Smokeless loads for the 45-90
- Thread starter Slooshark1
- Start date
The notes that i have on the 45/90 are lead bullet loads, most using 4759, 5744 and esp. Black Powder. One could use most any 45/70 loads safely if you want heavy duty loads, but like the 45/70, jacketed bullets are expensive plinkers. Good heavy cast bullets would be the first pick for big game as they wouldn't come apart as fast if higher speeds are used. You will have to determine your max. OAL, as you may need to use short nosed bullets.
I'd look at some of M.T Chambers (Ben) cast boolits at .459-.460" if you don't cast your own. They should perform as well or better than the available jacketed and for less $ too. Also leading is not the issue some people make it out to be so I wouldn't be concerned about it in this calibre.
Trail Boss might be another smokeless powder option for you.
Trail Boss might be another smokeless powder option for you.
I shoot a 45-70 and a 45-90 in H&R Buffalo Classics. For the 45-90, I use only cast bullets, and mostly published loads, but I have extraploated some load data from the 45-70.
The 45-90 has a case capacity of about 90.0 grs of H2O vs. the 45-70 which comes out at about 78.0 grs (depending on brass). That's about 15% more capacity, so one should not expect more than about 75 fps more than a 45-70, for a given bullet and powder at the same pressure, and that's exactly what I have found.
You haven't stated to what pressure you want to load it (you can go from "Trapdoor" to M1886), but it can be approached very simply. Use 45-70 loads, and if you must exceed published max for the 45-70, go as high as 10% more powder. I've done this with SR4759 and found for example that 33.0 grs in the 45-90 gave the same MV as 30.0 grs in the 45-70. This would hold for slower powders like H4198, Varget, etc., and for powders where a full case was employed in the 45-70, you could go with a full case, or approach full in the 45-90.
If you don't like this approach, and insist on using published 45-90 loads (which don't exist), then stick with max 45-70 loads, and you'll always be lower than their published pressures.
The 45-90 has a case capacity of about 90.0 grs of H2O vs. the 45-70 which comes out at about 78.0 grs (depending on brass). That's about 15% more capacity, so one should not expect more than about 75 fps more than a 45-70, for a given bullet and powder at the same pressure, and that's exactly what I have found.
You haven't stated to what pressure you want to load it (you can go from "Trapdoor" to M1886), but it can be approached very simply. Use 45-70 loads, and if you must exceed published max for the 45-70, go as high as 10% more powder. I've done this with SR4759 and found for example that 33.0 grs in the 45-90 gave the same MV as 30.0 grs in the 45-70. This would hold for slower powders like H4198, Varget, etc., and for powders where a full case was employed in the 45-70, you could go with a full case, or approach full in the 45-90.
If you don't like this approach, and insist on using published 45-90 loads (which don't exist), then stick with max 45-70 loads, and you'll always be lower than their published pressures.
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- Somewhere on the Hudson Bay Coast
The .45-90 is one I've been long interested in but as yet have not got my hands on. Ken Waters top 300 gr load was with 50.0 grs of 3031, and he liked 45.0 grs of Re-7 with a 400 gr Speer. What I found interesting is that with heavy cast bullets he found that 4831 was very accurate. FWIW, I wouldn't wast money on jacketed bullets when the muzzle velocity was under 2000 fps. With Ben's 480 gr WFNs loaded to 2200 fps I was shooting 1-1.25 MOA groups in my .458 at 150 yards which was my zero range, so you gain little by using jacketed slugs.
45-90
For jacketed bullets in the 45-90 you can use the "modern firearm" loads for 45-70 that are in most manuals nowadays, even the Ruger #1 loads without a hitch in the new 86. Recommend start at top "lever gun" loads and work up though.
For jacketed bullets in the 45-90 you can use the "modern firearm" loads for 45-70 that are in most manuals nowadays, even the Ruger #1 loads without a hitch in the new 86. Recommend start at top "lever gun" loads and work up though.
