45-70 loading questions

[Fisher-Price]

My manuals indicate the trim to length of 2.095. My brass (200 rds mixed Win & Rem)seems to run mostly from 2.085 to just under 2.095. Also I have noticed my 1886 Browning I have to squeeze then lever the last little bit to get most of them to chamber. I should have paid more attention to the spent brass, it's mixed now but some have a ring around the mouth that I suspect is from the squeeze clambering. Since I really have no interest in going over trap door loads. 38.5 gr 3031 currently, may try some 13 gr unique tomorrow. Is there a too short length? To get them consistent Im going to need to trim less than 2.095. While I am at it I have about 75 lever evolutions that are about 2.040. I have considered trimming all to that length so I could load some gummies for my guide gun and shoot trapdoor loads in my 1886's and not have to fiddle with different die settings.

[Centennial]

Sounds like you need to trim all your brass to fit the Browning, causing a head-space problem when the rim won't seat against the breech face properly. In this case better to be short then to long. Trim them all the same.

[Buck Elliott]

My Speer manual says trim to 2.095", while my Hodgdon book says 2.100" even.. then along comes Hornady, with their bastardized version of a perfectly good, 140 year old cartridge, so they can squeeze in their pointy, gummi bullets.. I reckon it might appeal to some who have been asleep through most of the last Century, but it has unduly complicated matters...

I suspect that the resistence you feel when closing your '86 comes from the lack of a proper chamber throat, and your bullets are being forced into the rifling.. I had to run a throating reamer into my Miroku '86, so it would accept Cast Performance 440 grain slugs.. It doesn't require removal of much metal to make everything fit correctly...

[Centennial]

I would do a chamber cast. I keep a chunk of Cerrosafe for just such things. Everyone needs to measure something once in awhile. It melts quickly at about 160 F. I do it when my wife is not around on the Kitchen stove. I've done it when she is around but it's not as easy.

[Blaine]

My Speer manual says trim to 2.095", while my Hodgdon book says 2.100" even.. then along comes Hornady, with their bastardized version of a perfectly good, 140 year old cartridge, so they can squeeze in their pointy, gummi bullets.. I reckon it might appeal to some who have been asleep through most of the last Century, but it has unduly complicated matters...

I suspect that the resistence you feel when closing your '86 comes from the lack of a proper chamber throat, and your bullets are being forced into the rifling.. I had to run a throating reamer into my Miroku '86, so it would accept Cast Performance 440 grain slugs.. It doesn't require removal of much metal to make everything fit correctly...

Do you like to have the bullet barely touch the rifling? On a couple I would set my OAL by very lightly crimping the bullet so it wouldn't move, chamber it, and have an OAL....with the Lee Factory Crimp Die, it doesn't seem to make any difference if you're in the cannalure.....(or am I full of stuff )

[Fisher-Price]

Did not run into any problems chambering today, maybe a better batch of brass. Rifle shot great, maybe more of a rainbow than I anticipated although I did change from smallest Marbles peep to the middle sized one mid session, I can't see targets clearly with small peep, targets look shaded. Need to go back and start over from 25, 50 & 100 to get it dialed in

[Centennial]

If the targets are to dark/shaded I use a bigger peep hole. Lets in more light.
The rainbow is at least 1/2 of the fun. I write in notebook my sight settings and holds, even make myself a sight picture diagram for the yardages I'll be using. That way when I come back to it weeks or months later I'm not starting from scratch. It's taped to the side of the butt stock.

[vancelw]

What bullet are you using?
I had no problems chambering full length brass with 535 Lyman Postell bullets, but 500 gr Hornady DGX bullets wouldn't without trimming.

[jmiller]

Miroku made Browning/Winchesters have virtually no throat.....none. Bullets with a blunt ogive will hit the rifling even with trimmed to length brass. Even the Hornady 350g bullets will cause a feeding problem. I own two Miroku made rifles, an 1886 and a High Wall. I took each one to Turnbull and had them check the throat. It was to Sammi specs which is the problem. Google it and you will see there is no throat on this chambering. Turnbull ran a reamer in both guns and they both now feed everything with no problem, and accuracy is still outstanding. FYI, they removed around 240/1000 on each gun. They also did CCH on both guns and they came out fantastic. You need to do a chamber cast to see identify what you problem is and get it reamed out.

[Fisher-Price]

I finally got the nerve up to pound a piece of lead through my barrel. Using a caliper it slugged out at .456-.457. I know that is not the throat question, just doing homework. My Marlin GG also slugged out at .456-.457 which I understand may be unusual. I'm happy that they should like the same size bullets. I did see some of the powder kernels in the bore of the 1886 before cleaning & oiling to slug. Is this normal with 3031 to find sticks of powder in the barrel?

Changing guns, while talking about reloads. I put a set of XS Ghost Ring & front sight on my Guide Gun it will group but shoots the 38.5 of 3031 4 inches high at 25 yds with the rear sight as low as it will go., at that same distance it will put a lever evolution through the bullseye.

I'm finishing up the last of my Dads reloads and old 3031 in the metal can.

I have some more testing to do to settle on loads for the 1886 & GG, I hope to find one they both like.

Fisher-Price