Well, my luck with the 30-06 SPR22 didn't carry over to the 45-70. My first shot last week resulted in a broken left firing pin. A call to EAA resulted in........nothing. Because I did more than just look at the rifle, my warranty is void. Real pleasant fellow too, not! Made a new one and works fine. Middle mount for the ribs/filler broken. Don't know what I'll do with that yet.

Now to shooting. Like the 30-06, this one reaches a point of diminishing returns before pressures get too high. After a couple of hundred rounds and many different bullets/powder what I found was that 1725 fps with lead 405 grain is tops. I got this with 51 grains of IMR4895 with primer just starting to show signs. 50 grains got me 1612 fps and 52 got me 1747. At all times the fired cases just fell out. This load was very accurate at 25 yards with both bbl's making 1 hole groups. The problem is that the groups were 8 inches apart. This was the best regulating I could do and could not get them closer. Even bigger problem is that the right (adjustable) bbl was to the left. I didn't even try but it probably would be feet to the left at 50. I then tried lowering the velocity and eventually got down to 1200 fps with the same results. Tried bullets from 300, 350 and 405, all the same. Jacketed too. I've been reloading for over 30 years but usually just used established loads, not much experimenting. Anybody got any ideas?

One more thing. The 45-70 is lighter than the '06 and yes, my shoulder is black and blue. It does heat up like the '06 but cools much quicker. I didn't take a round count but I shot for a solid 8 hours. I even ended up pulling some bullets from some lever gun rounds I had made, just so I could continue.

Mike

From everything I have seen in print the Remington doubles are pretty much junk.

It speaks volumes that a main line company would allow such a product to reach the market.

The answer is, to save your money, and buy a Merkel, or a Chapuis in 9,3x74R.

Since I LOVE the idea of an affordable SxS double I have been following these threads pretty closely. I know a 45-70 isn't a 470, but still it would be fun to have one and get into the double rifle brotherhood at an entry level and have fun pounding targets, varmints and NA game.

As I posted before I applaud those that have gotten their SPRs and read their impressions and range results with interest.

I wanted to ignore the old phrase "that you get what you pay for" but it seems that this is born out in the SPR.

I hope others have great luck with their Rem SPR 45-70s but I for one will hold out buying until many more field reports are positive.

Best wishes,

John

i'm headed to my gunsmith's today to pick mine up....it'll be the first one in houston!!!...for whatever that honor might be...

If I could afford a "real" double rifle, I would have one. We all don't drive Ferraris and have to make do with Chevys and Fords.

For those of you that have or are getting an SPR, don't despair. My 30-06 has been great! It's accuracy is second to none. I even played with a scope for a while and at 100 yards it did better than me. With a little bit of work, it's better than a lot of guns I have and fun to shoot.

About the 45-70, it's not all bad. Just a little tweaking and all will be well. I think we all need to remember that this is a $1000 double and not $10,000. I don't think we should be comparing them to each other, and even the Ferraris have to go to the shop for fixin'.

After starting this post last evening I went back out to the shop. I silver soldered the rib stay and got to thinking about the regulation. On the '06 the right bbl fits loosely in the nose cap so that it can move when turning the "jack screw". On the 45-70, not so loose. Took it apart and found that there was room to take a little off, which I did. Between honey-do's today, I'll give it a try.

Mike

All is well again. First chance I got I fired two from standing just in front of my bench, so about 20 yards. I had made no adjustments, just fired the rifle as it was after putting it together the night before.



The load was 48 grains of Rel 7 with 350 grain Laser Cast which went about 1840 fps. Then 49 grains for about 1880 and 50 grains for 1900 fps. I fired a couple of more 50 grainers to give me more cases to look at. As you can see, I threw one and didn't fire any more. My shoulder was still sore from the couple of hundred rounds the day before. All the cases fell right out and primers were starting to show signs, but were in no way "flat" or any cratering. Winchester primers are kind of soft anyway, and I'll check with CCI in the near future.

Don't mind the .22 hole. It was fired to scare the horses away from the target. Funny thing is, if I go to get on with a rifle in my hand, they go crazy. When I'm just trying to shoot the damn things get in the way.

Mike

Mike: That target is very encouraging. I haven't had a chance to get back to the range with my SPR22 since a disappointing first outing and now the range is clogged with hunters zeroing in before Saturday's opening day of deer season here. But if I can find a load that shoots like yours, I will be thrilled.

Things just keep on getting better with my 45-70. I made a bunch of loads with Hornady's 350 grain JFP and Reloader 7. Started at 44 grains and went up to 48 grains in half grain steps with the intention of chronographing them. I was able to get a few but the weather was not cooperating. The wind was blowing so hard that the chrono was blowing over and when I could get a shot before it fell, sometimes it wouldn't read. Anyway, inspecting the cases carefully after each I decided on 47 grains. There's no primer deformation and I was able to get one shot across my screans in the low 1800's. All these shots were just into the berm but I then set up a target and shot 2 from each bbl. Here it is:



I had to stop because things were just not good for shooting. With the wind and my front sight still shiny brass, it was hard to get a good sight picture. So I bead blasted and painted my front sight and milled a slot filler (jack screw) and blasted and painted that. Looks good. I think I'm going to have to consider a better butt pad and will probably refinish the stock. I'm also contemplating adding weight between the ribs. This rifle is more than 1/2 lb lighter than the '06.

Bill, when just messing around last week I shot a bunch of my lever gun loads with Unique and 2400. They were slow but accurate. I've also used IMR4895 amd 4350. For bullets I've used Laser cast 350's and 405's and some 300 grain JHP. I can give you my loads if you want, maybe something will work for you.

Mike

Congratulations - nice target! Your experiences with the various loads is really encouraging. I just need to find some time now for reloads, the factory stuff performed good in mine but is way too expensive.

Mr. JudgeOC
I am VERY new to reloading and just got my SPR 45-70 (already have a 30-06 version that shoots pretty nice with Managed Recoils for the wife). I have some factory 405 Remingtons and Lever Revolutions, but would really like to roll my own. Could you tell me the specifics as to your load with the 350 Hornadys and the Rel7? I am just getting in the powder and got the Hornadys and a simple Lee Classic loader, but would like to know what kind of primers and brass you are using? Any idea as to the pressure? I am looking for a round that will really smack a deer, and do the do job on a moose when I get lucky enough to pull a tag again. Sorry if my questions are ignorant, but I would like to start out on the right foot without blowing my face off! I figured this was the perfect gun/round to start reloading....once I get this going then I will start asking questions as to the efficiency and plus and minus to cast bullets. I already cast my own blackpowder bullets; my goal eventually is to have fun and make my own as much as possible someday.
thanks
Rick

Looks like I posted the same question under two topics; sorry guys, a little excitement and a couple of beers.....

Rick, I worked up my loads starting low and suggest the same. Every gun is different and in fact, in my gun, the bbls are different. Pressure starts to show in one bbl before the other. I settled on Rel 7 because according to Lyman and alliant I could get the most velocity with the lowest pressure compared to others. I did try several other powders though. With the Hornady 350JFP 45grs of Rel 7 gave me 1750 fps average for both bbls when I first tried it when over 70 degrees f. The last time I ran that load accross the screens it was 52 degrees and they went 1677 fps and 1589 fps r & l. So go slow and check carefully. I settled on 47 grains for my gun and don't suggest you start there. I'm using Winchester brass and primers but have tried Remington and CCI.

Also, I'm not having any luck with 405 grain bullets from cast perf or laser cast. My gun appears to like the lighter ones.

Mike

Mike
Much appreciated! I plan on doing much more research before I begin anything, and in particular, when I do, starting on the low end of things. I noticed that one of the loads in the new 49th ed. Lyman book pretty much duplicates yours which would lead me to believe it is a very good load indeed. Now, all I get to see is how it agrees with my particular gun. I'm gonna try getting it zeroed in with factory stuff first so I have a baseline. Then I will start to roll my own.
thanks again
Rick

I've just got to get back to the range with my SPR22. Last loads I tried using the Rem. 405 at about 1450 fps brought the barrels closer -- about 5 inches of horizontal dispersion at 35 yards and virtually one hole in the vertical axis.

New to this forum but got my spr 22 last monday. Spent a day at the range and manages to butchwer my shoulder with loads @ recoil factor 29.2. Also shot some at RF 12 which I had for my trapdoor. no dif in strike. Yesterday, Thursday, I fired 26 shots at 25 yds off bench bag and by turning bbl adjustment screw toward butt brought the strike of both bbls to point of aim. They were 16 in apart, left bbl was 8in left and rt was 8 in rt. After turning the knurled knob 3 turns the bbls were finally to point of aim. My load was 40 gr 3031 and 350 cast LFN. Recoil was 16.2.