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I have a Uberti 1885 High Wall Carbine and a Uberti 1873 Springfield Trapdoor Carbine. They are both great shooting rifles and really well put together. I would not hesitate to buy another if I was in the market.
Lee Classic Cast Iron single stage press and dies will serve.
If you want to load real gunpowder, they will make you a compression die.
And if you do, there is a lot of good information on the Shiloh board.
I'd want a better scale than theirs, not necessarily digital.
A powder measure is not essential unless you load a lot more .45-70s than I expect.
I also use a Lee turret press, though I only have one turret and switch my dies whenever I change. I do recommend Midway USA, they have everything you might need.
The compression die is a good idea for your black powder loads, without it you can't get more than about 60 grains into a 45-70 shell, which was originally set up to take about 70 grains.
I will be shooting all smokeless powder so I guess I can do without a c ompression die...Does anybody have a make and model of a "decent" scale for me to look for?? I will probably only get a single stage press because 45/70 an 30-30 will be the only ones ill be reloading for now.
I have a pedersoli 45-70 and am real happy with it. I purchased it because the brass for a 45-70 is readily available, cheaper by far and with modern powders vrs black powder, the 45-70 can be loaded to the same feet per second as the 45-120 and not have to put wadding in the case to take up space. With black powder if you aren't familiar is 70 grains versus 120 grains. More powder meant more power.
No gun will shoot 120 and 110 and 90 and 70. As one reader said, yes you can put a 70 in a 120 chamber but realize the bullet will have to jump quite a gap between the bullet and the rifling. Accuracy is gained by minimizing this gap. In fact when I seat a bullet I try to seat it as close to the rifling as possible.
I enjoy my gun a lot but it is 13 lbs. Not a good gun to carry for long periods or to shoot without support of some kind.
About 80 yards as it turned out. I'd practiced out farther, but that's what presented itself.
It was a one-shot drop, with a 520 grain Lyman Postell I cast using an old mold a friend had, over a couple punchouts from a milk carton and about 68 grains of BP (Swiss or GOEX, I can't remember) through a drop tube. The bullet went straight through, and you couldn't tell the entrance from the exit.
I really don't understand the need for super-hot smokeless ".45-70 Magnum" loads, but somebody always wants something hotter, I guess.
I did not see that anyone mentioned that Cabellas now sells both rifles and they have the reloading manual for black powder loads. Not sure about there policy mail out of the states! Prices start at $999.99 (hunter sharpes) to $1799.99 for Quigley and $1899.99 for High wall. Listed in there new Reloading catalog. Just a heads if ya'll were not aware!
Browning/Winchester 1885 High Wall hands down if you want to load it hot. The strongest production gun chambered for .45-70Govt. in existence. Though I will admit that a Sharp's 1874 is a great gun when outfitted with a nice 32"+ bbl. One day I will have both...but this was and remains to be my first choice:
Get a Redding Big Boss press. Has a longer stroke and opening than most, makes it much easier to load long bullets in long cases. Few more bucks than the Lee, but top of the line quality, and your great-grandchildren won't wear it out.
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