Hello All,
I have read some of the threads on here before just coming across them in web searches, and now have a reason to post!
About me: I grew up hunting since age 8 with my family and have always used a 12ga slug gun until moving about 5 years ago. I've been reloading for my hunting rifle for a couple years and just decided to have it turned into a 30-284 because... Well I think it will be an awesome cartridge. So, I also like obscure-ish cartridges. I always wanted to be a cowboy growing up and I finally got myself a lever gun!!
I purchased this dandy yesterday at a local store... Winchester 1886 Deluxe 45-90. It's not an original, but it's beautiful and an interesting cartridge that I can't buy ammo for!!
So, I'm hoping to get some help in determining the easiest route to get started loading for it. There's so many nuances to loading straight wall old school cartridges that I didn't know about. It's a bit overwhelming, especially due to all components being scarce and this cartridge not being a saami.
So, what's the easiest route?
Smokeless and jacketed?
Smokeless and hard cast lead?
BP and hard cast?
My thoughts:
BP is much easier to source
If that rifle was mine (I have a Chiappa 86 in 45/70) I would load it like this : 7 grains of 4227 on the primer + then fill case with Blackpowder
+ normal compression + 45 thou HDPE wad over powder (I cut these from 10 litre drinking water containers) make em neat fit to bore size + softish cast boolit --I modified a LEE 459/405/HB to make a 335 grain and a 405 grain flat base with wider meplat - that load should get you 1600 to 1700FPS in a /90 with the 335 boolit -- this will get you all the wallop you need for most critters, lots of fun making smoke, uses your easy source of Blackpowder, it will shoot clean, accurate,
I have no idea how to break down a lever gun to adequately clean the innards after shooting
Dismantling an 1886 is the supreme test - easy enough once you have done it a number of times but quite daunting first time
I can't find any hard cast bullets in stock that aren't prelubed for smokeless
[
I]Commercial goes hard cast because its easier and quicker boolit making NOT because they shoot better[/I]
The thought of using a filler for the extra space when using smokeless is scary
[
I]Scares me too besides being a PITA [/I]
I can't find any 45-90 dies, but can apparently use 45-70 dies if set up correctly
should work except for full length resizing?
I definitely can't find any brass... I think that's the major Crux right now
we sposed to buy the lost and lonely brass first then go find a gun for it
Any help is appreciated and I'm excited to start learning here!