45-70 Gov't

Here are some plinker loads:
http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm
Scan down on the left to the 45-70 and the bullet weight you want to shoot. Click on it and it will give your powder choices and charge weights for low velocity plinking loads.

I shoot 405 grain cast with 10 grains of Titegroup at just over 1000ft/sec.

No recoil, great small game load.
 
That looks like some good stuff for plinking but I was looking for some stuff that will put a hole in a deer the size of basket balls coming out with a 300gr hollowpoint.Know what I mean.
 
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Buy some bulk packed Remington 405 grain bullets, whatever brass and primer you like, work up a load with some H4198 that pushes the 405 to around 1,850 fps. Enjoy the thump on both ends... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
 
Any of those loads should be marginal for predators /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif

I would steer toward the 300 grain bullets for deer. When you crank up the velocity on the heavy bullets the recoil gets a bit rough. Then again I think my 270 kicks hard. Any load in a 45-70 puts a deer down fast. A 300 grain bullet traveling at 1800fps is plenty. My 30-30 with a 170 grain bullet traveling at 2000 puts them down just fine.

Ooooo I just looked up that gun. Only weighs 7 lbs. Heavy loads are gonna kick a bit.

45-70 -->
http://www.chuckhawks.com/45-70Govt.htm
 
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The new lever load from Hornady are about the best I have ever seen. 300 gr HP's are my next choice. 405's should do the trick as well but have not produced exceptional accuracy I get from the others. However they get the job done for most needs. They seem to be a bit tough for small deer.
 
65 grains of Goex Cartridge under an SPG lubed 405 grain bullet should work nicely for deer, elk, moose, bear, you get the picture!
 
I shoot 45/70 competively in CAS.
Desperado 415's would work well and are soft lead. What I have found is that in the single shots, your bullet length is as inportant as powder loads or weights of bullets. I use a 494 grain spitzer from Chey-Cast for long range to 800yds. The 415's from Desperado bullets are great for levers or single shots but you can seat them a little farther out in a single shot and they work even better. I'm using IMR 4198 but many have good luck with other powders of similar burn rate. Kinda depends on how fast you want to go, but that caliber doesent have to go fast to do what you want. You can anchor something at 1200 fps or go faster if you can take it. Speed in that caliber has nothing to do with accuracy.

Pack
 
shoot my Marlin Guide gun .45/70 with 50grns of RE7 under a Sierra 300grn HP. Works for me, but start lower and work up in your gun to be safe.Recoil isnt too bad until you go 48 grns RE7 under a 430grn hardcast- then its downright unpleasant.
 
I believe the original post mentioned that the rifle was a "New England". If it is one of those break open "shotgun" type actions, it may well be wise to stick with factory loads or reloads that do not develop more pressure than factory loads. The industry standard working pressure for the .45-70 is 28000 CUP. IMR-3031 works well in the .45-70. 52 grains of 3031 pushes a 400 grain bullet at about 1763 fps out of a 22" barrel. This load would be below the 28000 CUP mark. My old manual don't show loads for the 300 grainer.
 
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That looks like some good stuff for plinking but I was looking for some stuff that will put a hole in a deer the size of basket balls coming out with a 300gr hollowpoint.Know what I mean.


Hey, we think alike. I have a guide gun in 45-70 and using the Rem300JHP it will not only put them down but body slam them with a cloud of dust arising. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif

Here is my load:
WWcases
CCI200
Rem300JHP
H4198 @ 53.5gr
Lee Factory Crimp Die

Excellent bullet performance, good accuracy and definately a decent hunting load that wont cost much enabling you to practice more. Enjoy!
 
You're not going to like hot loads/heavy bullets in that gun - it'll kick the $^!+ outa ya. You don't need a lot of velocity for good killing power with the .45-70. I like the 350 gr. Hornady at about 1500-1600 fps. Kills deer like Thor's hammer without hammering you, too.
 


He has shot my mossberg 3 1/2" and only cried a little. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I think he'll be just fine until he tries to push the envelope. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif
 
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A friend and his Handi Rifle 45-70.He asked if I could help...rifle didn`t shoot well.
b3dc2f9d.jpg

So I ordered a LeeLoader,trimmer,deburr tool,some 300gr Hornady`s,and a funnel.Practiced with dippers till I could get 46.5 gr of RL7 very closely.Decided on CCI LR primer,46.5 gr RL7,and the Hornady bullet.Fired the last 2 of his factory loads at the lower right dot at 50yds....miserable.No crimp necessary for HandiRifle.I assured him it would be better and reloaded 5 with above recipe and shot at bull making adjustments.Then loaded 5 more and adjusted scope and shot a wonderful group of 5.
100_0039.jpg

Let him reload 5 and he shot this group.
100_0035.jpg

We then put a pumpkin out at 100yds
100_0033.jpg

We then put pumpkins out at a lasered 186 yds and he busted two in a row holding at the top of the pumpkin and making a beautiful orange mist.It is now a wonderful shooter.Love the LeeLoader.Hope this helps.
 
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Recently I have used H4895 and had great results. RL7 works well too. Varget shot unburned powder out of my guide gun. Unique 10-15 grains makes a nice plinker.
 
For a good 250yd load, start with 50gr H4198, Rem nickel brass and 9½ primer under a 300gr Nosler Partition, crimped in the cannelure with a Lee FCD, work up in .5gr increments until you find the sweet spot, for me, it was 56.2gr at 2425fps in the 22" Handi, recoil is substantial tho, so beware. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif The partition has a great terminal performance window, 800fps to 2300fps, unlike the soft Hornady HP which can't be pushed over 2100fps MV. A less expensive alternative would be the 300gr Speer Uni-cor, not quite as tough as the protected point Nosler, but a good bullet just the same.

If you're gonna shoot levergun loads or higher, you'll want to add a good recoil pad like a Limbsaver, the 10601 or 10003 prefits sometimes fit pretty good on the wood stocked Handis, otherwise the small slip-on or grind-to-fit will work, I've used em all at one time or another. A little lead shot or dead mule in the stock will do wonders reducing recoil for bench work too. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif

http://www.realguns.com/loads/4570.htm
 
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He has shot my mossberg 3 1/2" and only cried a little. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif I think he'll be just fine until he tries to push the envelope. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/wink.gif



He has alot of room talking about someone cring.Always wanting someone to pattern it when he buys a new choke. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowingsmilie.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowingsmilie.gif /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/bowingsmilie.gif
 
405 grain Remington SP (bulk bullets) and about as much Varget as your shoulder can handle. IMR 3031 works about as good. It's the only load I'll shoot in my Marlin.
 


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