BP .45-70

[Wijbrandus]

Is there a place to get original-style .45-70-500 black powder cartridges?  I don't reload.  A friend of mine does, but doesn't have the dies, and we aren't sure we want to invest in them without trying this out first with factory stuff.

I've got a Marlin 1895 CB, and I'd love to see how it handles with those in the pipe.  

~Robert

[Aladin]

Is there a place to get original-style .45-70-500 black powder cartridges?  I don't reload.  A friend of mine does, but doesn't have the dies, and we aren't sure we want to invest in them without trying this out first with factory stuff.

I've got a Marlin 1895 CB, and I'd love to see how it handles with those in the pipe.  

~Robert

Robert methinks your being too conservative. Lee 45/70 dies are cheap, you can buy the 500's lubed with blk lube and for sure someone in Denver sells the real thing. By the time ya paid someone to load them locally you'd already have a load worked out with the original investment. Get the dies and materials-- lots around to coach the process. Jump on in-- you will enjoy!

[Wijbrandus]

Aladin,

Nice suggestion.  The only problem is that I live in an apartment, and my wife is already fussing about my using the second bedroom for my rifles.  There's no place she'll allow me to set up a reloading bench.  For some reason, she said no when I suggested the dining room table.  Go figure.

When it comes to reloading a .45-70 in black powder, where should I look for more information.  My friend with the reloading bench has never loaded black powder, but does reload his own ammo.  I'm sure I can bribe him into helping me out on this, esp. since he's reading this over my shoulder.  

~Robert

[Wijbrandus]

Thanks, Marsh!  I'll take a look this weekend.

Lovely firewalls at work have that sort of thing blocked out.  Good thing GB is slipping in under the radar...

~Robert

[Graybeard]

Pretty sure Black Hills or some of the others who cater to the Cowboy Action Shooting crowd should have what you are looking for. Might have to buy mail order but that's not really difficult. You might check the SASS website and do a bit of searching around in it for links to a source of such ammo.

GB

[ButlerFord45]

http://www.stewartdawge.com
Cabelas also has them, albeit expensive.

There is an option for "no room",  Lyman makes a hand loader for 45/70.
I believe its called a "310"  The handle and dies are about $75, but that is less than two boxes of ready made B/P cartridges.  They are similar in function to the old Ideal reloading tool, basicly the way it was done about a hundred years ago and still works well

Butler Ford