So what is the big issue???????????

[me]

Case Capasity

Ok guys 45/70 is a 150yr old cartrige... things change data for the big stuff is limited and IMO

case copacity's are a issue to factor (consider these things in all loading data).

Remington case capacity is 76.2 grains water
Starline is........................77.5
Winchester is...................80.3

My hornady leverelotion case is 2.028 long
federal blue box is ..................2.090 long
of coarse OAL max case length is 2.105 long

fed blue box brass that I weighed at 201.7gr....has a water capacity of 77.4gr
Leverevolution brass weighed at 167.2gr..........................................7 6.2gr

more info

Reloading data from Hornady 2nd edition ( up date)

[SteedGun]

Thanks guys, it is pretty much what I thought on the posts I read. Much todo about noth'in!!!!!!!!!!

And yes, the four cases I loaded with the Hornady dies had a great, deep and very solid crimp.

I normally don't crimp really hard, as I shoot a single shot and only crimp at all just to assure good powder burn.

Again, that Hornady die gave a very impressive crimp.

CDOC

Well, it's not much to do about nottin if you don't have the Hornady New Dimension dies. My Redding dies could not get down far enough to crimp any bullet with the shorter Hornady brass. You have the right dies from the start so it is a non-issue for you.

[308/338]

Me quoted
IMO you do not want to shoot uncrimped ammo in a tube magazine your loading manuals will tell you this too.
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As I said "This is not to say I couldn't use the shorty LE. cases in the 1895 action with other bullets by breech loading. If it were me I will load the LE cases as if they were full size cases and seat the bullets to their normal C.O.L and slightly crimp or not crimp at all. It would make good target rounds for fun or just getting on paper" I'm not suggesting to load your tubular magazine with uncrimped cartridges. But slightly crimp may work as a two shot or three.

TNY

As I said, "if it's worth doing it's worth doing right. I will never understand why people buy all the equipment, rifle, reloading tools, powder, bullets, primers, manuals, time spend on the range and would skimp on cases or some wheres else.

Clearance Winchester Reloading Brass 45-70 Government Bag of 50 Product #: 207449

Available

$35.33

$35.33

[ehsa]

a very good and informative post thanks

[msharley]

Afternoon 45/70 fans,

I have read quite a number of posts about reloading the Hornady Flex Tip brass, and frankly can't understand the problem which some folk think is present.

I have a couple of friends who have Marlin 45/70s, one of which was buying and shooting the Flex Tip product and the other who like myself, handloads.

Well the friend with the once fired flex tip brass took some to the other friend for a test run of reloading, and the reloader didn't reload the brass.

Hmmmmmmmm? not believing it was not possible, I ask Dan to bring me some of the brass and I'd check it out.

First I was surprised to see such a very small difference in brass length between the Flex Tip bass and standard 45/70 brass. Appears to be about 1/16" or slightly more.

Now, I'm really wondering what can possbily be the issue here.

The case length difference is so small that there simply will not be any excess pressure issues unless a person is already pushing the upper pressure limits with their standard length brass. If so, back off!

But considering the, "mild to wild" range in which the 45/70 can be loaded, and the effectiveness of my 465gr WFN at 1600 -1700fps on critters up to and including elk, I see no need/point to go to the "wild" side.

I am using Hornady reloading dies for this caliber, so possibly that makes a difference in the ease with which I was able to reload the flex tip brass. But the changes in die adjustment needed in the neck expanding/flairing and the boolit seating and case crimping die were slight, and by marking my, "normal" die settings before loading the flex tip brass, were quickly reset for the standard length brass which I use.

I am loading a 465gr WFN cast boolit in my loads, so going through my limited published data for boolits of that weight or above, I found a load with a 485gr cast boolit declared safe for use in the Trapdoor rifles.

32.5gr IMR4198 with the 485gr boolit is said to reach slightly over 1400fps in velocity. I would expect the slightly lighter boolit to equal that velocity or possibly exceed it slightly.

So for any of you that have, in real life, reloaded and fired some of the flex tip brass, am I missing something or is this really as much of a non-issue/problem as it seems.

Yes, I still think this was not well thought out by Hornady, especially now that I see the tiny difference in case length, but it being what it is and my thoughts not likely to change Hornady's mind, is there a real life issue that I'm just not seeing? Change the the profile of the Flex tip bullet, ever so slightly and use standard length brass!

From what I now see, I'd gladly except any and all flex tip brass people "can't/won't" reload and would load and shoot same without question.

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

Hey Crusty,

Have several of the older Hornaday Manuals, and they all recommend a trim to length of 2.035". They must have had a "short chambered" 1895. My nephew has a short chambered GG, that would not accept brass longer than 2.050". We fixed that, last month.

Think Hornaday has acquired several of the "short chambered" Marlins, over the years, and they (Hornaday) do not want a man to waste a hunt of a life time, because of ammo. JMO.

Hope this helps.

Later, Mark