[rnovi]

Blue,

Please consider this as only a slightly educated reply. I don't shoot 45/70 and have never reloaded it. I have shot a friends a couple times - well, you know how that goes.

Unless I am mistaken, current normal "factory" 45/70 loads are very soft and are loaded to specs (28,000 cup per my Speer manual) that are 100 years old. I can't really comment on the premium loads (Fed, Win, Rem loads. Excludes intentional hot loads like CorBon) other than to say that I would be very surprised to see that the Premium loads were loaded to any higher pressures. Better bullet, yes. More consistent powder charge? Yes. Higher pressures? Doubtful.

Companies like Corbon, Buffalo Bore and the like came about because people wanted higher performance ammunition but didn't want the challenges of reloading (at least, that's my take on it.). Corbon comes along and develops their super-premium loads that are expensive as all heck but are also much hotter and seriously deliver a much increased knockdown.

So, back to your original question: Is it worth handloading when premium loads are available?

Yes.

Why?

1. Greater control over your load. In this case you have the option to load hot or soft. No sense hitting a deer with a cannon blast called in by the FO. Download a 45/70 and you destroy less meat.

2. Bullet control. Again, you have the option of completely tailoring your loads. Did you know that there are SPITZER bullets out there for 45/70? Penn Bullets makes a 370gr spitzer...a nice, streamlined brick of a bullet if you will that would potentially offer greater downrange performance.

3. Absolute custom tailored accuracy and consistency of shots.

4. Costs: factoring time costs, it's generally cheaper to handload than it is to buy factory.

Now, if you find some premium factory load that groups an inch at 200 yards, well, I might not even bother reloading if the factory stuff is that good. In my experience though factory stuff, while good, generally isn't "that" good.