#4 MK1 Load pressures?

TMaC

TMaC

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I've got a #4 that was converted to 45\70 {yes it had alreday been hacked :wink: } and I'm wondering what is safe and what is not when reloading for it?
I don't do my own reloading as I'm not set up, but my buddy was asking what was max psi before I should be worried :lol: ..... :shock:
I never even thought of it to tell the truth, now I'm scared to shoot the thing with what he already did for me.

Any help would be much appreciated as I want to kill my Moose this year with this here ugly stick :D
 
No4 rifles were proofed & chambered for .303B & 7.62mm NATO:

Off the top of my head:

7.62mm NATO operates 55,000PSI
MkVII & MkVIII .303 British operates in the 45,000 PSI range.
.30-30 operates in the same range.
.45-70 BP/factory is in the 15,000PSI range, Smokeless handloads in the books are up to 25,000PSI IIRC.

Most reloading books have separate sections for: BP actions, original Marlins & Winchesters, Modern lever actions (new Win/Browning.1886 & M.1895), Siamese mausers & Rugers.

If you stick with the lever gun loads you should be alright. But, EACH GUN IS A LAW UNTO ITSELF. Start near the bottom & work up.

In MY OPINION; if you stay around 30,000 psi you should be fine. I have a feeling that you won't like shooting that hot a load due to recoil caused pain :roll:
 
It's not just PSI, you need to look at the internal surface area of the cartridge head to check the bolt thrust.
Probably not an issue with the low pressure of the 45/70 but worth calculating anyways.
 
TMaC, I find the same, painful, problem with my Lee-enfield synthetic stock. Have been looking for a solution for a while, hope to come over a recoil pad that will work well and look nice on that black synthetic stock.

Any suggestions out there ?
 
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