45-70 gov't ammo
- Thread starter Om3ga
- Start date
maple_leaf_eh
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
The DCRA long range cartridge rifle shooters very quickly learned a number of tricks loading 45-70 (and bigger cartridges).
First of all, they learned how to make duplex black powder and smokeless charges. The two powders work very well together when separated with a round cardboard wad. The smokeless starts the long column of black burning more thoroughly. The wad keeps the two powders from mixing.
Second, the shooters experimented a lot with pointed bullets. They worked through the long list of catalogue pre-cast bullets, and then went to custom pointed nose hollow base bullets. They liked gas checks on their bullets to hold the pressures up as the bullet travelled down the bore. They shot pure lead, wheel weights, commercial lead, and settled on linotype. They liked hard lubrication.
Finally, they shot methodically at long range targets that went up and down for marking. That created delays in the firing speed. The experienced shooters recognized their accuracy dropped towards the end of the long strings, and the smart ones found that in the case extraction sequence that moisture improved the evacuation of unburnt powder and fouling. By poking a length of vinyl tubing into the chamber and exhaling into the bore. That little extra moisture kept the crumbly bits from hardening in the hot barrel.
First of all, they learned how to make duplex black powder and smokeless charges. The two powders work very well together when separated with a round cardboard wad. The smokeless starts the long column of black burning more thoroughly. The wad keeps the two powders from mixing.
Second, the shooters experimented a lot with pointed bullets. They worked through the long list of catalogue pre-cast bullets, and then went to custom pointed nose hollow base bullets. They liked gas checks on their bullets to hold the pressures up as the bullet travelled down the bore. They shot pure lead, wheel weights, commercial lead, and settled on linotype. They liked hard lubrication.
Finally, they shot methodically at long range targets that went up and down for marking. That created delays in the firing speed. The experienced shooters recognized their accuracy dropped towards the end of the long strings, and the smart ones found that in the case extraction sequence that moisture improved the evacuation of unburnt powder and fouling. By poking a length of vinyl tubing into the chamber and exhaling into the bore. That little extra moisture kept the crumbly bits from hardening in the hot barrel.
buck knife
CGN Regular
- Location
- Golden forest
I've got around 400 rounds of 45/70 plus a lot of brass ,primers and powder.when the levergun hornady 325 first came out it was 35$ a box at cabèlas. I bought a few boxes then a few more.then the hammerdown federal came out for $43.99 I bought a lot of it,now that ammo is $74.99 a box .
Reloading is lots of fun using a Lee loader I have made many different loads up to try and love doing it.
Reloading is lots of fun using a Lee loader I have made many different loads up to try and love doing it.
buck knife
CGN Regular
- Location
- Golden forest
Today I bought 4 boxes of winchester reduced recoil factory plinking loads for $29.99 box,405 grain lead flat nose .ill plink Em and have some excellent brass after.
A very wise approach. Keep the brass for future reloading projects. It’s All Good!
I reload a 340 grain cast flat nose booolit that exits my barrel at 1240 FPS and it’s a very comfortable blaster. Life is Good!!
Peace Be The Journey!
mudgunner49
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
None of my .45-70's have seen a round of factory ammo. From cast 500gr RN over 2gr of 800x to 405gr FNGC on 12gr of TrailBoss all the way up to 56gr of H335 under the same 405gr FNGC, it's been all handloads, all the time...
buck knife
CGN Regular
- Location
- Golden forest
I love the lighter slower loads ,accurrate too!
Is there much difference in brass? i got some Hornady 325 ftx and was going to keep all that for reloading. maybe a dumb question, but is there brass for small and large primers? does it make much of a difference for burn? im just starting t learn about this stuff now
Han loading for accuracy in a single hot 45/70 is a different animal than for the lever action rifles when it comes to brass.
Most brass I have found is too short for optimum accuracy, especially when it comes to paper patching cast bullets.
However, for all around plinking and hunting at "normal" 45/70 ranges , most brass works well.
I never have shot factory ammo in my 45/70's but I do know that it has gone through the roof.
Loading for the 45/70 is about as simple as it gets, with an extra step of crimping if you shoot a repeater .
Cat
Most brass I have found is too short for optimum accuracy, especially when it comes to paper patching cast bullets.
However, for all around plinking and hunting at "normal" 45/70 ranges , most brass works well.
I never have shot factory ammo in my 45/70's but I do know that it has gone through the roof.
Loading for the 45/70 is about as simple as it gets, with an extra step of crimping if you shoot a repeater .
Cat
The lee loader has a crimp built in. Some guys make a nylon bushing to make consistent crimps... I just go by feel. I also bell the case with my leatherman when loading cast ( 99% of the time)...I have all the on press tools to load them in a faster more modern method, but something about making them with rudimentary tools is just satisfying.
The hornady brass is shorter than std 45-70 brass due to the ftx bullet. You will not be able to seat a standard length 405 gr to the cannelure or it might affect feeding.. I typically use my Hornady brass for cowboy loads ( sub sonic) and use other brass for full house loads
I always wondered about the hornady lever revolution ammo I scored 10 box’s of it dirt cheap and for some reason I could not use it in my 15 inch encore carbine always got light primer strikes any other factory ammo worked fine so sold it all to my buddy who has a marlin in 45-70 and works fine in his rifle
Did, they stopped selling ammo shortly after that purchase.
FatCatsDad
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
Counter guy at SAIL said the Hornady is no good for reloader because the brass is a different size do to the FTX projectile
