400 fps. Kills everything I ask it to, and easy on the shoulder. Wallacem inGa

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Abbreviations used in Reloading

BP Bronze Point IMR Improved Military Rifle PTD Pointed
BR Bench Rest M Magnum RN Round Nose
BT Boat Tail PL Power-Lokt SP Soft Point
C Compressed Charge PR Primer SPCL Soft Point "Core-Lokt"
HP Hollow Point PSPCL Pointed Soft Point "Core Lokt" C.O.L. Cartridge Overall Length
PSP Pointed Soft Point Spz Spitzer Point SBT Spitzer Boat Tail
LRN Lead Round Nose LWC Lead Wad Cutter LSWC Lead Semi Wad Cutter
GC Gas Check