45-70 cast bullets shooter
- Thread starter JBD
- Start date
I cast and market all kinds of bullets for the .45s and others, the .45/70 is a cast bullet shooters dream gun, in a levergun i have used everything from the 300gr GC bullet and 340gr. hollow pt. on up to the 480gr WFN Gc, and they can all be made to shoot good with the right load, high speed, low speed, doesn't matter. I have shot plain base bullets over 2000fps in the 45/70 and had no leading problems, a proper sized bullet, with a good lube will do the trick. Some folks use poor fitting, hard cast bullets, with or without gc, lubed with hard "shipping lube" and yes, under those circumstances, you may have a barrel clean-up problem.
Suka
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I've just started putting 405gr bevel base through my 450marlin. (from the bullet barn) Keeping loads with imr 4198 under 1500fps. First impression is they are very accurate, no apparent fouling or other problems, and would prob. be a great htg round as well. Not to mention a darn affordable practice round with substantially less recoil than my hunting rounds.
I don't cast, but I know tons of people do for the 45/70.
I don't cast, but I know tons of people do for the 45/70.
I have been casting for .45-70 for fifty years. My favourite target load is Lyman 457193 at 405grs sized .459 and 20.0grs (twenty grains) IMR SR 4759, this shoots into 2"/ 100yds from my 1886 Winchester with iron sights. This has low recoil and is very pleasant to shoot all day. I do not use a filler or gas check.
An excellent hunting load is the same bullet with 55grs (fifty-five) IMR 4831 and is a compressed load. This is low pressure and leaves lots of unburned powder in the barrel, however it is almost as accurate as my target load and quite powerful, unsure of velocity but guess it to be about 1500 fps.
- Location
- Vancouver Island BC
I have been casting for .45-70 for fifty years. My favourite target load is Lyman 457193 at 405grs sized .459 and 20.0grs (twenty grains) IMR SR 4759, this shoots into 2"/ 100yds from my 1886 Winchester with iron sights. This has low recoil and is very pleasant to shoot all day. I do not use a filler or gas check.
An excellent hunting load is the same bullet with 55grs (fifty-five) IMR 4831 and is a compressed load. This is low pressure and leaves lots of unburned powder in the barrel, however it is almost as accurate as my target load and quite powerful, unsure of velocity but guess it to be about 1500 fps.
At those velocities anything you hit with the 45-70 cast slug will be going to your freezer. The buffalo was wiped out with black powder guns with velocities 400 fps slower. The 45-70 has a magic all its own.........
Its the one that your garaunteed success with. If you told me you wanted to know the best cal to start casting with no dissapointments I'd say 45/70. The next words would be marlin lever. Do yourself a favor and go gas checked. You say low pressure now but no one ever knows what the future brings. And go GATOR checks not the hornady combo pistol/rifle checks. You'll be
unstableryan
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Beautiful Okanagan Valley
I like gas checks for the ease of loading into the shells, but maybe I am lazy 
I only reload cast for the 45-70 and don't let anyone tell ya they are not good or powerful enough. My top load so far is a 420 WFN worked up to about 1700-1730 ish.. They break stuff.
I load a few lower loads too. You can't shoot the big ones all the time.
Ryan
I only reload cast for the 45-70 and don't let anyone tell ya they are not good or powerful enough. My top load so far is a 420 WFN worked up to about 1700-1730 ish.. They break stuff.
I load a few lower loads too. You can't shoot the big ones all the time.
Ryan
