45-70 loads for the handi rifle

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adcoch1

adcoch1

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Hello all,
I am about to embark on a totally satisfying (hopefully) adventure in reloading the 45-70 for a sb2 handi rifle I recently picked up. I have some 325 grn spitzers and some home cast 405 grn flat nose too. Will also try some Barry's plated 350 grn since I shoot those in the 458 SOCOM.
Powders are up in the air at the moment but I have lots of options. So, what is your favorite recipes for 45-70 in a lightweight handi rifle?
 
Just waiting on my brass to show up, the dies got here today.... I will try some trailboss loads for sure. My almost 9 yr old really wants to try out this rifle so I need some soft shooting loads...
 
IMR 4198 and 3031 are my two go to powders in the .45/70.... 4198 for lower velocity/recoil loads and 3031 when I want to make a 405 gr JSP move out with authority.

There are lots of loads published for these powders, since I don’t know where the handi-Rifle falls on the strength scale I will recommend you check powder manuals for loads the gun will handle.

Stay safe.
 
I would shoot bp if I had one of those 1871s. Easy to clean and not too expensive to be authentic. Plus low recoil. I think that’s what the long barrel is about. Antiques seem too weak for a full load. But a modern rifle can take it.
 
@Riomouse911 gives excellent advice on smokeless above, but I must agree with @JPIMBO above:black powder. I have a number of Handi Rifles and I appreciate them. But the sharp recoil of smokeless loads in a light rifle is not going to be super fun. Black Powder recoil with heavy 45-70 loads is somehow slower. And cleaning a Handi is so easy that it makes BP loads a treat.

The art of BPC shooting is just that: art. It's a fascinating journey and, in my opinion, the essence of the 45-70.

Whether or not you go BP, I strongly recommend filling a plastic bag with lead shot, taping it into a cylinder, and fitting it snugly inside the stock bolt hole. It will improve your experience significantly. And get a rubber O-ring under the firearm lug. Playing with forearm tension is an aspect of getting accuracy out of a Handi. Enjoy!
 
Accurate Arms 5744 loaded at 28 grains to 33 grains with a 400 grain bullet is accurate in my Taylor's Arms Sharp's clone. My load is 31.5 grain for 420 grain gas check and 32.0 for 405 grain bullets. My rifle weighs about 11+ pounds.
 
Truthfully, I would not shoot jacketed bullets in it unless you intend to hunt with it. I shoot very, very few jacketed bullets in my levers anymore, including my Pedersoli 1885 in .45-70. That H&R is very light... I would stick with softy loads with cast bullets.

AJC1 said:
consider targeting 1200fps or so to start... ...I find loads over 1500fps unpleasant.
Click to expand...

Amen to that. I keep my loads in the 1300fps range, and don't like to go over 1400fps.

LaserCast makes a FP cast 350grn bullet, 28grn of either IMR4198 or AA5744 pushed it out of my 26" Marlin at about 1400fps, which was plenty. You could also load that bullet over TrailBoss (which I have no experience with,) Unique, or 2400 for a lighter recoiling load... and my preference would be 2400, it has better case fill than Unique, and I've not found that it needs a filler.

I load a cast 385grn RN bullet for my Pedersoli... 19grn 2400 gives me 1230fps out of the 32" Pedersoli barrel, and light recoil, and I've settled on 29grn IMR4198 @ 1375fps if I need a little more oomph.

Going to the 405grn cast bullet, 15grn Unique gives me 1200fps in the 1885, 30grn IMR4198 1350fps.

I don't shoot Black, and probably never will... watching some of the guys on the line doing their Holy Black ritual... it's just not for me. I'll stick with IMR4198 and 2400. Some have recommended AA5744; I've used up a # of it in the .45-70 meself, honestly, it didn't do anything for me that IMR4198 wasn't doing already, and it made a bigger mess. I would not go slower than IMR4198 unless you plan to hunt... then I would recommend IMR3031.
 
I have imr4198 and 3031, and 2400. This will shoot primarily 300 to 405 grn cast lead powdercoated if it'll hold up, with a few jacketed spitzers for hunting bigger stuff. I expect a bunch of 45 colt type loads with a few barn burners every once in a while. I like recoil, but I don't like pain very much, so no, this doesn't need to compete with a 458 winmag.
 
adcoch1 said:
I have imr4198 and 3031, and 2400. This will shoot primarily 300 to 405 grn cast lead powdercoated if it'll hold up, with a few jacketed spitzers for hunting bigger stuff. I expect a bunch of 45 colt type loads with a few barn burners every once in a while. I like recoil, but I don't like pain very much, so no, this doesn't need to compete with a 458 winmag.
Click to expand...

Then you have all the Right Stuff! :)

If I were you, start with IMR4198 with both of those bullets... using Trapdoor data. I think you will find your answer pretty quickly. Moving to jacketed bullets... I would probably start with IMR3031, but would be prepared to move back to IMR4198 if recoil is too much.
 
Charlie98 said:
Then you have all the Right Stuff! :)

If I were you, start with IMR4198 with both of those bullets... using Trapdoor data. I think you will find your answer pretty quickly. Moving to jacketed bullets... I would probably start with IMR3031, but would be prepared to move back to IMR4198 if recoil is too much.
Click to expand...
Basically my idea, glad to hear it isn't too far out of line. Trapdoor performance would be perfect. Hopefully I can get some put together tonight...
 
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