45-70

I also use FFg in my .45-70 as well as in the .45-90; but YMMV. Lots of folks like the above posters have said, use FFFg or Swiss. Read up and play around with different loads (leaving no airspace of course). I've found the lube you use is more important than just about anything but again...how you reach that conclusion will come from your own experiences.
 
I use 1F Goex for my 45-70's
It is what all my muskets use so I have a lot of it. It works fine but I can only compress about 65 grains it the casing. I use a .459 diameter 405 grain hollow base bullet with
50-50% bee's wax and Crisco as bullet lube.
Hope this helps
 
I load a Duplex Load of ;
First ,,,,,,,,, 8 gr. of SR4759
Second ,,,,,, I dump , through a copper drop tube , 54 gr. FF Black ,,,,,,,,, then add if necessary
enough FF so that the load is slightly compressed.

My compression goes like this : I measure how far the lead will enter into the brass. I put the FF
about 1/16 above that. I shoot this in a Browning BPCR . Copy of a Winchester 1885.
 
I use mostly Goex FFG in my rifles. Full load of 70 grains compressed as mine like a well compressed load with heavy bullets. I also have a few pounds of Curtis and Harvey powder that works very well in one rifle.
some rifles like more compression of powder than others. The same goes for the lube used. Each rifle has a sweet spot for powder charge bullet weight and the lube used.
 
I used Pyrodex CTG - a little easier to clean. I no longer have an antique 45-70, but Trail Boss gives pretty good results with no mess, pretty close to original ballistics. Not sure if it's suitable for originals, though. BP was OK, but I found that the gasses would sneak into every little cubby hole in the gun, and required an awful lot of cleaning compared to even Pyro.
 
Get thee a copy of Mike Venturino's book on shooting the Buffler rifles and subscribe to the Black Powder Cartridge News (BPCN), the Bible on the topic of BPCR's. Learn from the best of the best who prove it in competition and the hunting field.

Pyrodex beats not shooting at all, but not by much if you want the real BP experience. Only use I have for it is to make paper cartidges for my .50 calibre Shiloh '63's. I roll 60 gr .54 calibre pellets in onion skin with a lubed bullet for a chamber length cartridge - done!

Ignition is instantaneous as the base of the pellets is coated with a smear of BP. I have had no issues with corrosion cleaning afterwards as per BP.
 
tacfoley said:
Do you use a drop tube?

tac
Click to expand...

Yes indeed, I use a homemade copper drop tube. I could probably get 70 grains of 1F if I compressed the load even more but that would be way too much pressure. I would need to get a longer handle on my reloading press for more mechanical advantage
For a nice plinking load I only use 60 grains and the .459 diameter 405 grain hollow base. Good accuracy and I only need to clean the fouling out every 10-12 shots.
The Carbine I use is a H&R model 1871
 
Edenchef said:
Everything I have experienced and read indicates that in our modern brass 68 grains is the maximum charge that can be stuffed into the 45/70.
Click to expand...

I use Winchester 45/70 brass and 70 grains of Goex FFG or Goex Cartridge behind a 550 grain Postell with only one grease groove showing. I can get 8 downrange before wiping the bore. Lots of compression and the rifle likes it.
 
Last edited:
Anyone out there have any luck with trail Boss accuracy wise? I was thinking of running some .490 RB through a sizing die to make some plinkers.
 
Mean Steak said:
Yes indeed, I use a homemade copper drop tube. I could probably get 70 grains of 1F if I compressed the load even more but that would be way too much pressure. I would need to get a longer handle on my reloading press for more mechanical advantage
For a nice plinking load I only use 60 grains and the .459 diameter 405 grain hollow base. Good accuracy and I only need to clean the fouling out every 10-12 shots.
The Carbine I use is a H&R model 1871
Click to expand...


Thanks for that, Sir. I use a 30" drop tube and both Starline and Bertam brass - I keep track of nitro [Starline] and BP loads [Bertram]. I shoot an Uberti replica High Wall, bought at half-price with the medium-range tang sight already fitted. The vendor seems to have been some kind of nut, as he said that being left-handed, he just couldn't get on with it. Huh?

tac
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom