45-70 Range Day

Yesterday I sent some cast 405 gr bullets downrange at 30 and 100 yards, sitting, kneeling and standing.

Sure was fun!

It's always a good time when you are shooting a 45/70. Myself, I like lobbing the 300 gr BST's at the 250 yard gong. It sure sends back a satisfying ring when you make a hit. What hard cast bullet and load are you using Guy?

JD338

It is a lot of fun shooting the 45-70s and other bigger bore lever guns.

Saturday! Got my scope back. It came with a sun screen and the threads were messed up. Got it back yesterday, so will mount it Friday and verify site in.

I will post a couple pictures of the bore.

I noticed I get bullet shavings left behind ...

Maybe I need to run tubs final finish to get rid of some weird edges...

I need to do more of the sit/stand/kneel vs bench. Most my hunting is from a blind.. so typically seated with a decent rest( at least a downed tree trunk.


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JD338":3lo8swze said:

It's always a good time when you are shooting a 45/70. Myself, I like lobbing the 300 gr BST's at the 250 yard gong. It sure sends back a satisfying ring when you make a hit. What hard cast bullet and load are you using Guy?

JD338

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Buddy of mine casts them locally - he's got quite a small business going - I don't know what mold he's using. It's a flat point, plain base bullet, 405 grains.

I loaded over 48 grains of IMR 3031. Haven't ever tried them over a chronograph, but I'm thinking 1700ish fps. According to Hodgdon it's near the top end of the "trapdoor" loads but nowhere near the pressure limit of the Marlin.



Guy

Thanks Guy. That's a good looking bullet. The big wide meplat will do some serious damage to a big game animal.

JD338

Dang Guy, that picture is pretty cool just with the old metal can of 3031....

Lead bullet chuckers are kinda nice to have around should other stuff get tight.

Those are beautiful Guy. I have been loading 50 Grains with mine, and usually the 350's from Montana Bullet works. My last batch using the Rem 405 gr, Remington Bullets, was using IMR-4895 from a can. I have three cans of 3031, just like yours in my storage room.

I think that was the last old metal can of 3031, or any powder, that I had. So - when it was emptied, it took a spot on the shelf, next to the wolf skull and other cool old mementos of hunts & shoots.

Ya - I'd take pretty much any North American big game with that flat nosed lead bullet.

Guy

Guy Miner":qctz5ulf said:

I think that was the last old metal can of 3031, or any powder, that I had. So - when it was emptied, it took a spot on the shelf, next to the wolf skull and other cool old mementos of hunts & shoots.

Ya - I'd take pretty much any North American big game with that flat nosed lead bullet.

Guy

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My experience with the flat nosed big guys it to put them on leg bones. I get a much better effect and less running. Putting them on ribs does kill but they will usually run a good bit. On bone and they usually won’t move.

3031 is THE powder for the 45-70. When I had a guide gun, 57 grains of 3031 pushing a 350 grain Hornady RN would always deliver MOA and sometimes half. that was with a cheap Simmons 2.5X shotgun scope.

Paul Barnard":3m14yspu said:

3031 is THE powder for the 45-70. When I had a guide gun, 57 grains of 3031 pushing a 350 grain Hornady RN would always deliver MOA and sometimes half. that was with a cheap Simmons 2.5X shotgun scope.

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I'm at 56 grains of 3031 with the 350 gr Hornady Round Nose. And yes, I found it surprisingly accurate!

Love me a 45-70! And there is something special about cast 405 grain FP loads. I'm using RL-7 for mine, but I don't recall the charge offhand.