Fine Figure of a Man
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No, my own cast with a Lyman moldYour 405’s, are they Missouri cast bullets by chance?
No, my own cast with a Lyman moldYour 405’s, are they Missouri cast bullets by chance?
I have done it in .458 Win Mag. Size normally, then "neck" size the top of the case with a .45 Colt sizer, load 350 Gr .452 "blem" bullets I bought cheap.I’m curious to know if it’s possible to load pistol bullets in this cartridge?
With 405 grain cast bullets (coated) I have settled on 4064 for heavy loads, for milder loads (+/-1300 fps) IMR4198 and for fun target shooting 12 to 14 grains of Unique.
I'm interested in hearing what works well for your 350's.
If your rifle doesn't have a limbsaver recoil pad get one. My guide gun was down right abusive with the factory pad.
The ergonomics of lever guns are not bench rest friendly. I have found that a standing rest or blocking up my bench so I sit more upright helps considerably with controlling recoil. While a good butt pad makes it easy on the shoulder you still have to keep the scope out of your eye.
No restrictions on bullet size/type that I’m aware of for the 45-70. Since we have a straight walled case restrictions, we are limited to a degree. A lot of flat farmland in middle parts of Ohio so shooting across a field is possibility. I’m a bow hunter most of the time so I’m usually in pretty thick foliage unless I head to the southern part with rolling hills for rifle. Flatter trajectory has its benefits when hunting in less dense vegetation or edge of fields so that’s the draw for lighter bullets with more speed from the 45-70. So many variables so working up a nice load with flatter trajectory is beneficial.The parts I underlined... I was thinking of that... I remember 12grs of Unique and a 405gr Lazercast put a whomp on a heavy steel plate at 50yds with an H&R, but is that bullet deer-legal in Ohio? And what kind of terrain/distance is the OP dealing with?
I second that about the recoil pad... between it and a Past strap-on shoulder pad. I remember some factory-loaded 325gr JHP's... they got old fast.
I really don't know why anyone uses any other powder than AA5744 in these big, low pressure cases.
It is definitely good stuff for .45-70 level power in .458 Win Mag cases.I really don't know why anyone uses any other powder than AA5744 in these big, low pressure cases.
It is definitely good stuff for .45-70 level power in .458 Win Mag cases.
I really don't know why anyone uses any other powder than AA5744 in these big, low pressure cases. According to Accurate Arms, this powder was developed for the 45/120 case, I think they found an existing powder and it worked well, regardless of advertising hype, it works well.
You can see the velocities I measured during load testing and in several other 45/70 rifles.
45/70 Martini Henry 26" Shilen Barrel
405 LRN 26.5gr AA5744 R-P cases WLR
29-Apr-04 T = 80 °F
Ave Vel = 1294
Std Dev = 14
ES = 40
Low = 1274
High = 1314
N = 15
Group Size Very . good
405 LRN 27.0gr AA5744 R-P cases WLR
24-Mar-04 T = 70 °F
Ave Vel = 1284
Std Dev = 23
ES = 80
Low = 1263
High = 1343
N = 12
405 LRN 27.5gr AA5744 R-P cases WLR
15-Apr-05 T = 75 °F
Ave Vel = 1363
Std Dev = 25
ES = 97
Low = 1298
High = 1395
N = 20
Group Size good offhand at 100 yards
View attachment 811444
Winchester BPCR M1885 30" Badger barrel
Ladder Sights: 5 graduations per 1/4 inch major.
1/4 inch major is 25 MOA, 1 grad is 5 MOA, 1 Vernier is 1 MOA
405 LRN 27.5gr AA5744 R-P cases WLR trimmed 2.085"
29 May 2010 T = 89 °F
Ave Vel = 1324
Std Dev = 9
ES = 26
High = 1338
Low = 1312
N = 6
View attachment 811445
View attachment 811446
The 45/70 is a great cast lead bullet cartridge, I really doubt that jacketed bullets will provide any improvement on game, over a big, case bullet. The wound channels with cast bullets are totally adequate and the penetration excellent. I have shot cast in this Trapdoor, I have not slugged the barrel of this M1873, but it leaded something awful till I applied a huge amount of external grease to the bullets. I think the barrel is large compared to my commercial cast bullets.
M1873 Springfield Trapdoor 1884 rebuild 27" sight radius
405 LRN 27.5gr AA5744 R-P cases WLR trimmed 2.085"
14 Aug 2014 T = 78 °F
Ave Vel = 1302
Std Dev = 11
ES = 26
High = 1315
Low = 1289
N = 5
First round 15.5" high, rest, 19.5 to 23" high at 100 yards
Ballistic calculator: 100 yd zero, 25" drop at 200 yds, 82" drop at 300 yds
405 LRN 27.5gr AA5744 R-P cases WLR trimmed 2.085"
Heavily greased with Lubriplate 130A
14 Aug 2014 T = 78 °F
Ave Vel = 1346
Std Dev = 15
ES = 38
High = 1371
Low = 1333
N = 5
If you use commercial cast bullets, I recommend you grease the heck out of them. Mine fouled badly until I externally greased them. Messy, but it cut out the lead fouling.
View attachment 811447
You can see that I used so much grease that grease was extruded down the sides of the shell casings, into the action.
View attachment 811448
Ungreased fired cases on left, greased, fired cases on right. Absolutely nothing bad happened outside of grease in the action. Considering the lead fouling reduction, I can live with that.
View attachment 811449
What kind of grease is that you used? That would work in my 1873 Springfield Trapdoor with the 405 hollow based bullets I cast?
Have you been able to get a 458 Win to shoot with cast bullets?
They may be too soft to take the ride and cannot hold the rifling. Is it shallow rifling? Do you know what BHN they are?The results became progressively worse the faster those cast bullets moved. By the time I was at 43.0 grs AA5744 and 1609 fps, none of the bullets hit the 8.5 X 11 target on the frame,................................ the bullets are stripping out .
My notes say I went by data I found in the AA PDF #3.5 for .45-70 & .458 Win Mag. I wasn't trying to max out 5744 in .458 Win Mag, just produce an accurate load similar to .45-70 ballistics. 1800 FPS is under that, but it shoots well.Do you have any data for AA5744 and the 458 Win Mag?
They may be too soft to take the ride and cannot hold the rifling. Is it shallow rifling? Do you know what BHN they are?
I use the Solo version of that (includes a strap, which I never use). It is not the most steady rest, but is adequate for what I do which is mainly sighting in rifles and testing load workups. Definitely takes the recoil off the shoulder, even without a weighted bag in the tray. If I were shooting a 45/70, I would add some weight to the tray.Can I recommend a lead sled (at a very good price) for sighting in the rifle?
https://www.midwayusa.com/product/6...led-solo-sight-in-edition-rifle-shooting-rest
I don't have experience with it, but do have one on order. My 45-70 ate it's scope last year, and I finally got a new one on it and mostly sighted in this spring. So I wanted to do a last check this fall, and my neighbor was coming along to the range and brought his lead sled with. What a dream to to take those last couple shots knowing I was checking the scope and not me. Don't get me wrong, I like shooting it, but sighting in a 45-70 carbine on a bench isn't much fun.