.45-70 Unique loads?

[rdf009]

Anyone here use Unique in low-power .45-70 loads. I just want to make up some light, inexpensive loads for close range plinking with my Marlin 1895. I want something that will be comfortable to shoot. I have never loaded rifle ammunition before......only .38 special, .357 mag, .44 special, and .44 mag. I'd like to be able to use the powder and primers that I have on hand instead of going out and buying special components just to make a few .45-70 target loads.

I'm thinking about trying 11.0 grains of Unique under a 350 gr. cast bullet with magnum large pistol primers. I've read that I won't need to use any filler with Unique. Sound like it will work?

 

[Old Judge Creek]

I've reloaded 45-70 for many years, but never with Unique... Mostly because I've never wanted to even look for such a load with that powder. I'm one of the few that cares not for Unique powder.

Regardless, if you can find a load for that bullet and Unique powder PRINTED in a reloading manual, then go for it and stay within the minimum-maximums listed... In fact I recommend starting in the middle of those extremes and then slowly work up or down to suit your needs.

My two favorite smokeless powders for the 45-70 are XMP-5744 and H4895.

 

[Bucks Owin]

I've reloaded 45-70 for many years, but never with Unique... Mostly because I've never wanted to even look for such a load with that powder. I'm one of the few that cares not for Unique powder.

Regardless, if you can find a load for that bullet and Unique powder PRINTED in a reloading manual, then go for it and stay within the minimum-maximums listed... In fact I recommend starting in the middle of those extremes and then slowly work up or down to suit your needs.

My two favorite smokeless powders for the 45-70 are XMP-5744 and H4895.

You can count me in "the few" too Judge... :wink:

But what's your view on SR-4759? I'm looking for reduced recoil with 405 gr bullet for my young sidekick...Tried any?

 

[captainkirk]

I've reloaded 45-70 for many years, but never with Unique... Mostly because I've never wanted to even look for such a load with that powder. I'm one of the few that cares not for Unique powder.

Regardless, if you can find a load for that bullet and Unique powder PRINTED in a reloading manual, then go for it and stay within the minimum-maximums listed... In fact I recommend starting in the middle of those extremes and then slowly work up or down to suit your needs.

My two favorite smokeless powders for the 45-70 are XMP-5744 and H4895.

You can count me in "the few" too Judge... :wink:

But what's your view on SR-4759? I'm looking for reduced recoil with 405 gr bullet for my young sidekick...Tried any?

I like SR-4759 very much for such loads. I have used it quite a bit in my 458 with good results. It will fill the case much better than unique, and is not likely to be position sensitive.

captainkirk

 

[Old Judge Creek]

I've reloaded 45-70 for many years, but never with Unique... Mostly because I've never wanted to even look for such a load with that powder. I'm one of the few that cares not for Unique powder.

Regardless, if you can find a load for that bullet and Unique powder PRINTED in a reloading manual, then go for it and stay within the minimum-maximums listed... In fact I recommend starting in the middle of those extremes and then slowly work up or down to suit your needs.

My two favorite smokeless powders for the 45-70 are XMP-5744 and H4895.

You can count me in "the few" too Judge... :wink:

But what's your view on SR-4759? I'm looking for reduced recoil with 405 gr bullet for my young sidekick...Tried any?

I like SR-4759 very much for such loads. I have used it quite a bit in my 458 with good results. It will fill the case much better than unique, and is not likely to be position sensitive.

captainkirk

I agree with you, Captain.

The 405 grain is my favorite bullet. These days, 99% of the time I load it over 28.0 (twenty eight point zero) grains of XMP 5744 for all my 45-70s. That pretty well does it all for me these days. And it's exceptionally accurate in my Shiloh Sharps.

 

[Blackhawk Convertable]

14 grains of Unique will drive a 350 grain bullet 1285fps according to Lyman's Handbook of Cast Bullets (1958)

 

[paul105]

Unique loads (w/350gr cast) shown about 2/3 of the way down the page.

http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm


12.5gr of Unique under a 300gr Laser Cast chronographed right at 1,100 fps from my 26" Marlin 1895 Cowboy. I didn't use a filler. Primers were standard Fed 210s. Very light recoil and good accuracy. I shot some ground squirrels several years ago with this load.

Use extreme caution to insure that you don't double charge the case with these small charges in the big case.

Paul

 

[Wyandot Jim]

Well,
All I can say about this is from my book "40 years with the 45-70"
So this isn't my statement. So don't all you experts get your panties in a wad.
From the book. The most accurate load for the Marlin is 10 gr. of Unique and a 300 gr bullet with large pistol primer. Well he is correct I have been shooting this PLINKER load for around 5 years. It will get you around 1050 fps from a 26" Marlin and is good for 100-150 yards.
Not a shoulder breaker just a great round you can shoot all day and it is cheap to load.
Jim

If you want to hurt yourself or shoot very little go with the 500 Grainer and a case full of powder.

 

[Skalkaho Slim]

^^^ Isn't that Elmer Keith's 45/70 load? Sounds familiar.

 

[keyston44]

I cast and shoot the Lee 457-405-F sized to .459. My loads are different from what you are looking for but I'll tell you my Unique load anyway.
Unique is a great powder for the 45-70. It isn't position sensitive at all and you don't need a filler to hold the powder to the primer.
Besides Unique powder, I use Starline brass and CCI 200 primers. The gun I use is a Marlin Guide Gun with an 18 inch barrel.
I started with 15 gr and literaly got one hole 3 shot groups at 50 yards with a velocity of 1265 fps right from the start and I should have stopped there.
I figured I would see if I could save some money by reducing the powder since these were just my plinking load anyway. I worked my way down to 12 gr for a velocity of 1070 fps. My groups were still acceptable at 2".
The problem I ran into with going down in velocity was point of impact would rise too far from my heavy load so I went back to 15 gr and stopped.
If you want some load data that is in print, my Lyman 46th edition list a 322gr cast bullet with Unique starting at 9.5gr and a max load of 14.5gr.
Like mentioned earlier, the gmdr.com web site has great reduced load data that I use alot.


Key

 

[Chief 101]

Ah, Unique, the powder that some love to hate.
The Lyman Reloading Handbook 45th edition shows several Unique/cast lead loads. The joys of reloading... 8) Chief aka Maxx Load

 

[rdf009]

Chief,
Could you give me the info on some of those Cast/Unique loads? I have the Lyman 49th edition and it doesn't show any 45-70 loads with Unique.
Thanks.
- Russ

 

[Chief 101]

I will copy some of what has been published on page 140 of the 45th Edition of the Lyman Reloading handbook.
45/70 Government/ 1886 Winchester:
292 grain cast #457191
Unique 18.0 1496fps-20.0 1689fps

385 grain cast #457124
Unique 14.0 1244fps-17.0 1408fps

482 grain case #457406
Unique 13.0 1012fps-16.0 1242fps

Hope this helps...Chief aka Maxx Load

 

[Chief 101]

 

[Tommy F]

I use a hard cast 385 RN with 11gr Unq with good results offhand in a TCC 16". Mild recoil, have not chronographed or benched. Still hits hard.

 

[twobisquit]

I use a 405g cast bullet with 13 grs Universal in my 1895 Marlin CB. Good accuracy and moderate recoil.

 

[gewehrfreund]

Take a look at Trail Boss. It fills the case and works well in a lot of different rifle and handgun cartridges. Sort of the modern Unique.

 

[Kanook]

If you use Trail Boss I have a warning. It'll take a week to get the smile off your face.

 

[Swampman]

I use 13 grains of Unique under the 340 & 405 grain cast boolits. It's cheaper, more useful, and works just as well.

Unique does everything well. If I could only have one powder it would be Unique.

 

[rdf009]

I had forgot all about this post until now. I am using 11.5 grains of Unique and a 405 grain bullets for a great low recoil target load out to 150 yards in my Marlin 1895.

Now I'm ready to work up some .30-30 Unique loads.

I agree with you Smapman.....if I were limited to just one powder, my choice would also be Unique.

 

[MADISON]

That is rediculas!
Pushing a 300 to 500 grain bullet out of a rifle barrel with 11.0 grains of
UNIQUE. I think the round will/would be stuck in the barrel.

 

[Swampman]

Pretty close to a Trapdoor load.

 

[louiethelump]

I used to use 14 grains with commercial cast 405 grain in my Marlin and also used it in a Browning falling block. Shot well, but was more consistent if you raised the muzzle up a bit before each shot to settle the powder down near the primer.

I used Unique for cast bullet loads in 30-30 but don't remember the load. If you don't find some, I can look some up from my card file. I had 170 grain flat nose bullets and I had loaded some for the son of my boss to practice with when he was about 16 as they were low recoil. They came back after the weekend and I asked how it went. He said they were out shooting it and got a deer. I told him the loads were light lead loads and not intended for shooting deer. He said his son did not know that and neither did the deer. The bullet went all the way through and the deer dropped on the spot. They are small here in FL., but don't underestimate a long lead bullet if you put it where it goes. It will penetrate.

 

[Jimbo357mag]

He said his son did not know that and neither did the deer. The bullet went all the way through and the deer dropped on the spot. They are small here in FL., but don't underestimate a long lead bullet if you put it where it goes. It will penetrate.

 

[protoolman]

Some good advice here from a few years back. With the ammo shortages on some of us may be casting bullets and using pistol powders in our straight wall cases again.

 

[CLAYPOOL]

I warned my neighbor when he had to put a cow down to be SURE which way the bullet would go....he says it's like lighting and puts them out of misery instantly...nuff said....

 

[Paul B]

Years back I ran into a young couple out in the desert. They were shooting factory 300 gr. ammo in an 1873 Springfield carbine replica. The guy had no problem but it lady said it hurt too much. I told them I could make up a load that she could shoot without pain so they followed me home. I use en rounds of their brass and loaded 10. gr. of Unique with a one grain tuft of Dacron and the Lyman #457191 bullet. I told them to try those out for her and if she liked them I'd load up all the empties for her. They came back wanted me to do the loads. When he asked me how much I said it's a gift. I never saw them again as I was transferred from Nevada to Tucson a couple weeks later. Dang it! That was back around July 1979. FWIW, I'd shot those loads myself in a Ruger #3 I had back then. A lot more pleasant than some of the 500 gr. cast bullet loads I shot on occasion.
Paul B.

 

[Johnnu2]

TRAIL BOSS........

It fills the case and will make you a happy person.......

J.