Can someone point me towards reloading data for the 45/70? I have limited powder availabilities but can get some varieties. also, anyone had any experience reloading the 45/70 with somchem powders? If you can believe it, somchem doesn't even list the 45/70 in its reloading manuals, nor do they have any information when contacted directly. By the way, I will be using Winchester brass and 300g Hornady's.

Thanks in advance,

By the way, for the S.A. members, I have been told to get in touch with Mauritz at V.L.T. Arms and will be doing so. I'm just looking for additional info. opinions, etc.

Hello again Berger

If you are interested I can e-mail you an Excel document with my 45/70 data using S335 , S341 , S321 with mostly the 350 Hornady RN . I have just started with cast bullets and S335 seem to work best . Some guys in SA use duplex loads - I can advise you but don't want to post that on the net .

E-mail me personally for more info . I can also fax you some data if you cannot work with excel .

I recall that you have a Marlin - I use a Ruger but my loads should be safe in the Marlin.

The best powder seems to be S335 - start at 55 gr and work up till the load gets too compressed or the recoil too much . Only problem is that I get a great difference in velocity from Summer to Winter. The S335 is too temp sensitive .
A Load that was found in winter to be safe may be a different story in summer on a hot day.

Regards
Ben

[ 10-01-2002, 14:34: Message edited by: Yspen ]

Carefull there Berger this is one place I would start 50% of reccommended loads for that caliber!! based on some of the posts I've seen.

I have been using 405 gr hard cast with lubed bands in a light weight 45/70 handi rifle.

I did some calculations to figure out if it was a:
1) trapdoor loads
2) 1886 loads
3) Ruger #1 loads

I calculated that it was the Ruger #1 action strength type. I read that 405 gr and 48 gr of IMR4895 is a trapdoor load so I started out at 40 gr and planned to work my way up.

The 40 gr kick me with a sharp stabbing pain in the shoulder, shook my brain in my head, and pushed my body some distance. I had never experienced any recoil like that before. I put the gun away for a year with only the one shot though it.

I tried 30 gr of 4895 and the kick was down to the 30-06 level. Not nice, but usable. The trajectory was poor with quite different POI for 50 and 100 meters.

I later tried to verify the pressure ability of the rifle and used Unique powder. at 78 kpsi to 88 kpsi [per Quickload calculations] there was some leading in the muzzle and the brass case head flowed into the poorly fitting extractor. My shoulder was not involved in the Unique tests.