We have two lf the little beasties laying around here and I've been thinking (always a dangerous sport).
I've shot some reloads using a half cup of Varget and a 350gr Hornady bullet. The kind of load where your lizard brain wants to head for cover prior to the trigger breaking. I've also shot some loads with a dash of Unique and a cast 400gr bullet that felt like a popgun. That's the load my wife killed her first deer with, one shot at about 10 yards, deer was DRT.
Right now I've got access to some cast 430gr flat nosed gas checked bullets that could be loaded either way. I worked up to a load the other day using 16.0gr of Unique that the manual says should run @ 1,200fps.
But I'm thinking (back in dangerous territory) that the Guide Gun would ideally putt that bullet at around 1,500fps and kill most animals in the CONUS without a lot of fuss or bother or wear and tear on gun, brass or shooter. I'd also like to use a powder like Unique that meters pretty freely and loads pretty cheaply.
Any one have any suggestions?

I've worked with the 350 gr Hornady soft and 400 gr cast flat nose bevel base looking for loads with velocities in the 1400-1600 fps for my Guide Gun "Mjolnir." I've use RL7, IMR4198, or IMR3031 for the most part, with a slight accuracy edge going to the 3031. I have a box of 420 gr LBTs I'll try next. For cast 300s at pistol velocities (1000-1200) I've had the best luck with 2400, but plan to try Trailboss one of these days.

I use 3031, reloader 7 or another powder that completely fills the case. You would not catch me using a handgun powder like 2400. An error in the way of a double charge would be very hard on you and the gun.

quote:

Originally posted by buckeyeshooter:
You would not catch me using a handgun powder like 2400. An error in the way of a double charge would be very hard on you and the gun.

I agree one has to be vewy, vewy careful when working with pistol powder in rifle cases, which is why I plan to try the casefilling Trailboss next time around. I tried some "how slow can you go" loads with 3031 under cast 300s and ended up with an action, chamber, and barrel filled with unburned powder kernels; very crunchy.

A light load of H4198 would work. And a heavy load would max out velocity too. I use Unique and H4198 in my Guide Gun and it takes care of everything!

quote:

Originally posted by buckeyeshooter:
I use 3031, reloader 7 or another powder that completely fills the case. You would not catch me using a handgun powder like 2400. An error in the way of a double charge would be very hard on you and the gun.

That's why I was trying to use a "puffy" powder. Here's a picture of what a double charge of the 16 gr load looks like. The right hand case has 16.2gr of Unique, the left hand case has 32.3gr. You'd have to compress that to get a normal .458 bullet to seat.



The problem is that a max load of 16.4gr of Unique only gets 1,200 fps with 40K pressure. I need something a bit slower. Light loads with Varget gave unburnt kernel problems too. I may have to try something like H4198 or H322. Trailboss might be worth trying too.
So many powders, so little range time.

You are doing it right! I like to use a powder that is bulky enough that a double charge won't fit. I hate to say it, but for a few, even the big changes in case fill and compression would not be noticed. We often get photos posted on the internet of what happens with an overcharge.

Rick R: What caliber is your Guide Gun?

Swede,

They're both .45-70's.

Marlin 1895 45-70 18.5" barrel
430 grain hard cast w/ gas check seated to 2.55" OAL
R-P brass, 2.1" trim
WLR primer
35.0 grains Accurate 5744 ≈1500 fps
41.5 grains Accurate 2230 ≈1500 fps
43.2 grains Accurate 2015 ≈1500 fps
45.0 grains Reloder 10x ≈1500 fps

Jackfish,
thanks for the info, I've played with AA2015 in the past. I'd forgotten that powder and I believe I've got a pound of it back in the old locker.

I'm casting and shooting 450gr LFN,with 36gr 3031,bullets are deep so there's very little airspace...Chronoing at 1300fps...niceshooter.

Just for the record, I had a custom mould built from Mountain Moulds that is an LBT WFN PB design, and weighs 475 grains. Ahead of 45 gr. Accurate 2495 I'm getting about 1,500 FPS from my guide gun, and it drives tacks at long ranges! We found that any more powder actually decrease's velocity, and recoil goes up tremendously. This combo works so well that I sold all my other .45-70 moulds, and shoot this load exclusively.