45-70 reduced load's?
- Thread starter zuke
- Start date
Edward Teach
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- who cares?
13 grains of Trail Boss under a 405 grain cast bullet...1000 ft/sec give or take.
That one is straight out of the Hodgdon manual.
That one is straight out of the Hodgdon manual.
vagrantviking
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Southern Alberta
5-10gr of FFg and a .457 round ball (or 2!) Is a hoot!
3grs Tite-Group help in place with filler + 450gr cast bullet softer the better inserted into case backwards + Win LR primer + no crimp = 300fps
The hammer hitting is louder than the shot...
This is a warm weather load in cold weather it may not exit the barrel so you may need another grain or 2 of powder.
The hammer hitting is louder than the shot...
This is a warm weather load in cold weather it may not exit the barrel so you may need another grain or 2 of powder.
3grs Tite-Group help in place with filler + 450gr cast bullet softer the better inserted into case backwards + Win LR primer + no crimp = 300fps
The hammer hitting is louder than the shot...
This is a warm weather load in cold weather it may not exit the barrel so you may need another grain or 2 of powder.
Also don't shoot such a load at hard objects! There is a very real possibility of such slow loads bouncing back at the shooter. I was playing with a similar load once, and had a 230gr. bullet bounce off a piece of wood and fly right past my head.
That is NOT a good feeling. I would just load some rounds using the Trapdoor specs. They should be mild enough for anyone.
tactical lever
CGN frequent flyer
- Location
- Fox Creek, Alberta
Look on gunblast when they tried out the guide gun. I believe one load was 8 gr. of Trailboss under a 405 gr. cast. But please reference a reloading book or other reliable source on this.
zuke, the field is wide open to you. you couldn't find an easier cartridge to load light for, than the 45-70. I've used six or seven different powders for various light loading, and none have been what I would call bad.
Use the traditional, tried and true, Unique and it would be hard to go wrong.
The Lyman cast bullet book, first edition, lists 16 grains of Unique giving 1350 to a 400 grain bullet. They call that maximum, but I don't know why, because with a 500 grain bullet they show 20 grains giving 1625 and calling that maximum.
If you went to about 3 or 4 grains it may stick the bullet in the barrel, so be sure with any light load that the bullet clears the barrel.
The field is wide open from there to maximum levels, just choose any loading you want.
You do not have to find a light load of Unique in some reloading manual, just make up your own various loads, up to maximum, and see how they work.
Use the traditional, tried and true, Unique and it would be hard to go wrong.
The Lyman cast bullet book, first edition, lists 16 grains of Unique giving 1350 to a 400 grain bullet. They call that maximum, but I don't know why, because with a 500 grain bullet they show 20 grains giving 1625 and calling that maximum.
If you went to about 3 or 4 grains it may stick the bullet in the barrel, so be sure with any light load that the bullet clears the barrel.
The field is wide open from there to maximum levels, just choose any loading you want.
You do not have to find a light load of Unique in some reloading manual, just make up your own various loads, up to maximum, and see how they work.
Hey Ben
How much does the TB fill the 45/70 case? I haven't tried any but some other CASS members here like it for their 45colts. Is it clean, dirty? accuracy?
Johnn Peterson
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Chemainus B.C.
There are a number of lighter 45-70 loads I've tried, 1st in a Pedersoli Rolling Block, Marlin 1895GS and lately a Pedersoli Sharps. There are a few sources of info I've used as well as a variety of bullet weights ranging from a 325gr RNFP GC to a 530gr LFN GC. Over all, the two weights I've had the best light load results with are the 405gr LFN BB and 420gr LEN GC. hs4570, who fairly recently passed away, got me started on using Trail Boss VS powders like Unique, 2400 and IMR 4227 which I used with a filler.
The main sources of info I refer to are;
The main sources of info I refer to are;
- Info from IMR Powders using Trail Boss
- Lyman 49th edition Reloading Handbook
- Lyman 3rd edition Cast Bullet Handbook
- Lyman 1st edition Cast Bullet Handbook
- Beartooth Bullets/Load Swap website
Local gun shop...
Any fast burning powder will do the job I used Tite-Group because that was the fastest powder I had on my shelf at the time.
Just start with enough of the powder of your choice to get the bullet out of the barrel my first try with Tite-Group gave me 800fps and I kept reducing the load until it was quiet which was around 300fps.
My favourite .45-70 off-hand target load of 45 years;
385 to 405 gr cast bullet
20.0 grs SR 4759, no filler
Large pistol primer (in my 1886 Winchester groups better than large rifle)
Crimped to use in the magazine, or if loaded single shot I seat the bullet out to engage the rifling when the breech block is closed with no crimp.
Estimate velocity at 1000 fps.
Very accurate in my 1886 with Lyman tang sight, when my eyes were young it would group under 2" at 100 yds off the bench.
I have some Trail Boss but haven't tried it yet.
A .457 round ball thumb-seated in the case mouth over 4.0 grs Bullseye is also a lot of fun at very short range. A tuft of cotton or kapok can be used to hold the powder toward the primer in the interest of better ignition but never use a wad leaving an air space between wad and bullet; the wad can act as a piston when fired and ring the chamber, ruining the barrel.
These loads work well in my guns, they may not in yours.
If you experiment with very low loads and manage to get a bullet stuck in the barrel, DO NOT try to shoot it out. The least you could end up with is a ringed barrel, up to a burst barrel which will destroy the rifle. I strongly suggest that any handloader read Hatchers' Notebook about bore obstructions and how to deal with them.
385 to 405 gr cast bullet
20.0 grs SR 4759, no filler
Large pistol primer (in my 1886 Winchester groups better than large rifle)
Crimped to use in the magazine, or if loaded single shot I seat the bullet out to engage the rifling when the breech block is closed with no crimp.
Estimate velocity at 1000 fps.
Very accurate in my 1886 with Lyman tang sight, when my eyes were young it would group under 2" at 100 yds off the bench.
I have some Trail Boss but haven't tried it yet.
A .457 round ball thumb-seated in the case mouth over 4.0 grs Bullseye is also a lot of fun at very short range. A tuft of cotton or kapok can be used to hold the powder toward the primer in the interest of better ignition but never use a wad leaving an air space between wad and bullet; the wad can act as a piston when fired and ring the chamber, ruining the barrel.
These loads work well in my guns, they may not in yours.
If you experiment with very low loads and manage to get a bullet stuck in the barrel, DO NOT try to shoot it out. The least you could end up with is a ringed barrel, up to a burst barrel which will destroy the rifle. I strongly suggest that any handloader read Hatchers' Notebook about bore obstructions and how to deal with them.
Edward Teach
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- who cares?
Trail Boss is quite bulky. I load 13 grains and it nearly fills the case.
I'm loading 13.0 grains of Unique, pushing a 405 grain RNFP w/ gas check from the Bullet Barn. I get about 1,320 fps coming out the muzzle of my Shilo Sharps #3 Sporting Rifle. I find gas checks very handy when using a pistol powder because without them I have found I get heavy leading.
