I have been shooting a 405 grain cast bullet behind 10 grains Unique with filler (cotton) with great accuracy. (see avatar) After being told filler was unnecessary, I tried some without filler. Did not shoot at any targets, but all shots from 20-60 yards were minute of squirrel and sparrow. Very little damage is done to meat on squirrels if you put the bullet behind the shoulder or in the head. Birds are generally...taken apart.

Just figured I would post my findings, I did not intentionally position the powder near the bullet, but I did shoot a couple times with the gun flat, so there couldn't have been much powder against the primer.

My standard load is 15 grains. Unique is nice in that it is not generally position sensitive. No need to raise the barrel before each shot. 10 grains is a pretty light load.

I use 10 grains because is is just subsonic where I am at. It is as quiet as a 22, but has alot more energy. Trajectory is quite similar to a 22 also, makes for good practice. I find that if I'm sighted in at 50 yards the bottom post of the reticle is about on at 100 yards.

I have heard down below 5 grains with a filler, but you have to be watching for stuck bullets, as velocities are less than 700 fps even with a 300 grain bullet.

I've used Unique loads between 10.0 and 15.0 grains. Just like shooting normal loads in my 1894 .44 Mag and just as fun.

Thanks for the details. I've had a hankering to try Unique and lead bullets. What scope have you got on your Guide Gun?

I used to shoot a 300grLFP over 10gr Unique & dacron filler for CAS way back when. Very accurate load w/ no recoil at all.

I have a Redfield Tracker 3-9x. Takes recoil real well, holds zero even with hot loads. I would love to have a scout setup, but it would be $400+ to do so and put a peep sight on. And not sure what I would gain. A scope with more eye relief would be nice, I have been hit twice with the scope during deer drives, take a quick offhand shot, but neither time left a mark.

Bad news, had a hangfire today. No more 45-70 and Unique without filler, I plan on trying Trailboss next, 6 grains of that should push a 300 grain cast around 700 fps.

32 gr Unique 405 gr cast is high pressure*.

0.25 gr Unique w/ two wads, .457" ball gets stuck in the bore.

You should find yourself somewhere in between.


The trick with the light loads is to seat the bullet deeep, for higher pressure.



*Don't try this at home, I am a professional experimenter, and I know when a gun is strong enough for this.

Can I seat a .457 ball as deep as the case will allow with no problems? Maybe then I would not need filler, and the recoil would be even less. 5 grains Unique under a round ball...700 fps?

I don't need any lube on a round ball like in muzzleloading if I keep the speed low do I?

If I seat that lead ball in the case mouth, it will bounce off wood.

With the same powder charge, if I seat it down to the primer, it will penetrate and inch of wood.

Both loads make the same sound.

With how much powder? Is it quieter than a 22? My current loads are about the same as a 22, but "deeper". I can't describe it, but it still sounds like a "big gun".

A 22 with a CB short and rifle barrel will sound like a pellet gun with gas escapment sub sonic.

To get a 45/70 to sound like that, the charge should be ~.5 gr or less of Bullseye.

More if the barrel volume is higher [longer barrel].

You have to work up until the guns makes a loud "BLAM", then back off .1 gr so it is still quiet, but gets the maximum velocity.

The deep seating is to get the pressure and efficiency up.