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Posted: 8/11/2011 9:14:47 AM EDT
Just got done, the night before last, with a batch of .45-70 hard cast and I thought I'd share:
Here is the bullet (or more correctly boolit) I'm using. It is hard cast at about 21 - 22 brinell using wheel weights and 95/5 solder 30:1, water quenched. It is molded from a Lee 405 grain mold (396 grains as cast) lubed with AG's purple power secret lube recipe (1.5 parts beeswax, 1.5 parts paraffin wax, 1 part Vaseline, a dash of STP and two purple crayons  ), gas checked and sized to .459...
The astute casters out there, I'm sure, are thinking, "a gas check on a Lee 405? How can that be? The Lee 405 bullet is not a gas checkable bullet..." Ah ha! I have been using the method where a Hornady collet bullet puller is used to "squish" a small section on the bottom of the bullet to allow for a gas check to be added. It works great!. Here are my loads in progress: 
Currently I am using 43.5 grains of Reloader 7 over a Winchester large primer. I'm getting 1800 FPS out of my CVA optima elite single shot with 24" barrel! This load is not for the faint of heart, and will shoot straight through a hog, stem to stern. Groups 1.0" - 1.5" at 50 yards consistently. Here is the finished product: 
Please forgive me for the crappy cell pics. If you've ever thought about casting and reloading, the .45-70 is a great, fun way to get into it. Go get a cheap (under $300) single shot .45-70 (H&R, CVA Scout, or CVA Optima elite all are great for this) and have fun with it. These rifles are tough and you can get some pretty impressive performance out of cast bullets with them. Thanks for letting me indulge, - AG |
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Gotta love those big bores. I like to load mine with black powder and see all the smoke when i shoot. Sounds like your gun is grouping pretty well. Just watch for leading. Those gas checks should keep that to a minimum though. I played with loads for a while before even going to gas checks... anything past 44 grains of R7 and the leading got bad and groups opened up significantly. It helps that the bullets are as hard as they are. They don't expand much, but hell, you don't really need 'em to. 
- AG |
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I just got a new Remlin 1895 45-70GBL, dies will be here soon.
Any good loads for commercial cast or jacketed ammo? I'm planning on giving deer the smack down with it this year The factory Remmy 405JSP ammo is a kitty cat to shoot. Gentle push, it suprised me! I can't wait to load up some artillery spec'd ammo for it 
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The astute casters out there, I'm sure, are thinking, "a gas check on a Lee 405? How can that be? The Lee 405 bullet is not a gas checkable bullet..." Ah ha! I have been using the method where a Hornady collet bullet puller is used to "squish" a small section on the bottom of the bullet to allow for a gas check to be added. It works great!. - AG please explain how to accomplish this, I've got a few .458 boolits I'd love to gas check.
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The astute casters out there, I'm sure, are thinking, "a gas check on a Lee 405? How can that be? The Lee 405 bullet is not a gas checkable bullet..." Ah ha! I have been using the method where a Hornady collet bullet puller is used to "squish" a small section on the bottom of the bullet to allow for a gas check to be added. It works great!. - AG please explain how to accomplish this, I've got a few .458 boolits I'd love to gas check.
http://www.herfersparadise.org/portal/images/coop/socom04.JPG Ok, here is how I do it... 1.) The tools that is used is this: Hornady's cam-lock bullet puller... You will also need the .45 caliber collet for it. 2.) Mount the puller in you press so that the collet barely allows the base of a cast bullet to enter. 3.) Invert your bullet and stuff it up, base first, into the collet to just shy of the first lube groove. Try to get it as straight as possible. It helps if it is a decently tight fit. 4.) Work the cam lever on the puller and "squish" the base. 5.) Release the cam lever and take the bullet out. You will notice several raised lines from the collet slits. Rotate the bullet slightly and re-insert and re-"squish". This will flatten down the raised lines. 6.) Put on a gas check. Sometimes I tap the bullet down on the gas check with a rubber mallet to make sure it is sitting square. Run through a Lee sizer. Viola! Gas checked bullet. After a few tries it will be easy. One note, I use the pan lubing method. I like to pan lube and then push out or cut out the bullets so they have a smidge of extra lube on them. Then when I gas check them and size them, some lube gets pushed into the "squished" part above the newly installed gas check. Hope this helps, - AG |
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I just got a new Remlin 1895 45-70GBL, dies will be here soon.
Any good loads for commercial cast or jacketed ammo? I'm planning on giving deer the smack down with it this year The factory Remmy 405JSP ammo is a kitty cat to shoot. Gentle push, it suprised me! I can't wait to load up some artillery spec'd ammo for it Yup, remington factory loads are wimpy, wimpy, wimpy. If you are looking for a great plinking/ powder puff load, trail boss is hard to beat. - AG |
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I just got a new Remlin 1895 45-70GBL, dies will be here soon.
Any good loads for commercial cast or jacketed ammo? I'm planning on giving deer the smack down with it this year The factory Remmy 405JSP ammo is a kitty cat to shoot. Gentle push, it suprised me! I can't wait to load up some artillery spec'd ammo for it Yup, remington factory loads are wimpy, wimpy, wimpy. If you are looking for a great plinking/ powder puff load, trail boss is hard to beat. - AG I assume the Remington 405 load is plenty for deer/black bear in the eastern United States right? I'm bullet shopping right now... |
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I just got a new Remlin 1895 45-70GBL, dies will be here soon.
Any good loads for commercial cast or jacketed ammo? I'm planning on giving deer the smack down with it this year The factory Remmy 405JSP ammo is a kitty cat to shoot. Gentle push, it suprised me! I can't wait to load up some artillery spec'd ammo for it Yup, remington factory loads are wimpy, wimpy, wimpy. If you are looking for a great plinking/ powder puff load, trail boss is hard to beat. - AG I assume the Remington 405 load is plenty for deer/black bear in the eastern United States right? I'm bullet shopping right now... Yep, at up to 100 meters or so, it'll do just fine. After that you'll play merry hell with the right holdover unless you have a lot of experience at range estimation and shooting that particular load. |
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Little update...
Actually went to the range with these little bad-boys two weeks ago. The gas check is great! SIGNIFICANTLY cut down on leading, I was able to get the same velocity (1850 fps) with 1 grain less of RL7, and groups shrunk to sub 1 inch at 50 yards... I'm happy as a pig in slop. The end of October I'm gonna take this rig out to East Texas to punish some porcine abominations... wish me luck. - AG |
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Little update... Actually went to the range with these little bad-boys two weeks ago. The gas check is great! SIGNIFICANTLY cut down on leading, I was able to get the same velocity (1850 fps) with 1 grain less of RL7, and groups shrunk to sub 1 inch at 50 yards... I'm happy as a pig in slop. The end of October I'm gonna take this rig out to East Texas to punish some porcine abominations... wish me luck. - AG 405's chugging along at over 1800 fps? Your sick, you know that?
On a related note, I got my 405 to hit 1760, than worked down to a nice 1550fps. Its a great load. My 300 JHP load broke 2200fps with H322, but I backed it down to 1950fps. I really, really like handloading 45-70. I need MOAR brass! |
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I love casting and reloading almost as much as shooting.
I initially started reloading when I got into IPSC to save money on 40. Now that I am enjoying it and not just cranking out 200 bullets every weekend for a match, I have found it's getting to be as expensive as anything else with the shooting sports. I love this forum. Very clever on the gas checks sir. Very clever. Another couple of months and it's going to be casting season for this fellow. |
| I am using Oregon Trails 430gr True shot bullets over 43.5 grains of IMR4198 and for a three shot string got 2076fps/4114ft/lbs. I need to reshoot these as this seems high but from the recoil it might be right. These will clover leaf three shots at 50 yds and they grouped 1.5" at 100 yards. They appear to be a good bear round. |
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I am using Oregon Trails 430gr True shot bullets over 43.5 grains of IMR4198 and for a three shot string got 2076fps/4114ft/lbs. I need to reshoot these as this seems high but from the recoil it might be right. These will clover leaf three shots at 50 yds and they grouped 1.5" at 100 yards. They appear to be a good bear round. What kind of a weapon? Ruger #1? Barrel Length? 43.5 gr 4198 is a STOUT load ...
- AG |
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Little update... Actually went to the range with these little bad-boys two weeks ago. The gas check is great! SIGNIFICANTLY cut down on leading, I was able to get the same velocity (1850 fps) with 1 grain less of RL7, and groups shrunk to sub 1 inch at 50 yards... I'm happy as a pig in slop. The end of October I'm gonna take this rig out to East Texas to punish some porcine abominations... wish me luck. - AG 405's chugging along at over 1800 fps? Your sick, you know that?
On a related note, I got my 405 to hit 1760, than worked down to a nice 1550fps. Its a great load. My 300 JHP load broke 2200fps with H322, but I backed it down to 1950fps. I really, really like handloading 45-70. I need MOAR brass! You are absolutely right, I do have a sickness ...
I love cast bullets in the .45-70. That is really why I got the rifle in the first place. Now my true "hammer" load, however, is 300 grain Barnes Tipped Triple Shocks over a stout load of RL7 (don't remeber exactly, and I don't have my journal with me). Nearly 2200 fps. Groups under 2" at 100 yards. This bullet expands to damn near a full INCH in diameter and still stays together. It will absolutely, positively wreck a hog's afternoon. Damn near turns 'em inside out. Of course this is no good in a lever gun (pointed bullet), but that is no problem in my single shot .
- AG |
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You are absolutely right, I do have a sickness ...
I love cast bullets in the .45-70. That is really why I got the rifle in the first place. Now my true "hammer" load, however, is 300 grain Barnes Tipped Triple Shocks over a stout load of RL7 (don't remeber exactly, and I don't have my journal with me). Nearly 2200 fps. Groups under 2" at 100 yards. This bullet expands to damn near a full INCH in diameter and still stays together. It will absolutely, positively wreck a hog's afternoon. Damn near turns 'em inside out. Of course this is no good in a lever gun (pointed bullet), but that is no problem in my single shot . - AG Very cool load. I hear really good things about the TSX, but I can't justify spending that dough. I'm driving the 300 grain Hornady with 57 grains of H322. Its got some punch for sure. My max with starline is about 60.5 grains, a little more if I wanted to pretend my Marlin was a Ruger Numero Uno. BTW, and pix of recovered TSX bullets in .458 diameter? |
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You are absolutely right, I do have a sickness ...
I love cast bullets in the .45-70. That is really why I got the rifle in the first place. Now my true "hammer" load, however, is 300 grain Barnes Tipped Triple Shocks over a stout load of RL7 (don't remeber exactly, and I don't have my journal with me). Nearly 2200 fps. Groups under 2" at 100 yards. This bullet expands to damn near a full INCH in diameter and still stays together. It will absolutely, positively wreck a hog's afternoon. Damn near turns 'em inside out. Of course this is no good in a lever gun (pointed bullet), but that is no problem in my single shot . - AG Very cool load. I hear really good things about the TSX, but I can't justify spending that dough. I'm driving the 300 grain Hornady with 57 grains of H322. Its got some punch for sure. My max with starline is about 60.5 grains, a little more if I wanted to pretend my Marlin was a Ruger Numero Uno. BTW, and pix of recovered TSX bullets in .458 diameter? I don't have a pic of the .458 expanded... yet. Your experiece may be different, but we have seen some pretty poor terminal performance from the hornady FTX (lever revolution) bullet in .458. Severe fragmentation, lack of penetration, and lack of ability to penetrate bone. This is why I tried the TTSX. It was kinda funny... I called Barnes, since they had no data for this bullet in the .45-70 (it was really designed for the .458 Socom). I enquired about load data for it in a stout single shot. The ballistician on the phone was literally like, "Holy crap! We never thought of that! What a cool project! We are heading to the lab today to test it out, we'll call ya back..." Two days later they called me back with some recommended load data
Now, of course, penetration becomes a moot point when dealing with a 405 grain, 22 brinell, hard cast, pill-o'-death 
- AG |
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