45-70 long range target bullet options

Most of us shooting these types of rifles in long range competition cast our own bullets and use black powder. But if you can find a Postell, or Creedmoor nosed bullet of a suitable diameter ( probably the fattest bullet that will slip into a fired case ) then you'll probably get it to work well for plinking at gongs at good distances using smokeless powder. When I first got into these single shots I used to buy hard cast 535gr Postell bullets in .459" diameter from The Bullet Barn. They shot reasonably well.

Chris.
 
I watched a guy hit a 55gal drum at 900 yds with a 45-70 running basic 500gr round nose bullets. It would seem that BC is not overly important to long range success with such big, heavy bullets.
 
I cast all my own bullets and so far I have 5 different moulds ranging from 385 to 570 gn. You will need to slug your barrel and see what size of bullet you need, my 1874 is .459 so I have to load a bullet at least .460 or .461. You will have fun with it and definitely get looks at the range especially when the young guys with their 6.5's with huge scopes ring the 500 meter gong and you are right beside them doing the same thing. It is fun to watch the 20 somethings all hi-fiving themselves and feeling like they are the next world class sniper and I roll out the old smoke wagon and flip up the tang sight and lobe one across the range and "ding". Gets quiet real quick. I had a couple of them getting kind of huffy , good times.

Since the Holy Black is non-existent or nearly so right now I have concentrated on smokeless powder and honestly the group sizes are not that much different than black powder. Most of the heaver bullets (500+) will keep inside 2" at 100 meters and my go to bullet which is the 535 postell with Varget will print 10 shots inside 2.5", which is basically a hole.

My wife bought it for me for my 50th birthday, she and my brother sourced it in Montana and when we were taking a trip down thru there she told me about it and we needed to pick it up before returning home the next week. Kept it quiet from me for over 18 months, couldn't figure out why she was all powerfully existed to go to Custer's Last Stand in Wyoming .
 
6MT said:
I should have said that I would not be shooting "bear buster loads" in the new rifle. But just the same bullets, which are the Campro 300gr flat nose. They are not ideal, so I am asking what better options there are. (I have corrected the text above to reflect this.)
Click to expand...

Answered & clarified thank you enjoy that Sharps action!!

I have shot a score of different bullets in a # of 45-70's from Pedersoli's similar to yours to RB's to lever guns of most of the original manufacturers with varying results from rifle to rifle to bullet shape or weight...the fact i've come to realize is that with 45-70 there is no absolute "best to use" that i can put my finger on. Many different barrel twist rates keep us testing into infinity.
All the above being relevant, the one slug I can say consistently groups better than any other in any of the dozen 45-70's I have tried them in are the 230 or 250 gr commercial hard cast .452 pistol bullets. I purchase these slugs from a commercial caster dry, un-lubed and not sized. I powder coat them up to around .460 and run them through a .459 sizer die before shooting. With a scope sighted rifle I can generally get these to shoot into a cloverleaf group at100 yrds. With iron sights, group size is regulated to whatever my old eyes will give me, the bullet is not the limiting factor.
I use the exact same powder charge that I use with 5744 over a 405 gr slug so they are "quicker" but I have never chrono'ed one.
 
Tompullings said:
I’m now kinda curious about shooting my 45/70 H&R long distance. I bet it’ll be like mini artillery with the barrel at 45 degrees.
Click to expand...

The angles involved are impressive. The flight time is nothing short of miraculous. You sit and wait for the thing to arrive and then you see the hit seconds before you hear it. :)
 
You won't need anywhere near 45 degrees to shoot long range. I worked it out once and my 1000 yard sight settings are under 7 degrees. It does feel like quite an angle once you try and get a cheek weld though.

Chris.
 
gunlaker said:
You won't need anywhere near 45 degrees to shoot long range. I worked it out once and my 1000 yard sight settings are under 7 degrees. It does feel like quite an angle once you try and get a cheek weld though.

Chris.
Click to expand...

Hatcher did max distance testing with the 30-06 and the barrel elevation that produced max range was something like 35 deg IIRC.
 
I use a cast 405gr Lee Lyman#2 with 30 grains of 4198 pushing to 1375fps out of my Uberti 1885 30” barrel.
I can get all my shots in a 3” sticker at 100m with my Soule sights. It is very accurate at 200 as well. Would love to try it at further distance to see how it would do. I’m pretty happy with the accuracy from a cast bullet.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom