Loading 45-70

[KMAX]

A friend asked me about reloading 45-70. Never having loaded for rifles at all, I decided to ask those of you that have. He is loading mostly for economy sake. Probably will use mostly 405 gr lead, but maybe some 300 gr and 350 gr. What are some successful loads you guys have found? Also he is looking for around 1600 fps. The rifle is H&R Buffalo Classic with a 32" barrel. Thanks.

[300magman]

Hodgdon's Website has a useful section called the "loading data center". If you check it out it will show you several loads using various powders that should pretty much all achieve your goal of 1600fps, assuming that you have a modern lever gun.
IF NOT, than be sure to look for the Trap Door Specific section of the load data.

[hornetguy]

So far, the cheapest, and best load I've found for my 1895 is 15gr of Unique powder. I use no fillers, and don't take any precautions, such as tilting the barrel up to settle the powder against the primer, yada, yada... I just shoot em. They are very consistent across the chrono, and are borderline one-hole accurate at 50yds, and about 1 1/2" at 100. It's difficult to imagine getting much better than that. I'm shooting the Lee 405gr hollow base, sized to .460, with Lee's alox lube (pan lubed). IIRC, the velocity is around 1200 fps, but I'll have to check that to make sure.

edit: I'm not sure how much more velocity I could get with Unique, I've never tried. These loads don't show signs of being close to max, but I've just never seen any need to try to go faster, especially with a non-gc boolit.
If he's shooting gc boolits, he can certainly go faster... Reloader 7 is supposed to be a good powder, but I don't have any data for it. I think I've used 4198 and Trail Boss, but I'll have to check my records for loads and velocities.

[Unclenick]

Hometguy,

I show your Unique load running right around 20,000 psi at the peak. I don't know how accurate that is, since QuickLOAD doesn't do great with straight wall cases. It might even be safe in a trapdoor Springfield, but I would want to hook up a strain gauge and look to be sure. The program thinks you would hit the SAAMI MAP for the cartridge (28,000 psi) with a little over 18 grains and around 1350 fps, but I don't really trust that information without doing a careful load workup, so it's just FYI.


KMAX,

What is the rifle being used and how long is it's barrel? With a 405 in a 22" barrel, around 42 grains of Alliant Reloader 7 (DON"T CONFUSE with Accurate No.7; that would produce fatally high pressure) or of IMR 4198 will be in the ballpark of the velocity you are after, but exceeds trapdoor loads. It would only be for lever action or other more modern rifles.

[KMAX]

I forgot to mention the rifle is a H&R single shot Buffalo Classic with a 32" barrel (new). Maybe this info helps. Thanks.

[Unclenick]

Well, that barrel will get him another 100 fps out of the RL-7 and 4198 loads, but won't do much with the Unique load, which has pretty much run out of steam before then.

The American Rifleman test of this gun included Garret Ammunition, which is loaded to 35,000 psi, so you don't need to worry about sticking with light loads, as you would a trapdoor or even some of the lighter old lever guns. That action should handle what a Marlin 1895 does. I don't think I'd try to feed it what a #1 Ruger will withstand, though.

[flashhole]

http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech...h_notes.htm/49

This may be of some interest. Varget and H-4895 both work well with 350 grain bullets.

[PawPaw]

I use IMR 4895 and 405 grain lead bullets, but I'm not pushing it hard. About BP velocities, which does just fine for my woods. I do use a pinch of dacron betwixt the powder and the bullet.