Anyone load 500 gr. bullets for Uberti .45-70 High Wall?

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Mus408

Hunter
Joined
Apr 30, 2011
Messages
2,333
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Va.
I have a .45-70 High Wall Carbine with 28 inch barrel coming soon and would like to venture into some 500 gr. hard cast loads for it at some point.
Just some mild 500 gr. plinking loads is what I'm after so would IMR 3031 or Unique fit the need?
Have used both powders for 405 gr. loads.
 

RUFFBIRD

Blackhawk
Joined
Sep 17, 2003
Messages
563
Location
northern ontario, CANADA
I have a Uberti Hi-wall in 45-70 also & have only used 405 gr home cast bullets. I also only ever handloaded with trailboss & Red dot powders for gentle shooting with that crescent butt plate.
The uberti guns barrel twist is 1 turn in 20 inches which is not quite fast enough for the heavier bullet weights. From my reading on the subject, the faster twist from other brands of guns like pedersoli which has a 1-18" rifling twist would be a better match for the 500 gr bullets. Not saying your gun won't shoot them, but stabilization my suffer with distance shooting. JMHO.
Enjoy your gun, I love mine... 8)
 

Mus408

Hunter
Joined
Apr 30, 2011
Messages
2,333
Location
Va.
I ordered 50 of the Lyman 457125 500 gr bullets from Matt's Bullets and will give them a try.
Have some 1873 Springfield load data to use....38-42 gr. of IMR 3031.
Will see how it goes.
 

tsubaki

Single-Sixer
Joined
Mar 3, 2013
Messages
413
Location
Savannah
This is the majority of the 500gr cast data with IMR3031 I've got with some older data scattered all over the place.

Hodgdon #26 : 500gr (no designation) 44.0gr (1454fps) - 48.0gr (1639fps)
Lyman 500gr #457125 42.0gr (1548fps) - 52.0gr (1860fps)
RCBS 507gr 45-500FN 42.0gr (1469fps) - 44.0gr (1533fps)
RCBS 507gr 45-500FN 48.0gr (1667fps) - 50.0gr (1734fps)
Speer 500gr RCBS mold #82085 38.0gr (1280fps) - 42.0gr (1446fps)

Please just get this, for $6.50 plus shipping.
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/694314/loadbooks-usa-45-70-government-reloading-manual
 

tsubaki

Single-Sixer
Joined
Mar 3, 2013
Messages
413
Location
Savannah
About half of the data suggests against low volume loads of IMR3031 unless using a polyester wad. One of these is the above Lyman data when using 42.0gr and the 500gr bullet.
To get around this I simply measured to the base of the bullet in the case and filled the powder to that point, weighed it and started from there. This is about the same as deriving a load with Trail Boss.
By this method, my Lee 457-405-F (416gr actual) is getting pushed at 1665fps with 45.0gr of powder.
 
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