Ready to start Reloading. Boolits?Powder?Brass?

[KentuckIan]

Ok guys, I have went through 2 boxes of $40 ammo on the ol GBL now, I am pretty much done with that LOL. I already purchased the RCBS Cowboy action dies as I plan on loading using cast boolits, already have a couple manuals (speer & lyman) & all the tools needed (been reloading .308win for little while). I do have some questions though, some specific to .45/70 because I have never reloaded it, some just general reloading questions (because I am still a newb at it). First of all now that I have the tools to reload I figure I need the supplies to reload. Brass I am thinking Winchester, just because my local gun shop always has it for a reasonable price and it appears to have a little more room then the Rem from what I read on hear. So unless someone can give me a good reason to change my mind on that (which I am completely open to doing). So from there I am pretty much wide open on everything else lol.

What I am looking to do: Shoot regularly at the range out to 200yards (no scope just ghost ring/peep), hunt probably most shots within 100 yards possibly out to 200 yards if I have to (mostly deer, some Elk, hogs, & some black bear. Possibly some larger bear or other animals as I save money & go on hunts out west or Canada, but those would be in the future & the exception, not the rule.) I would like the recoil to be manageable, doesn't have to be super light as I want to make sure I am practicing with what I will hunt with, but lighter is generally better.

Through reading on here I am looking at going with lead boolit with gas check, beartooth, ranch dog, cast performance. Now eventually I may start casting my own, but for now I will be buying them. I want to use the same boolit for everything (shooting & all types of hunting). I have settled on a "range of boolit weight" somewhere between 350 & 425 depending on what kind of feedback I get. So what are some positives & negatives of say 350's vs 405's vs 425's and Beartooth vs Cast performance vs Ranch Dog?

As far as powder I am open to suggestions on this one too. I do have some H4895 I have used in my .308win loads, but admittedly that is the only powder I have ever used as I haven't reloaded much. I am open for trying any of them on the market. Temps will generally range from 15 deg F (that would be pretty rare around here but it happens) while hunting, up to 90 deg F while shooting at the range (could be hotter, but I am not a fan of hitting the range while it is hotter than that).

I posted this here due to being specific to loading .45/70, but if this needs to be in the reloading forum feel free to move it.

Thanks in advance for any help guys!
-Ian

[furlong222]

you are on it....the 4895 will work just fine....I use 3031 with the ranch dog 350gr gc from carolinacastbullets load em up to 1600/1700 fps and that is all you need....if you go aftr the big bears at some point go to a bigger bullet at the same velocity up to the max in the books....shoot what you are cmfortable with....you will shoot better...I took the 3031 up to 51gr/350gr bullet R-P cases and Fed primers...and have settled on 47gr that falls in the 1600-1700 range and doest punish you with alot of rounds at the range...my 405gr are not gas checked so I keep them at 44grs about 1400fps also an acceptable load

[Josper]

I go with Starline brass because it just as good as REM. of WIN. at nearly half the price.

[byf43]

I use mostly R-P brass, because I have a LOT of it!!!!!!! (500+ pieces!)
Winchester LR primers, because I have a LOT of them. (I can't count that high! I think 10,000+.)

Alliant Reloader 7 powder (aka/ RL-7.) I load using 40.0 grains. It yields right at 175 rounds per pound (7,000 grains).
Also, from just about everything that I've read on loading the .45-70 (and I'm by NO MEANS an 'expert' on the "catridge"!), the RL-7 produces comparable velocities to other powders, with LESS PRESSURE!!!!!!!!!
Sorry. . . . I don't "Hot Rod" my .45-70s.


Now, that doesn't mean that I won't 'heat up' some rounds for testing, but, I've seen first-hand what that charge of RL-7 and Cast Performance 405 gr LWNGC boolits do to a 320+ lb wild hog. "Boom.. . . . shudder. . . Thump." DRT.

[kd115]

Go with starline brass and I like cci primers - lead bullets I use laser cast 350 gr. but will try beartooth

powder - varget,IMR 3031,4198,RL 7,H4198

[KentuckIan]

Thanks for the responses guys! Great info so far! I did forget to mention I have plenty of CCI primers as well.
I have been looking around the normal spots for Starline brass (natchez,cabelas,midway) they are all sold out, actually none of them have any brand .45/70 brass in stock. Any other places for reccomendation? I do like the price on the starline for sure! Where do you guys order your supplies from?
Also, I have been interested in the RL-7 & Varget powders, I have some H4198 so I may get some of the other 2 to have for comparo. I was wondering about what byf43 said about RL-7 proucing similar velocities @ lower pressures, that sounds like a bonus to me, anyone else have experience with this?

[KentuckIan]

Another thing what is a way I can tell what diameter bullet I need to go with (.458, .459, .460) I should get withough buying the bullets first?

[wlambert]

Check out Cabelas bulk brass. They bought out Gander Mountains mail order business years ago but kept up the tradition of selling bulk Winchester and Remington primed and unprimed brass. I haven't bought any for a while, but their prices for bulk used to be hard to beat.

[KentuckIan]

Check out Cabelas bulk brass. They bought out Gander Mountains mail order business years ago but kept up the tradition of selling bulk Winchester and Remington primed and unprimed brass. I haven't bought any for a while, but their prices for bulk used to be hard to beat.

How do you go about finding that on the cabelas site?

[msharley]

Thanks for the responses guys! Great info so far! I did forget to mention I have plenty of CCI primers as well.
I have been looking around the normal spots for Starline brass (natchez,cabelas,midway) they are all sold out, actually none of them have any brand .45/70 brass in stock. Any other places for reccomendation? I do like the price on the starline for sure! Where do you guys order your supplies from?
Also, I have been interested in the RL-7 & Varget powders, I have some H4198 so I may get some of the other 2 to have for comparo. I was wondering about what byf43 said about RL-7 proucing similar velocities @ lower pressures, that sounds like a bonus to me, anyone else have experience with this?

Hey KY,

You can purchase direct from Starline on line. They take credit cards only, as brass is sold by weight. Probably the best brass you can buy. There are several outfits, one of which is in Indiana, that sell once fired brass. Have had good success with 4198, 3031, and H 322, for 300 and 350 gr. jacketed at 1800 fps. Below 1500, the posted Unique loadings are excellent. Use Universal Clays myself, as I have jugs of it, for 38 spec, and 20 ga. Take a close look at the crimp debate postings, and kd115's slugging thread for cleaning info.

Later, Mark