45/70 GOVT first attempt

S

SJB358

Ballistician
Dec 24, 2006
32,482
3,333
Here are my first loads for my 45/70. I am using IMR4198, 400gr Speers, and CCI BR2's in WW cases. I seated them 2.540 and loaded 5 a piece at 44, 45, and 46gr's. Just looking to see what it likes and maybe get a decent zero on the iron sights till I get my scope mounted. Scotty

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If any of you have any more tips or tricks, please share. I do know I need another case loading block, as the one I have will not fit the 45/70 rim. I also need to get a LS Jaw for my Forster. I was going to use my RCBS Partner, but I miss the COAX too much. Either way, it still works, just got pretty used to the COAX. Hopefully I will get out on Sunday to do a little blasting with the big'un. Scotty
 
Intimidating round. It will undoubtedly whack game with authority.
 
Mike, you are not kidding. I haven't ever loaded a 400gr bullet! It looks like a small, fat cigar. Wondering if the recoil pad on the rifle is enough! I am really looking at a scope with alot of eye relief after looking at the loaded rounds. Seems like it should be a hammer on game up close! Scotty
 
I've shot several 45-70s, and 450 Marlin's. The recoil can be stout; but it is not particularly unpleasant. Nevertheless, I would not want to be on the receiving end of a shot! :shock: That would get your attention. I doubt that any game smacked with that massive bullet will go far.
 
Well, I guess I shall see. I am really anxious to get it out. If those don't shoot, I am going to try Hornady 350gr Round Noses next. I am waiting for the 300gr BT from Nosler. I think that bullet will work well with the 45/70. Hopefully I can grab some of the 300gr Partitions also. Too many rifles and not enough hunting it seems. Scotty
 
Scotty,

Those loads look good!
If you send them to me, I will test them for you. :lol:

Recoil will be similar to your 35 Whelen. :wink:

JD338
 
If you send them to me, I will test them for you.
Click to expand...

Scotty,

There's an offer you can't refuse! You don't need to shoot those. Just box them up and send them to Michigan and read the report! :lol:
 
I find the recoil of the 45-70 to be quite manageable. I have shot a couple of lever guns and really find them a joy to shoot. With my 405 Remingtons in my 45-90 at some where around 2100+ recoil starts to get really annoying. With the muzzle brake the barrel rotates up and to the right and lands about 10 in to the right of the bags. Scotty you also might try 3031
 
Elkman

I don't think the recoil is bad in my 1895 Guide 45-70. The problem I had was my fingers really took a beating from the small lever. I started wrapping my hand around the lever and the problem stopped. This is not the way to shoot while hunting though. I need to bet a bigger loop for my rifle.

JD338
 
Great looking loads. Just a word of warning. The 400 speer is a SOFT bullet so it will do ok up to black bear. I would not use it on elk (raking shots) moose or the big bears. Better off with 300 NP or 350 Hornady SP or a mean old cast (hard) bullet..
 
POP":1j5pktzs said:
Great looking loads. Just a word of warning. The 400 speer is a SOFT bullet so it will do ok up to black bear. I would not use it on elk (raking shots) moose or the big bears. Better off with 300 NP or 350 Hornady SP or a mean old cast (hard) bullet..
Click to expand...

Pop, you were not kidding about the Speers being SOFT. However, they seemed to actually stay together very well in my highly scientific media (white oak block)... The kind of turned inside out, but a deer or black bear would be toast I reckon. They may not be super bullets by any stretch, but the jacket and lead are all still together and not separated.

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The bullets that I quickly weighed were between 400gr and 375gr's. Now, there is still a bit of wood lodged in some of them, but they still look like they would be really deadly on black bear, and would certainly create a heckuva wound channel.

Accuracy was pretty good I think. Now, I am just shooting the iron sights, and I was shooting at 50 yards. I shot the first three 44gr of IMR4198 first. This is out of a brand new barrel, just cleaned. It shot into about a 1.5" triangle about 1ft low of the bull.

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This is my target for the rest of them. I really couldn't say with any honesty which load shot the best. Between my target getting blown over and stuff like that, they all shot pretty well, with the factory iron sights. My rear sight is actually maxed out right now. The blade is all the way up on the ramp. All of the shots in the center are a mix of 44-45-46gr, 2 of each. They all shot into the same group. I did not chrony anything, but got the load data off of the Hodgdon Reloading site. Cases show zero signs of pressure and ejected very smartly out of the rifle. Recoil was pretty neat. No issues there. Overall, I cannot wait to put some glass on it. I am sure an aperture sight would be fine, but I kinda like scopes, and they are just as fast for me as irons, so I might as well use the magnification. Overall, I am pretty happy with it. It was a blast to say the least. Those big hunks of lead have to devastating on flesh and bone. Scotty
 
Scotty,

That is minute of black bear at that range! :grin: Should work very well.
 
And once you get the scope mounted, it will become minute of mouse at 50 yds! :lol:

JD338
 
The good thing is I don't have super varmint rifle, and what it has already shown looks pretty good. Scotty
 
For deer and Black bear they are hammers! Accuracy looks great for open sites for sure.
 
Well, I grabbed a Lee Factory Crimp die today at the gun show for the 45-70. I will probably go ahead and load a bunch of them up. I will probably go ahead and order the scope and rings this week. I would like to take it out and do a quick zero, set it in the safe and have it ready for when I return in the Fall. Scotty
 
I have that exact same scope on my BLR/358 Win and while it seems like a great scope, I don't want another one. I have eyeballed the 2x7 Redfield, and that seems like another great scope, I kind of have been really looking at the VX3 1.5x5. I think that would be an excellent scope for the Marlin. Thanks for the heads up Fotis. Scotty
 
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