win 38-70 reloading info

[53moose320Elk]

I am looking for any reloading data for the winchester 38-70.
Black powder or smokeless, I have been checking around and cannot find very much info on this obsolete cartridge.
If anybody has reloaded for this cartridge or has any loaded shells,
I see buffalow arms reloads them but that's in the states
Information would be much appreciated
Thanks in advance for any help.

 

[ben hunchak]

Reloading for the 38/70 is like reloading for any other BP cartridge, get some brass from Buff. Arms, slug barrel to determine proper bullet dia., make or obtain proper BP bullets(soft cast or pure lead with proper BP lube). Load up a dummy round with minimal neck tension on bullet, force dummy round into chamber, so that bullet will move into case the right distance to lands, you now have your OAL(overall length). Measure with a vernier, the amount of bullet inside the neck, keep setting on vernier. With a drop tube drop varying amount of powder into your primed and ready case, until it comes up to the right level. The right level is determined by using the bottom of your set vernier for depth measurement. There is no set amount/data for a Bp reload, it's whatever fits with absolutely no airspace. If you use GOex 2f or 3f, it tends to like a bit of additional compression, if you use Swiss BP, it tends to not like additional compression....Nothing to it.

 

[sunray]

One minute on a Yahoo net search turned up .38-70 load data.
There are two loads using smokeless powder on Loaddata.com. Add the W's.
.loaddata.com/members/search_detail.cfm?metallicid=1693
There's one on Reloadersnest. Add the W's.
.reloadersnest.com/frontpage.asp?CaliberID=393
If you don't have brass, you'll have to make it. Buy a copy of Cartridge Conversions. Mind you, the .38-70 looks a lot like a necked up .38-55. There's not a lot of info on it on-line. Other than it was discontinued a few years after it was introduced in 1886.

 

[Win Shooter]

The 38-70 use the same bullet dia. as the 38-55,.379. It is nothing more than a lengthen 38-56 or neck down 45-90, which would be a good case to make 38-70 out of. You will probably have to turn the necks if your chamber is tight and if you are shooting them out of model 1886 your over all length cannot excede 2.8 inches max to cycle through the action, and blunt nosed bullets are the norm. If you're shooting a single shot,your bullet choices are many.