Any .50-70 shooteers here?

[StrawHat]

Just picked up a model 1870 Springfield trapdoor to plink with but also use for the local straight-walled cartridge deer season. What bullets are people liking for deer? The Lee mold seems less than ideal (smaller flat on the nose) while the Lyman 515142 seems better. Any experience out there?

I prefer fatter bullets with flatter points but a 1/2 hole is still a 1/2 hole!

Kevin

[RonnieMilsurp]

The Lee is best at .515. Lyman is like .512. Lee shoots great in my 1866 &1870. 70g 2f, LRP, no crimp.

And you're using the Lee on deer? 1:30 alloy?

I prefer fatter bullets with flatter points but a 1/2 hole is still a 1/2 hole!

Kevin

Ha, point taken. Though I would like more energy dump versus just a straight up through and through.

[StrawHat]

Ha, point taken. Though I would like more energy dump versus just a straight up through and through.

Aim for the offside shoulder. They drop fast and very little meat is lost.

Kevin

[SteveOKo922]

20:1 alloy for all my trapdoors 66 through 88. All my cartridges are standardized after the government Arsenal loads.

[Rockindaddy]

Have an original 1874 Sharps 50-70, and 1863 Sharps 50-70 conversion carbine and an 1870 Springfield 50-70 Trapdoor. They all shoot well with 4759. I like this propellant so much I have stocked up about 40 lbs of it.

Springfield 1870 Trapdoor 50-70 * 27 grs. 4759 Rapine 520300 300gr. sized to .518 shoots cloverleafs @ 50 yds
* 33 grs Win680 Lee 515450F sized .515 shoots 1 1/2" @ 50 yds
Sharps 1863 50-70 conversion * 33 grs Win 680 w/kapok filler Rapine 520300 300gr sized .515 1 1/2" @50yds
Sharps 1874 50-70 No.2 Sporter * 51 grs Reloader No7 Lyman 515141 2" @50yds. (stiff hunting load)

Have been casting some Lyman 515139 boolits they are dropping at 340grs. loading with 4759. They are a little easier on the shoulder than the 450 gr Lee and Lyman's. Will try them in all three rifles. Good luck PB with your loads you whip up.

[Rockindaddy]

StrawHat: I like 1/2" boolits too! Funny thing even though I shoot soft cast boolits; I never recover the spent projectile. Sometimes I break both shoulders and still never find my cast boolit. 1/2" entry hole and a bigger exit hole too! Deer usually don't go too far with a 50-70. Imagine how much 50-70 Govt ammo was sold off as the new 45-70 Govt 1873's came out. The bison hunter must have stocked up. The old timers always remarked that many a buffalo were taken with the 50-70 !

[RonnieMilsurp]

Thanks, all.

[Dutchman]

<snipped for brevity>Imagine how much 50-70 Govt ammo was sold off as the new 45-70 Govt 1873's came out. The bison hunter must have stocked up. The old timers always remarked that many a buffalo were taken with the 50-70 !

Great book about the buffalo hunters. He tells about getting .50 Gov't ammo at army forts but salvaging the powder and lead. You can read this little book in a few hours and its a very enjoyable read.

https://www.amazon.com/Buffalo-Harve...s%2C214&sr=8-1

[StrawHat]

StrawHat: I like 1/2" boolits too! Funny thing even though I shoot soft cast boolits; I never recover the spent projectile. Sometimes I break both shoulders and still never find my cast boolit. 1/2" entry hole and a bigger exit hole too! Deer usually don't go too far with a 50-70. Imagine how much 50-70 Govt ammo was sold off as the new 45-70 Govt 1873's came out. The bison hunter must have stocked up. The old timers always remarked that many a buffalo were taken with the 50-70 !

Some guy made a name for himself shooting buffalo with a Model 1866 Trapdoor 50-70.

Cody something or another. !

Kevin

[Abert Rim]

Here's a smorgäsbord of .50s: From left, 325-grain flatpoint, can't recall whose mold, and loaded in a .56-50 case for use in the ArmiSport Spencer; the 450-grain Lee, loaded in a .50 Alaskan case shortened to 1.73 for 12,7X44 R Swedish rolling block, and the big 600-grain Volkswagen from Buffalo Arms, loaded for a rolling block with Green Mountain 1:24 twist barrel, .50-70. The latter load was not pleasant to shoot for more than a few rounds with a rifle with steel buttplate. I plan to order Accurate 51-350S to come close to duplicating the 12,7X44 issue round.
By the way, kudos to the Dutchman for all he has done to help us understand the Scandinavian rolling blocks!

[jrinne0430]

Same here, make my 12.77x44 from .50 Alaskan, chambers and extracts perfectly. Load both black powder and smokeless.

[cricco]

I shot a black bear with my Remington Rolling Block last year. That .50-70 dropped him in his tracks, Hit right front shoulder, and exited the left rear quarter. That was with a 500 grain cast and black powder load.

[MOA]

That would certainly do the job.



How can anyone not just love the 500 grain for getting the job done in one.

[muskeg13]

Has anyone used Hodgdon Triple 7 (FFG) in .50-70 loads. Any idea what the approximate pressure would be with 70 grains by volume and a Lyman 515141 (425 or 450gr)?

[45workhorse]

One of these days I will join the club!