Anyone load .45-70 ?

[Mus408]

OK now I want to research reloading for .45-70 for my BFR revolver. Looking for 405 gr. at around
1100 FPS, out of my 5.5 inch barrel.
I ran some Ga. Arms .405 gr.RNFP over my chrony and saw 1050 FPS out of my BFR. They rated it at
1300 FPS but don't know what length rifle barrel. It is a nice shooting load for general use.
Wish I knew their load data for it!

 

[okie44]

Got Alliant 2400? 23-24 gr is where I would start.

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

Interesting, Let us know what you come up with.

 

[Mus408]

Got Alliant 2400? 23-24 gr is where I would start.

Don't have any 2400..yet! Do have Unique and Red Dot. Plenty of time to collect loading data and
find powder and bullets though.
I also checked the speed of the Hornady LeveRevlotuion 325 gr. ammo and that was 1450's out of
my BFR.

 

[1ruger]

I load a lot of different 45-70 loads for my Marlin 1895 rifles...everything from 300gr @1,000fps to 475gr @1,600 fps. To get 1,100 fps from the revolver using 405gr bullet will require slightly warm load. I use IMR3031 to load 405gr cast flat nose bullet to get 1,375 fps from my 18 1/2" Guide Rifle and it should give you 1,100fps. This load has proven to be very accurate load in all my rifles.

 

[protoolman]

3031 is the go to powder for 45-70.

 

[Mus408]

Thanks! I will look for data using that powder.

 

[Rick Courtright]

OK now I want to research reloading for .45-70 for my BFR revolver. Looking for 405 gr. at around
1100 FPS, out of my 5.5 inch barrel.

Hi,

If you haven't been there already, suggest you start by going to Magnum Research's website and reading this entire article carefully, a couple of times over: http://www.magnumresearch.com/faq-BFR.asp

Then go to Hodgdon's site, where you'll find three levels of .45-70 loads: "Level 1" trapdoor, "Level 2" lever, and "Level 3" modern rifle. As a newbie, I'd suggest you stick with "trapdoor" loads for starters, despite the fact MRI says the BFR will handle the stouter #2 loads on their website. What you're looking for MAY be possible without loading "hot" but getting a fairly heavy bullet moving like that with not much barrel to do so will probably be a bit of a challenge! So it's likely you're gonna be learning a lot about the value of extra barrel length in such applications... and faster vs slower powders... and a bunch of other stuff that even experienced ballisticians can't predict without testing!

Stay safe...

Rick C

 

[greenmtnguy]

There are many. many powder that work well in 45/70 - though generally with rifle-length barrels you have plenty of barrel-time to get full burn out of the slower powders. I like IMR4198 for a number of 400 grain loads, and use it to duplicate the Remington Green box load (1360 FPS MV in my 1895 Marlin with 34 gn of powder in Starline brass). I think that a load close to this would possibly work OK with your 405 grn lead bullets in a shorter barrel for 1100-1200 FPS. It is not a "hot", or even "warm" load. Or, you could go even faster in powder burn rate and go with 13 gn of TrailBoss, which is a fast pistol powder but design for cowboy action shooting and it is intentionally very bulky. With a 405 grn lead FP bullet and 13 gn of trailboss in the Starline case I get just over ~1000 FPS MV in my 1895 Marlin. Your revolver will lose some velocity due to barrel length, but in the 45/70, the loss isn't as much as some would think, especially if using faster powders.

 

[warren5421]

I have shot 1000's of .45-70's always use the same load 66gr of Goax FFg or FFFg with 305, 350,405, and 465 gr lead. Like the 465 best. You do know that smokeless powder is just a passing fancy.

A good low power load is 35 gr of either FFg or FFFg Goax compact 1/16", fill case with grits to bottom of the 405 gr lead. Hard crimp if in lever gun or pistol. Sharps or Highwall slip fit works. Use this when you shoot your single shot rifle in a SASS main match as the .45-70 is hard on steel. This round shoots like a .45 Colt round. Clean up with soap and water.