45-70 BP load??

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Huntsman

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Hello there,
I loaded a 405gr cast boolit in Winchester case with a Federal primer using a 70gr (volume) charge of Goex FFG powder.
Will this be too much or should I be OK.
Rifle is a Marlin 1895SS
Thanks in advance :)
 
I hope you read some books about black powder reloading. If not you should.
You are not to have any space between powder and bullet. Drop tubes. There is a whole bunch of things to learn. I gave up and went to smokeless.
For BP Go here http://www.ssbpcrc.co.uk/html/SubFrameSet.htm scroll to bottom of page choose one to read.
And if you follow what I did go here for smokeless http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm
Have Fun
 
45/70

powder should be slightly compressed when you seat the boolit to the correct oal. this will be the correct charge.
 
I drop 70gr (or as close as I can get) into the case and trickle up until I get exactly 70 (with my competition reloads - depending on the bullet I'm using the load varies). First weigh the empty case and zero the scale. Then drop the charge from the powder measure (Lyman makes one with brass internals - no static and no chance of a spark). Once you do that put the case on the scale and trickle up to the desired weight. Then I compress the powder with a compression die and seat the bullet on top of it with a vegetable fibre wad. You can also use wads cut out of milk carton, wax paper, plastic milk jug - etc. Make sure that you're using a bullet that is lubed with an apropriate lube like SPG. Smokeless lubes are too hard and without lube you'll have a hell of a mess on your hands. Crimp the bullet with a roll crimp and you're away.

Make sure that you clean the fouling out of your rifle as soon as you get home. BP fouling left in yoru rifle will rot the barrel faster than anything you've ever seen!
 
I should'a mentioned that they were compressed loads.
I just want to make sure that the 70gr (volume) charge is a normal or good charge.
I have been researching on Cast Boolits forum as well as surfing the net. I know about the air space with bp ctg loads so no worries there. This is my 1st time with bp ctg loads not with bp as I regularly shoot sidelocks.
Thanks for your advice guys, I appreciate it ;) :)
 
You never mentioned how you are compressing-don’t use the bullet. I made a compression plug that I use in conjunction with a die from another set to do my compressing.
 
The bullet gets compressed and distorted. I cast a hard bullet for my .43 Mauser, and use that to compress the powder. I stand it next to the bullet I intend to load, and scribe a line where I want the bullet seated. Then I adjust the seating die until the powder is compressed. I never use a measure, I weigh each charge. Make sure whatever lube you use doesn't contain petroleum! It turns fouling hard. I use beeswax mixed with corn or olive oil, 50/50.
 
Huntsman said:
I should'a mentioned that they were compressed loads.
I just want to make sure that the 70gr (volume) charge is a normal or good charge.
I have been researching on Cast Boolits forum as well as surfing the net. I know about the air space with bp ctg loads so no worries there. This is my 1st time with bp ctg loads not with bp as I regularly shoot sidelocks.
Thanks for your advice guys, I appreciate it ;) :)
Click to expand...

70gr of FFg will be fine. In your .45-70, anything that fills the case, on up to whatever you can fit in there will be fine.

Now if that load will shoot well, is another thing entirely :D

Chris.
 
70 grains of BP was the load for a Trapdoor Springfield rifle. You may want to think about the 55 grain Trapdoor Carbine load. Be easier on your shoulder in a light weight rifle. A 70 grain load out of a Trapdoor Carbine hurts.
Not sure BP is a good idea for a Marlin though.
 
Nothing wrong with using black in a Marlin. I've done it in a few and seen it done in many more. After a few sessions you may need to get into the action for a more through cleaning though.

And Sunray's right about 70gr being a pretty hefty load in such a light gun. I tried it in my fairly heavy rolling block with 480gr bullets and toned it down a bit in part due to the abuse. Any amount of powder that doesn't leave an airspace is permissible adn if you want to go even less you can use wads or cream of wheat as a filler. The most accurate loads are seldom ones that include filler though.
 
Good thing for me then that I only loaded up 3 with 70grs.
I also loaded up 3 with 60grs FFG, 3 w/60grs Pyrodex RS. These cast boolits were straight from the mold. Then I did the same 3 & 3 but with water quenched cast boolits.
The water quenched ones are also what I used with the 3 70grs loads.
I must point out too that I am only trying the bp just to see (curiousity more than anything). I do plan however to continue casting the 405gr boolits but will stick to smokeless, either IMR 3031 or Reloader 7.
 
Well they all worked decent. It was too cold out (-24 w/windchill) to really be able to concentrate. But nothing blew up!! The Pyrodex RS compared to the Goex FFG 60gr loads were negligable. The 70gr load however was felt in the shoulder through layers upon layers of clothing. It was a neat experience and enjoyed especially by Hakx.
The Varget loads I made up shot well but left a significant amount of un-burnt powder.
I'll switch to either W748 or IMR 3031
 
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