Ok, some time back someone posted a low powered load with Unique or one of the other fast pistol powders and 0.457 RB for positively dispatching "Yard Varmints" with a fairly quiet load.

Any one out there have a load they have used? I will use 14, 16 inch Contender or Remington Rolling Block rifle!

When I had my trapdoor, 5.0 (five) gr. of Bullseye under a .460 RB gave about 900 fps and decent 25 yd. plinking accuracy,

Lou

Try a .440 or so RB with a "Poly Patch". That is the muzzle loader plastic, patch subsititue thing. I got 1800 fps with my first try using 2400 powder. Accuracy was minuet of golf ball at 50 yards. I think there is potental for some interesting loads here. Total weight will be about 140 grains?? Something like that. I wonder what a case of 4198 would do?? 3000 fps??? Work up slowly, be carefull, have fun. It would work well with the squib loads too.

The naked .457 RB will be very limited on velocity and is likely to strip and lead your barrel. If you keep them real slow and put some lube on top it will work fine. But, if you want to plink pests quitely 22 CB Longs from CCI are hard to beat.

For my 1895G I load 350gr Hornady FN with 49gr H4198 for hunting. They only go 2050fps but groups start to open if I go any hotter. I wanted a nice plinking and squirrel tamer load that would have the same point of impact with out the MOAB muzzel blast and a softer push on my shoulder. I started with 32gr H4198 and worked up to 40grains using a Sierra 300gr HP. All grouped well but they started high and came down as I worked up the load untill 38gr 1500fps and wala! Great for practice, light recoil, accurate, and they shoot the same as my hunting loads to 100yds. Depending on your other loads you may be able to use this load for your gun and adjust it similiarly. The red squirrels around the house have behaved much better!

.457" lead ball over (2) .1" polypropalene cookie cuttered wads and .5 gr Bullseye, all pushed down into the case so far the the powder is compressed. This fired from a 45/70 Handi rifle will go through 1" of wood, but if the ball is not pushed down in the case, the ball bounces off wood. The two load make the same noise.

That load is for my short barreled handi rifle.

With your longer barrel, you could work up to .8 gr of Bulleye or so. You will know when you use too much. You will hear one loud BLAM, instead of the click of the hammer, the clap of the shot, and the slap of the ball hitting the target. That narrow threshold is caused by the threshold of having super sonic gas escape from behind the bullet when the bullet leaves the muzzle.

Clark that sounds like fun. Would that be safe for a Guide Gun?

Dick,
I have no way of knowing the pressure of .8 gr Bullseye compressed in a 45/70 case, but the primer shows no sign of pressure, and so it should be good for Guide guns.

In other 45/70 projects, I have worked up from 33kspi to 88 kpsi and the primers do show it when there is serious pressure.

The work up is from right to left in this picture:

http://glocktalk.com/attachment.php?s=&postid=990876

I have been using Unique in my 45-70 Siamese Mauser for plinking with good results. I use a 405 grain lead round nose, single lube channel and 13 to 15(max) grains of Unique. With 13.4 to 13.6 grains I usually get 2 to 3" groups at 100 yards. I load them out to touch the lands.