50-70... help me get started

Magnum Wheel Man · October 15, 2008, 09:36 AM

I'm just about geared up to start reloading ( again ) ... a couple years ago I bought an old Martini chambered in 50-70, with a couple of handfulls of loaded cartridges, another 50 or so solid head cases, a couple 100 cast bullets & a custom mold & home machined loading dies...

my loading bench has been down for a couple years, but I plan on setting everything up this winter, & loading up all my empty cases ( I've shot up most of the previously loaded rounds, so I could load a 100 - 150 cartridges this winter )... I'd really like to chat a bit about powders, bullet weights & loading tips etc. I inventoried all my powder, bullets, & broke out & checked over my loading equipment... I have loaded a few cast 357 mag loads before, but they were purchased cast bullets, & I now find myself ready to deal with a few in the raw...

curiously, my cast bullets are driving me crazy ( but I guess its my own fault )... they were casted by my buddy, the guy I bought the rifle from, who is a member of the cast bullet association, & been casting for years... to the "unknowing" there were several part boxes of what looked like similar bullets, I, being the "unknowing", put all the small boxes of "like" bullets into one of 3 bags... ( I have 2 styles, with one mold throwing flat points or hollow points ), so 3 different styles of bullets all together... in counting / recording an inventory on them I threw a couple on my powder scale, & noticed a huge variance in weights... next came the micrometer... a couple of different diameters with in the same bullet style... which seemed to corispond to the weight difference... more than one alloy was used...

now how about lubrisizing... one style was lubrisized, & still varrys by weight, & diameter ( 2 lubrisize dies

) I have no exprience casting my own, but have about 3/4 of a ton of assorted lead alloys, & all the equipment, as well as a lubrisizer I have no expirience using...

so pardon the newbie questions... but...

pan lube or lubrisize... other options

any recommendations for smokeless powders & charges for the 50-70 ( at this point, I don't want to load with black powderbut want equivelent loads

I have my own range, that goes out to 300 yards... it would be cool to shoot that far, but I'd be happy to start at 100 yards with my own loads next summer...

how close ( in weight ) does a 50 caliber bullet need to be to get a reasonably accurate group

currently my 50-70 bullets look like this... ( sorry, I didn't put on paper what each specific diameter is ) but they range from .511" to .522"

300 - 310 grain hollow point
310 - 320 grain hollow point
320 - 330 grain flat point
330 - 340 grain flat point
400 - 420 grain semi spitzer
430 - 440 grain semi spitzer

any advice on getting started with both home cast bullets, & black powder equivilent would be greatly appreciated...

mackillan · October 27, 2008, 06:56 PM

Join Canadiangunnutz.com There are some expert casters in there. One makes them for my 45/70.

Voyageur · October 28, 2008, 10:08 PM

I would like to help you but for a few items:

You must slug your barrel and state the groove to groove diameter.

The .50 caliber is fairly forgiving but it is best to shoot the correct diameter for the most rewarding accuracy.

The cast bullets must all be of the same material for shot to shot uniformity.

The 50-70 works best with the 450 grain bullet.

I shoot only Black Powder.

October 15, 2008, 09:36 AM	#1
Magnum Wheel Man Senior Member Join Date: July 26, 2006 Location: Southern Minnesota Posts: 9,333	50-70... help me get started I'm just about geared up to start reloading ( again ) ... a couple years ago I bought an old Martini chambered in 50-70, with a couple of handfulls of loaded cartridges, another 50 or so solid head cases, a couple 100 cast bullets & a custom mold & home machined loading dies... my loading bench has been down for a couple years, but I plan on setting everything up this winter, & loading up all my empty cases ( I've shot up most of the previously loaded rounds, so I could load a 100 - 150 cartridges this winter )... I'd really like to chat a bit about powders, bullet weights & loading tips etc. I inventoried all my powder, bullets, & broke out & checked over my loading equipment... I have loaded a few cast 357 mag loads before, but they were purchased cast bullets, & I now find myself ready to deal with a few in the raw... curiously, my cast bullets are driving me crazy ( but I guess its my own fault )... they were casted by my buddy, the guy I bought the rifle from, who is a member of the cast bullet association, & been casting for years... to the "unknowing" there were several part boxes of what looked like similar bullets, I, being the "unknowing", put all the small boxes of "like" bullets into one of 3 bags... ( I have 2 styles, with one mold throwing flat points or hollow points ), so 3 different styles of bullets all together... in counting / recording an inventory on them I threw a couple on my powder scale, & noticed a huge variance in weights... next came the micrometer... a couple of different diameters with in the same bullet style... which seemed to corispond to the weight difference... more than one alloy was used... now how about lubrisizing... one style was lubrisized, & still varrys by weight, & diameter ( 2 lubrisize dies ) I have no exprience casting my own, but have about 3/4 of a ton of assorted lead alloys, & all the equipment, as well as a lubrisizer I have no expirience using... so pardon the newbie questions... but... pan lube or lubrisize... other options any recommendations for smokeless powders & charges for the 50-70 ( at this point, I don't want to load with black powderbut want equivelent loads I have my own range, that goes out to 300 yards... it would be cool to shoot that far, but I'd be happy to start at 100 yards with my own loads next summer... how close ( in weight ) does a 50 caliber bullet need to be to get a reasonably accurate group currently my 50-70 bullets look like this... ( sorry, I didn't put on paper what each specific diameter is ) but they range from .511" to .522" 300 - 310 grain hollow point 310 - 320 grain hollow point 320 - 330 grain flat point 330 - 340 grain flat point 400 - 420 grain semi spitzer 430 - 440 grain semi spitzer any advice on getting started with both home cast bullets, & black powder equivilent would be greatly appreciated... __________________ In life you either make dust or eat dust...

October 27, 2008, 06:56 PM	#2
mackillan Senior Member Join Date: July 1, 2008 Location: Canada Posts: 169	Join Canadiangunnutz.com There are some expert casters in there. One makes them for my 45/70.

October 28, 2008, 10:08 PM	#3
Voyageur Member Join Date: October 28, 2008 Location: In the Shining Mountains Posts: 72	I would like to help you but for a few items: You must slug your barrel and state the groove to groove diameter. The .50 caliber is fairly forgiving but it is best to shoot the correct diameter for the most rewarding accuracy. The cast bullets must all be of the same material for shot to shot uniformity. The 50-70 works best with the 450 grain bullet. I shoot only Black Powder.