[Klemm]

I want to reload for my new SBL 45-70. Looking for a good bullet and powder combination.

 

[JVtater]

I've had good luck with imr 3031.

Sent from my XT1650 using Tapatalk

 

[SIRJ]

I’ve really been a fan of h4198. If only because some of the other powders I’ve used left too much unburnt powder behind.

 

[FirstMarlin]

I’ve really been a fan of h4198. If only because some of the other powders I’ve used left too much unburnt powder behind.

Do you crimp?

 

[67404]

I want to reload for my new SBL 45-70. Looking for a good bullet and powder combination.

Klemm,

Here is a post I started several years ago in the Reloading Forum. There are many reloading references to guide you on your journey.

The only thing I can suggest with the 45-70 is inspection of the powder charge before putting a bullet over it. In other words. Take a flashlight and look down the case mouth while in the loading block after adding powder. The case capacity is large and a double powder charge is possible without overflowing the case with many loads.

Have fun.


https://www.marlinowners.com/forum/reloading/281290-line-free-load-data-references.html

 

[Klemm]

Any preference for dies.
Any preference on bullets.

 

[dh2]

I am stuck with Hornady dies because I use Leverlution brass some times. the 45/70 will kill any thing in North America with a cast slug 350gr or more

 

[SIRJ]

Do you crimp?

Sure do. But even with 405 gr cast bullets over imr 3031 chronographed at 1615 fps and using a lee crimp, I get enough unburnt powder that after a couple rounds I get dimples in the sides of the brass from powder staying in the chamber upon ejection.

That shouldn’t stop the op from trying new things. Just my personal experience. I like Hornady 300 gr hp bullets over h4198. I get great accuracy, clean burn, and enough velocity to knock Bambi off his feet. But I still find myself messing with other powder and bullets. But every year before rifle season I load up a bunch of my old faithful rounds and sight in.

 

[Bearcat 74]

I like Hornady 300's but like Speer 300's better, both are right at 2000fps. Hornady 350 FP's are a great bullet, H4895 @ 1922fps. The 400 Speer or 405 Rem is a great bullet, 1500-1650fps. I shoot a lot of 350gr cast from Laser Cast and Dardas and 405 cast from Laser Cast, 1300-1550fps.


I shoot IMR 4198 because it's easily found here and is very versatile. 3031 is good as is H4895.


My dies are Lee and I use the factory crimp die.


From what I've seen with my 45/70's is about harder to find a combo that won't work than to find one that will.

 

[Travlin]

I think that a great part of the fun of loading one's own ammo is experimenting with several bullet and powder combinations to see what works best in your rifle. I would think there is a need for at least two reloading manuals to check one against the other. I suggest The Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook as one choice. We all had to start out just as you are about to.

 

[HIKayaker]

What purpose are you reloading for?
Hunting? Paper punching? Silhouette?
Who will be shooting?
You? Wife? Kids?

Jacketed bullets are often more accurate than cast, until you work up a loading of the diameter and lube that your rifle likes. Generally, stay under 1700 fps for cast, probably around 1600 fps. You may find your rifle likes a certain weight, or certain manufacturer's products, probably because of the lube. (My 1895 needs at least 0.4595" diameter bullets for best accuracy, or jacketed.) Gas checked bullets can be driven as fast as jacketed bullets, but may not be as accurate as jacketed. Coated bullets do well also.

Powder is probably secondary to bullet selection, but 3031, 4198, Rel 7, and Varget often come up as favorites. For light loads, Trail Boss and Unique are popular. BE CAREFUL NOT TO DROP A DOUBLE CHARGE WITH UNIQUE!!!

The beauty of reloading for 45-70 is that you can load from mild to wild. And the bullet doesn't need be the heaviest or the fastest to be effective. You can load to your level of recoil tolerance.

 

[Mostly_Leverguns]

For elk I have used the 300 grain Barnes Original over 58 grains of Accurate Arms 2015 for over 30(?) years. More than a dozen elk and a moose of fallen to that load. Mostly pass-throughs unless quartering shot, then usually under the hide on far-side. I use Hornady, Sierra and Remington 300 grainers for serious practice and sometimes deer. For fun, Accurate 5744 with a 300 grain cast bullet from different vendors. I found significant recoil and trajectory differences with even 350 grain bullets. Others will disagree, but based on the kills I have made and observed with my rifle, the right 300 grain bullet works very well. I seldom use the 45-70 for anything but elk, most shooting has been in 100 yard range though I did go to 340 yards on a large bodied 5x7 on a well known piece of ground. I usually shoot a 300 Savage 99 or Marlin 32 Special for fun. I have tried Unique and other Pistol Powders under cast bullets, but found most too sensitive to powder position for accuracy over 50 yards, though some claim fillers will fix that.

 

[Gmoneywp15]

I use Hornady 350grain FP over 44.5 grains of IMR 4198. Lee dies. Lee factory crimp set to 3/4 turn past where the die touches the shell holder. My case mouth is .002 to .003 inches less than before the crimp.

 

[tbilly]

Welcome aboard Klemm. Congrats on the SBL. My GBL and CVA Hunter both shoot sub MOA with the 350gr Hornady FP. Great bullet for anything on this continent. I like H4198 for full power loads, 2400 for 1300fps - 1400fps, and Unique for plinking loads. Lee dies work just fine. I don't like the Lee FCD though, and prefer to crimp with the Redding Profile crimp die.

 

[Padraig]

Welcome aboard Klemm. Congrats on the SBL. My GBL and CVA Hunter both shoot sub MOA with the 350gr Hornady FP. Great bullet for anything on this continent. I like H4198 for full power loads, 2400 for 1300fps - 1400fps, and Unique for plinking loads. Lee dies work just fine. I don't like the Lee FCD though, and prefer to crimp with the Redding Profile crimp die.

I have yet to decide on dies but leaning towards Redding. What didn't you like about the Lee and what do like on the Redding? Are you using all Redding?

Thanks,

Padraig

 

[biggog]

I’ve had good luck with Reloaders 7 and 350 gr. Hornady RN&FN bullets. This combination shot good in all the 45-70’s I’ve shot it in.

 

[tbilly]

I have yet to decide on dies but leaning towards Redding. What didn't you like about the Lee and what do like on the Redding? Are you using all Redding?

Thanks,

Padraig

I'm using the Lee 3 die set and the Redding crimp die. I load several different bullets in this caliber, so I prefer to seat and crimp seperately. I don't like the way the Lee FCD applies the crimp. Seems hard on brass to me. I prefer the more traditional roll crimp of the Redding. I've never had an issue with Lee dies with the exception of the FCD, and they're inexpensive. I own Lee dies in 10 calibers. Never an issue with any of them. That said, Redding makes great quality stuff. You won't go wrong buying them.

 

[rlm1]

I have found that Reloder 7 works very well with 350 to 400 plus or minus bullet weights and types. IMR/H 4198 performs very well,so does the 3031 powder. With the 45/70, it performs well with several bullet and powder combos! Just depends how much punishment you want lol! Have fun and be safe, keep us posted!

rlm1, Randy

Team 45-70
Team 444M
Team 35R

 

[GunsAndHarley]

IMR 3031, 350gr to 465gr cast bullet. Accurate and deadly. I use 52gr IMR 3031 below 350Gr .460 350 VG Bullet by accurae molds. I also use Hornady dies for the 45-70 and Lee dies for other calibre.

 

[sgt_zim]

My 1895 GBL isn't at all finicky about bullets, as long as they're being driven by RL-7. H-322 was an epic fail for me. I just started experimenting with X-Terminator, and while I wouldn't call it a fail, my groups are not what they are with RL-7 and the same 425 gr bullets.

All new 45-70 guys are at least half tempted to get as close to being a .458 Win Mag as they can. It really isn't necessary. A 420 or 425 gr bullet at 1650 or 1700 fps will kill anything on earth. And 1400-1500 fps will kill anything in North America, with plenty of room to spare.

Every bullet I've shot with RL-7, I'm getting 1.5 MOA or better

325 gr hornady ftx
405 gr Missouri Bullet Company Buffalo #1 (not gas-checked)
425 gr BTB Piledriver, Junior WLNGC
525 gr BTB Piledriver WLNGC