Trouble with 350gr interlock

bcboarder

bcboarder

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Loaded up some 45/70 using the hornady 350 grain interlock RN the other day and headed off to the range. When I tried to chamber the round in my miroku made 1886 I couldn't get the action closed all the way and I didn't want to force it. All the dimensions are within spec so I decided to give the gun a good cleaning and load up a dummy round to see if I couldn't figure it out. After double checking and triple checking the specs I finally got it to chamber but it took way more force than it should have. After the round was ejected I noticed what looked like marks from the rifling.

So after that slightly long winded story I was wondering if anybody else has had this issue. My thoughts are to seat the bullet a bit deeper and start low with the powder charge and keep an eye out for pressure issues or is there a solution I might not be thinking of?

Thanks Brad
 
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This is one reason why I test my handloads for feeding prior to taking them on an outing. There could be a couple of different things happening here, but Hornady's long nosed .458 bullets are designed to be used in bolt action rifles with a chamber that is cut to use long bullets, and the rifling marks on your bullets are an indicator that this is the problem. The .45/70 typically uses short nose bullets, but if you like these Hornadys, you might consider trimming the brass shorter, so that you can use the bullet cannelure, while attaining a length to ogive that will allow the cartridge to cycle through your rifle without difficulty. You would have to work up an appropriate load for the shortened case length, and reduced powder capacity. I would begin by reducing your load by a full 2 grs, if you trim a quarter inch off the standard case length.

Speaking of which, Hornady uses a serrated cannelure rather than a crimping groove, so its possible that your crimp has created a roll in the case mouth, that prevents the round from fully entering the chamber. If so pull the bullet, dump the powder, resize the case, reload it, and this time when you crimp, run the case to the top of the ram's travel, and tighten the seating die by hand (with the seating stem backed off or removed) to refusal. That should producer sufficient crimp to secure the bullet for loading into a tube magazine, without creating a bulge at the case mouth.
 
There are a few bullets that won't chamber in the new 1886's when loaded to the crimp cannelure. I bought one of those rifles when they came out and played with it for a bit. The Speer 350gr bullet will work fine though.

Chris.
 
Thanks for the info boomer. I don't have any particular attachment to these bullets just doesn't seem to be a lot of components for the 45/70 around so I figured I'd give a shot. Think I'll put them away with a note on the box until I really need them
Brad
 
Hornady also came out with a short case version of the 45-70 specifically for use with their FTX bullets, they're about .150" (I think) shorter than nominal spec for 45-70. If you could round up some of these they would likely work perfectly for that bullet. I don't think you're over crimping your case, the telltale rifling marks give you your answer. You are driving the bullet onto the rifling, hence your bullet is seated out too far for the throat/ogive arrangement with this combo.
My 45-90 is like that, the cartridge OAL to work through the action is so short that I have to crimp over the driving band on the 400 gn Rem bullets designed for the 45-70 and 45-90. I am seriously thinking about trimming them back until I can crimp into the cannelure and get the correct COAL to work through the action. I won't lose any case capacity because I am forced to seat them that deep anyway, I'll just be moving the case mouth back down the bullet until it will crimp into the cannelure.
 
I had some hornady 45/70 cases on hand so I loaded up a dummy round and it seems to chambers just fine. Just going to start with a powder charge under the minimum and see how it works. Thanks c-fmbi.
Brad
 
I have a handi rifle and use those bullets
I had that issue, got the chamber reamed to ruger specs
No I can even load the big 525gr cast bullets
The reamer put a slight lead on the rifling and didn't
Affect accuracy, gun shoots great , the chamber was made
To.lever action specs and I couldn't load long bullets
 
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