45-70 reloading

[Varmint Hunter]

Those 400 grain slugs are always on target and any animal I shoot drops fast , I did have a deer make it 40 yards once . those 400s always make two holes . I like mine running about 1800 to 2000 fps they are the most accurate in my Marlin and it shoots 300 yards in very tight groups

I've only caught one in all the animals I've taken with the Speer 400gr. It was a 300lb+ SC boar and it expanded to 90 cal and maintained nearly all of its weight. It may be soft but it's not fragile.

I've shot many sub 1" groups with this bullet and H4198 from my 1895SBL.

 

[CHAGA50]

I've only caught one in all the animals I've taken with the Speer 400gr. It was a 300lb+ SC boar and it expanded to 90 cal and maintained nearly all of its weight. It may be soft but it's not fragile.

Thats my next hunt to head to Texas and sling lead at some hogs all day or until my shoulder hurts from the recoil

 

[DUSTY NOGGIN]

dont have numbers with me for the 4895. but it was in the middle of hodgdon data ..

you can use 4198 .. alot of people do .. just make sure your gun can handle the pressures of a near max load of it before you do... my issue with it is case fill

 

[CHAGA50]

dont have numbers with me for the 4895. but it was in the middle of hodgdon data ..

you can use 4198 .. alot of people do .. just make sure your gun can handle the pressures of a near max load of it before you do... my issue with it is case fill

just seat the bullet deeper and crimp over the ogive , Gently, 45/70 shells are like shotguns just keep the bullet from falling out LoL . watch for pressure and have fun .

 

[Varmint Hunter]

Thats my next hunt to head to Texas and sling lead at some hogs all day or until my shoulder hurts from the recoil

If you don't mind the cost, the 300gr Barnes TSX-FN might be a better choice. You can easily shoot them at 2,000 ft/sec to minimize bullet drop and reduce recoil at the same time. The 300gr Barnes TSX bullets make an impressive hole and would be good on even the largest hogs. They are also very accurate.

 

[bpcrshooter]

Reloader7, h4198 and 3031 for full loads, but I too, use 5744 for my 45-70's,45-90 and 45-100. In my 45-70 pistol the RCBS 405 RNFPGC bullet shoots fantastic and it drops deer where they stand. I use 30-1 lead and the hole coming out is around the size of a golf ball. Dad uses the speer 400gr bullet in his marlin CB, that too drops deer very quickly. He also took a buffalo last yr with a 525gr RNFP bullet out of his shiloh, at 20-1, lead it was found just inside the hide on the off shoulder. Really you could get some 350gr bullets and go hunting, unless your hunting BIG animals there isnt much that will walk away from a 45-70. We use Fed210m's in just about all our loads one uses CCI BR2's.

In a single shot rifle you will NOT need a roll crimp, just use enough to keep the bullet from falling out. A taper crimp die works great, or you can just use you FL resize die to add crimp. If you choose to use cast lead, seat your bullets so they touch or just engrave the rifling. Felix lube has worked wonders with smokeless powder. Most Single shot rifles today use a 1-18 twist so your bullet selection is pretty much......whatever you want up to 540gr or so. If you dont cast, you can buy cast bullets, but they are generally pretty hard and are shipped with lube that is also very hard. If it were me (and its not) I would stay away from those and just use jacketed at that point.


IF you choose to go down the BP route I would suggest going to the Shiloh Forum's....there is more info there than you will want to ever know about BP and 45-70.

Regards,
BPCR Shooter

 

[memtb]

I'm very new to the 45-70, but had great initial ( my first 10 rounds loaded) success with my "homegrown" cast 430's over a dose of Reloader7.....1790 fps giving a fraction over 1" @ 100 yards! I quit looking after that! memtb

 

[Flintlock]

In my Sharps and my Contender SSK pistol barrel I shoot IMR 4198 and in the pistol I use the Remington 300 JHP and in my Sharps I use the 405grn Cast. The 300 JHP will shoot in my Sharps pretty good but the 405 shoots better.
I have taken three deer with the 300 JHP in my Contender pistol and all shots took them down in short order. Lung/heart shots so not much meat damage. I'm running them at 1350 fps in my Contender pistol with 36 grains of the IMR 4198 and Fed 210 primer. The Remington or Sierra bullets are great for hunting whitetail and I also use it on hogs.
Mike

 

[Radman]

What kind of single shot rifle are you shooting? You can load the 45-70 from mild to wild. If it is a Sharps style falling block stay in the mild range about middle or the road for Marlin rifle loads as a max. Now if it is a Ruger #3 or #1 then you can load all YOU can stand to shoot. I have killed a number of deer with my Sharps style 45-70 with black powder and AA5744 smokeless equivalent loads. Like has been said unless the deer is wearing armor plate the bullet is not going to be stopped. Any of the 300 gr JHP bullets work well. 36 grs IMR 4198 with Sierra or Hornady 300 gr runs 1700ish fps from my 28" barrel and does fine. IMR 4198 and RL7 are really good powders. For cast bullets Accurate 5744 is GREAT. It is not position sensitive, shoots the same if the powder us up against the bullet or back at the primer. 27 gr AA5744 WW case, Federal 215 primer with my cast (from a Lyman 405 gr mold) flat nose out of straight wheel weight drops at 418 grs. and runs 1400 fps and is VERY accurate in my rifle. This is equivalent to a black powder load as to velocity. This at 100 yards will shoot through a deer from any direction, stem to stern and a 6" pine tree that is behind it. I did it. A freight train don't have to be going fast to plow through a bunch of stiff. The JHP kills better and IF they run leaves a great blood trail. The cast bullet through the lungs they will run most of the time and don't leave the greatest of blood trails because any fat and the hide usually plugs the holes. The actual hole in the hide is usually only about 30 caliber size because the hide stretches and that is about as wide as the flat nose on the bullet but as the old timers used to say "you can eat right up to the bullet hole" if that is your concern. You have to know your exact yardage when shooting the 45-70. The BP or like loads have about 4" drop from 50 to 100 yards and about 12" from 100 to 200 yards. It don't matter how far away a deer is though because if it is 1000 yards away and you can put your bullet into his chest it is dead with two holes one coming and one going with the heavy cast bullets.

LOVE the .45-70. Got 2 of them. Great shooters.

 

[ScottB338]

I shoot 2 different loads in my 1895 Guide Gun...
57 gr. of H4198 behind a 300JHP (usually Hornady) and 51gr. of H4198 behind a 350gr. Hornady JFP.
The 300 clocks 2232 FPS and the 350 is going 2067 fps. All cases are Winchester with CCI 200 primers.
I use the 350's as a bear load when we're hunting from our Montana cabin. I have shot deer with it, but the 300's leave a much better blood trail.
I've never seen any reason to try any other powder or bullet combo...it just works.

 

[warboar21]

I use two powders for my 45-70. For full power loads I use Reloader 7. I have used the 400gr Speer and the Remington 405gr jacketed bullets over a near max load of RE-7 and found that I had an honest cloverleaf with all three touching. I didn't go any further up the ladder after I found that accuracy. I think they were loafing around at 1850fps. I also shoot a couple of paper patched cast bullets as well. I shoot a 450gr, a 405gr, and a 335gr bullet. The 335gr I have shot over 2000fps and it is a very accurate load as well. I tried powder coating them as well and had good results.

For my second powder I use Unique. 10-14grs under a 405gr hollow base paper patched cast bullet. This load(s) has next to no recoil but the top end loading will travel around 1200fps from my 20" barrel. This load actually shot through 4 gallon water jugs. I didn't have any more jugs as I didn't think it would penetrate that far.

Most of the time I just like to load 12grs of Unique and the 405gr bullet and use it as an introduction to larger calibers for non shooters. My wife has several friends that always want to go shoot. Most of them have limited to no shooting experience.

 

[Michael Souther]

I'm going to start reloading for my 45-70. Just need a good deer load . What are your guys favorite loads. Bullets, powder how much and what kind , primers ? Also I shoot a single shot not a lever action. Thanks .

I built a 45-70 on a Siamese mauser. 25 in Federal barrel. Super accurate and you can load it up if desired to near magnum loading Also a marlin lighter loads. All very effective even the Siamese for elk, close range. Big hole. Great cartridge.

 

[Dean2]

I used a 45-70 for bear control for a very long time. Tried all kinds of differnet loads and bullets. Long and short, making the bullet go faster does not make it kill better, just kicks a hell of a lot more. Any 350-500 grain cast bullet at 1400-1600 FPS will pass through a bear length wise most every time, cross ways no problem at all. My all time favourite load was a Hornady 350 grain RN in WW brass, with a CCI mag primer and 3031 at 1600 FPS. From gophers to moose and Bison, all DRT. In all the bears I shot with a 45-70 I only remember a handfull that I had to shoot a second time.

Regular 3031 load

Hotter version just to try

 

[Mrvmax]

420 or 500 Crater:

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