Loading for .45-70 decision to make..

[Mus408]

I have one gun that shoots .45-70..that being my BFR revolver which I like.
Current pricing for Hornady or Ga. Arms ammo is around 34-36 bucks per 20 rounds.
To get the dies,powder and 405 gr. bullets I'm looking at around 250 bucks to make 250 rounds for the first batch.
So a buck per round as compared to a 1.80 a round for store bought.
I don't shoot it very often but having a supply of mild .405 gr. FN cast bullets at 1000-1100 FPS out of this 5.5 inch revolver is my plan and I would save maybe .80 cent per round.
Do these cost numbers compare to any of you .45-70 shooters?

 

[Mus408]

To add to more $$ and confusion...I have a mix of Winchester and Hornady brass..more Hornady, so that would require the special "Hornady profile/crimp die due to the shorter than standard case length.
Maybe not worth all the trouble...yet to reload. I have about 260 brass which is a mix.

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

I don`t save the Hornady short brass when I come across any of it. You say you don`t shoot that much so just how much brass do you really need? I would sort that brass and just save the Hornady stuff for 'someday'. The rest of the brass will work fine and you can find dies and bullets and powder for a lot less. Check out Lee dies for economy. They work just fine for most folks and buy your bullets 100 at a time and powder in 1 lb containers until you find a load you like. An inexpensive Lee press will also get the job done for much less than the big orange , green or blue ones will.
Load em up and have fun.

 

[Mus408]

I have a Dillon setup and have been loading .45 Colt which I shoot a lot of. Dillon sells the Redding die setup for .45-70 . Will look at this round again later for reload.
Reason for so much Hornady is for local off the shelf ammo,it is the cheapest and also the most powerfull compared to the available Winchester and Remington brand. Usually runs around 36 bucks at Dick's unless on sale then less than 30 bucks!
When the gun show comes to town I try and look up Ga. Arms for their .45-70 which is 405 gr. cast lead at 1050 FPS out of my 5.5 barrel BFR. for around 34 bucks per 20.

 

[Paul B]

You might want to check out places like Midway, Grafs and the like for bulk 45-70 brass. I have a few rounds of 45-70 brass from Hornady and when I sat down to load some I learned it was shorter than standard. :shock: I haven't tried loading them yet as I really don't need to crimp them as my 45-70 is a Ruger #1. 8) I have an old RCBS die for .45 ACP that I plan on making a crimp die that does just enough to remove the belling of the neck. I cast several different bullets including the 330 gr. Lyman 457330 HP, 405 gr. RCBS and 400 gr. Lee. I also have one of the early Lee 500 gr. bullets with the longer nose and my #1 has a long throat.
Paul B.

 

[okie44]

Starline has brass in stock. Hornady Leverevolution ammo has the shorter brass, all the rest is normal length.

 

[Mus408]

Have a thought... Setup to load the standard length brass and then add whatever shim/spacer needed for the Hornady brass under the rotating shell holder! Load the standard brass first and then shim for the Hornady brass. Will look into this.

 

[Chuck 100 yd]

You mean REMOVE the shim to load the shorter brass, Yes/No?
That would lower the die.
I would just buy some new unfired brass and sell the rest.

 

[okie44]

I would just buy some new unfired brass and sell the rest.

:mrgreen: :mrgreen: :mrgreen:

 

[CLAYPOOL]

Save ALL brass, sell or trade, or help someone else start reloading. Very good hobbie to spend time at. It won't require knee surgery from playing B-Ball with other out of high school wantbe's... 8)

 

[m657]

re: "I don't shoot it very often but having a supply of mild .405 gr. FN cast bullets at 1000-1100 FPS out of this 5.5 inch revolver is my plan and I would save maybe .80 cent per round."

.....well then.....the only solution is to 'Shoot MORE' to 'save MORE'.....and when it doesn't cost $1/round it's likely you'll find reason to multiply yore savings....

 

[Imissedagain]

I started loading with Lee Loaders in 458 WinMag for my #1 decades ago but primed with their auto primer.
Cheapest way to start.
Spent the bulk of my fortune on firearms.

 

[greenmtnguy]

Your first batch might effectively cost you $1 per round, but by the second or third loading, you'll be getting closer to 60-70 cents per round.
The more you use them, the more you save (and the better shot you become)!