Saturday was a beautiful day and I finally managed to get out and set up the chronograph to test my first .45-70 loads. The only component bullet I could get locally was the Hornady 300 gr JHP. Using Remington Brass, Winchester Lg Rifle Primers, and Alliant RE-7, I loaded up four rounds each of 45.0, 46.0, 47.0, 48.0 and 48.5 grains, all to an OAL of 2.550".
On paper, the 48.5 gr load printed the best overall group (~3/4" for 3-shots at 50 yards & 1-1/4" if we include the fourth shot), and was running ~1,966 fps from the Cowboy, but statistically, the 48.0 gr load should have been the best load. Granted, four rounds isn't much of a sample population for statistics, but it is a starting point. My next set of test loads will go from 47.5 gr on up to 49.0 gr in 0.5 grain increments, and that should tell me pretty well where the sweet spot is for this rifle/bullet/powder combination. I don't think I have any desire to try for a hotter load than about where I was at, and probably won't test anything with more than 49.0 gr of Re-7 with this bullet. Which leads me to the next thing... :
One thing about that Cowboy, with its thin butt, plastic butt plate, and relatively light weight, it kicks like a Missouri Mule. I haven't had a black, blue, red, and yellow shoulder for many years. I don't mind recoil, and though these loads are reasonably light compared to what I have seen others posting, I am not ashamed to say that my 1895CB literally kicks hard.
I have shot some pretty brutal loads in some other rifles, but this 1895CB lets you feel every single foot per second the various loads generate, particularly from a bagged postition off a bench. If nothing else, the action is smooth and snug, the rifle accurate and a pleasure to carry, looks cool, and launches a big ol' chunk of bullet. After these H'dy 300 gr JHP are gone and I am satisfied that I have the best whitetail thumping load I can manage, my next venture will be with some 350 or 400 gr cast boolits over IMR-Trail Boss, and the experimentation will continue. The trick will be learning what the rifle likes, the trajectory, and how well I can see the target(s).
So far, so good...
On paper, the 48.5 gr load printed the best overall group (~3/4" for 3-shots at 50 yards & 1-1/4" if we include the fourth shot), and was running ~1,966 fps from the Cowboy, but statistically, the 48.0 gr load should have been the best load. Granted, four rounds isn't much of a sample population for statistics, but it is a starting point. My next set of test loads will go from 47.5 gr on up to 49.0 gr in 0.5 grain increments, and that should tell me pretty well where the sweet spot is for this rifle/bullet/powder combination. I don't think I have any desire to try for a hotter load than about where I was at, and probably won't test anything with more than 49.0 gr of Re-7 with this bullet. Which leads me to the next thing... :
One thing about that Cowboy, with its thin butt, plastic butt plate, and relatively light weight, it kicks like a Missouri Mule. I haven't had a black, blue, red, and yellow shoulder for many years. I don't mind recoil, and though these loads are reasonably light compared to what I have seen others posting, I am not ashamed to say that my 1895CB literally kicks hard.
I have shot some pretty brutal loads in some other rifles, but this 1895CB lets you feel every single foot per second the various loads generate, particularly from a bagged postition off a bench. If nothing else, the action is smooth and snug, the rifle accurate and a pleasure to carry, looks cool, and launches a big ol' chunk of bullet. After these H'dy 300 gr JHP are gone and I am satisfied that I have the best whitetail thumping load I can manage, my next venture will be with some 350 or 400 gr cast boolits over IMR-Trail Boss, and the experimentation will continue. The trick will be learning what the rifle likes, the trajectory, and how well I can see the target(s).
So far, so good...