45-70 Reduced Loads

[msmith1228]

I have just bought new 45-70 lever gun. Does anyone have a pet light load?
Thanks'
Mack

[mod71alaska]

...or is there 45-70 reduced recoil ammo available?

[Lefty Dude]

How light ?

A round ball load ?

[Sixgun]

11 grains of Unique (loose in the case) with about any lead bullet you have. Velocity is between 1000 and 1100. I have shots tens of thousands of these loads through Trapdoors, 1886's, '95 Marlins, old Sharps rifles (the one pictured in my avatar) and anything else I could find that was chambered for the 45-70.

Funny thing about that load--once you KNOW your rifle, with these loads, you can lob that bullet down on just about anything out to 600 yards and beyond---just like the artillery guys do it! --------------------Sixgun

[2ndovc]

One of the fellows here(Sixgun) gave me a great light load.

11 Grains of Unique under a 405 Lead Flat point bullet.

This is a load that you have to be VERY careful making. A double charge can be BAD!!!!

I always weigh each loaded cartridge for consistant weight.

But for all the precautions it's a great target load.

jb

[2ndovc]

11 grains of Unique (loose in the case) with about any lead bullet you have. Velocity is between 1000 and 1100. I have shots tens of thousands of these loads through Trapdoors, 1886's, '95 Marlins, old Sharps rifles (the one pictured in my avatar) and anything else I could find that was chambered for the 45-70.

Funny thing about that load--once you KNOW your rifle, with these loads, you can lob that bullet down on just about anything out to 600 yards and beyond---just like the artillery guys do it! --------------------Sixgun

Dude your just too quick!!

[Sixgun]

One of the fellows here(Sixgun) gave me a great light load.

11 Grains of Unique under a 405 Lead Flat point bullet.

This is a load that you have to be VERY careful making. A double charge can be BAD!!!!

I always weigh each loaded cartridge for consistant weight.

But for all the precautions it's a great target load.

jb

Jason, Wow! Talk about our minds being on the same subject at the same time! BTW, are those 33 W.C.F. cases chambering OK?-----Sixgun

[2ndovc]

One of the fellows here(Sixgun) gave me a great light load.

11 Grains of Unique under a 405 Lead Flat point bullet.

This is a load that you have to be VERY careful making. A double charge can be BAD!!!!

I always weigh each loaded cartridge for consistant weight.

But for all the precautions it's a great target load.

jb

Jason, Wow! Talk about our minds being on the same subject at the same time! BTW, are those 33 W.C.F. cases chambering OK?-----Sixgun

PERFECTLY!!!!

Thanks again!!

I just got some cast bullets and made up ten rounds of two different loads to play with.

I've been pondering something for the last month or so. Why in the He-- did they ever discontinue the 1886!
I'm still toting that '86 around the house like a new puppy! I think my wife starting to worry

jb

[1886]

12grs of Trail Boss under a Bear Creek Supply 405gr FN ignited by a Rem 2 1/2 primer. Bullet is very soft and obdurates easily at the pressure this load generates. Any soft cast in this weight range would probably be fine. Be sure to use an expander no more than .002" smaller than the bullet or you will swage down that bullet. Very light crimp, just enough to just curl the case mouth. Velocity will run between 950- 975fps. Nice thing about Trail Boss is that it provides good load density. 1886.

[gary rice]

40 grains of H-4895, 400 grain bullet, 1350 fps.

[Sixgun]

Jason,
Not meaning to steal the man's post, but 1886's are the most addicting of leverguns made by Winchester. A .33 was also my first 1886, back in '74---followed by other .33's, 45-70's, 45-90's, and 40-65's (my favorite in the accuracy dept.) I still have the hots for an original 50-110, but witha forklift drivers pay, I gotta wait for the poor unknowledgable soul to steer one my way.

Here's my regular huntin' gun. An 90%+ extra lightweight in 45-70.---------Sixgun

[Chuck 100 yd]

325-350 gr. cast with 14gr. Trail Boss is a very mild and accurate load a kid could shoot all day. MUCH FUN! about 1150 fps. one hole groups at 50yd.

[Tycer]

+1 Unique.

[Borregos]

1886 +1

[Glenn]

Mac,

Sixgun's Unique load is a classic and an excellent one. I fiddled with 2400 and settled on 21 grs. with a 400-430 gr. soft cast bullet. Excellent accuracy and about 1330 fps. Basically a black powder equivalent load without the mess.

Glenn

[meanc]

msmith,

Have you considered the type of bullet and/or powder you'll be using, or your idea of a light load.

There are a lot of powder/bullet combinations out there.

[Ysabel Kid]

Here are a few; I got some of these from KirkD here. Others were just worked up from various sources. I agree that Unique is a good powder, and most reloaders have a can laying around. As with all reloading recipes, the user assumes all risks!

Winchester Western brass; CCI 200 Large Rifle Primer; 300-grain LRNFP; 24.5 grains of Accurate Arms 5744; 1/3 sheet of toilet paper rolled and folded over the powder

Same load, but with 21 grains of AA 5744 for a 405-grain LRNFP bullet

Starline brass; CCI 200 Large Rifle Primer; 12-grains IMR "Trail Boss"; 405-grain LRNFP

Good luck!

[awp101]

11 grains of Unique (loose in the case) with about any lead bullet you have. Velocity is between 1000 and 1100. I have shots tens of thousands of these loads through Trapdoors, 1886's, '95 Marlins, old Sharps rifles (the one pictured in my avatar) and anything else I could find that was chambered for the 45-70.

Given it's driving a large lead projectile, would this be a reasonable whitetail load?

I've only ever used factory .30-30 (and a couple of .44 Mag rounds loaded by someone else) to hunt with and I have NO idea what the MVs were so I really don't have a point of reference for this load...

[gary rice]

Mac,

Sixgun's Unique load is a classic and an excellent one. I fiddled with 2400 and settled on 21 grs. with a 400-430 gr. soft cast bullet. Excellent accuracy and about 1330 fps. Basically a black powder equivalent load without the mess.

Glenn

i too tried 21 grains of 2400. alot cleaner then unique for me.

[AndyM]

I think it depends on your definition of light.

I consider a light load to be at trapdoor levels and load 28 grains of 5744 under a soft cast 405 gr. flat nose lead bullet to be my light load for a sharps replica and my Marlin 1895.

A medium heavy hunting load would be a heavy dose of Re#7 under a Hornady 350 gr. jacketed flat nose

Both have provided good service in my rifles. The 5744 is a pussycat to shoot alot.

[jlchucker]

11 grains of Unique (loose in the case) with about any lead bullet you have. Velocity is between 1000 and 1100. I have shots tens of thousands of these loads through Trapdoors, 1886's, '95 Marlins, old Sharps rifles (the one pictured in my avatar) and anything else I could find that was chambered for the 45-70.

Given it's driving a large lead projectile, would this be a reasonable whitetail load?

I've only ever used factory .30-30 (and a couple of .44 Mag rounds loaded by someone else) to hunt with and I have NO idea what the MVs were so I really don't have a point of reference for this load...

For whitetails? I doubt like hell that the bullet would bounce off. At short ranges, in the woods, you'll be shooting an animal that typically weighs what a large dog does, as opposed to an 800 pound moose. You'd also be shooting a heavier bullet than Davy Crockett did out of Old Betsy. I would guess that within 100 yards or less, this load would put down any whitetail that you made a well-placed hit on. I've never used this load, but this summer I'll try it, and if I can achieve decent accuracy at 75 yards or so I'd be willing to try it next deer season.

[awp101]

For whitetails? I doubt like hell that the bullet would bounce off. At short ranges, in the woods, you'll be shooting an animal that typically weighs what a large dog does, as opposed to an 800 pound moose. You'd also be shooting a heavier bullet than Davy Crockett did out of Old Betsy. I would guess that within 100 yards or less, this load would put down any whitetail that you made a well-placed hit on.

Thanks! I didn't suspect it would be a problem but thought I'd better ask before a deer found out the hard way.

Based on the amount of super-whiz-bang magnum calibers for deer nowadays, I figured they were getting all the surplus Kevlar they could lay their hooves on...

[Sixgun]

For whitetails? I doubt like hell that the bullet would bounce off. At short ranges, in the woods, you'll be shooting an animal that typically weighs what a large dog does, as opposed to an 800 pound moose. You'd also be shooting a heavier bullet than Davy Crockett did out of Old Betsy. I would guess that within 100 yards or less, this load would put down any whitetail that you made a well-placed hit on. I've never used this load, but this summer I'll try it, and if I can achieve decent accuracy at 75 yards or so I'd be willing to try it next deer season.

You got that right! A 400 gr. lead bullet traveling 1000 fps at the muzzle will drill clear through an elk at 300 yards. (if you could hit it! ) Our very own cast bullet master, Jim Taylor will tell you a 250 grain cast bullet, traveling 1200 fps, will kill anything in North America. Personally for me, that 1000 fps/400 gr. load would be the cat's meow for deer out to 100 or so. It does have a terrible trajectory--even from 50-100. I would sight it for about 3"-4" high at 50 to be "on" at 100--------------Sixgun

[Leverdude]

25 grains of 2400 is my plinking 45/70 load.
It'd work on a deer too.

[Grizz]

You got that right! A 400 gr. lead bullet traveling 1000 fps at the muzzle will drill clear through an elk at 300 yards. (if you could hit it! ) Our very own cast bullet master, Jim Taylor will tell you a 250 grain cast bullet, traveling 1200 fps, will kill anything in North America. Personally for me, that 1000 fps/400 gr. load would be the cat's meow for deer out to 100 or so. It does have a terrible trajectory--even from 50-100. I would sight it for about 3"-4" high at 50 to be "on" at 100--------------Sixgun

You got that right! A 405g bullet traveling 942fps from the barrel of my redhawk will penetrate through a fir firewood round going with the grain, and using Alaskan elevation will ring the 100 yard gong regularly.

Subsonic loads are fun to play with, easy on the butt end, and don't give up anything to the whizzers. In fact, that 1000fps sweet spot will out-penetrate lmost any "high-power" rifle load.

Grizz

[RKrodle]

25 grains of 2400 is my plinking 45/70 load.
It'd work on a deer too.

+1. That's the same load I use for plinking.

[Jon49]

With those loads of 21 and 25 grains of 2400, are you using any filler or just loose powder? Also what bullet weight? Thanks. Jon

[RKrodle]

I'm not using any filler with my loads and I'm running a 405 grain Rem jacketed bullet.

[brokenhand]

BTT

[Leverdude]

With those loads of 21 and 25 grains of 2400, are you using any filler or just loose powder? Also what bullet weight? Thanks. Jon

Just powder & bullet. I'v used it both with 405 Rem & 405 Lazer Cast.

[jdad]

All the reduced loads you could ever want....

Laser Cast load data. Just scroll down to the 45-70 data.

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