Interesting 45-70 loads, (long)

[dk17hmr]

I have a BC barrel on my Handi and love it, minus the fact that when I deer hunt I can move around very well always bumping into trees and such, that will be fixed when I get the shorter barrel and spin it off at 16.5".

But on to my handloads.  I have been playing with light loads, since I cast my own bullets I have a life time supply at my finger tips.  My normal cast bullet is 405gr or 500gr with a medium load so velocities are around 1200fps, I have to work hard at it to get a load that wont shoot good out of my barrel.

Well in my casting I cast a 255gr RNFP for my 45 ACP, I beagled the mold so it throws (out of round) around .459, then I size to .457 and I have a 45-70 bullet.  Well I have been playing with hollow pointing my cast bullets on a drill press with a #2 center drill and a jig I made.

After I drilled my bullets I have a 240gr Hollow point for my 45-70, first thought "how fast can I get this thing cooking with accuracy.  I had them close to 2500fps accuracy was ok about 4" at 50 yards off the bench, oh there is a 3-9 Redfield scope mounted on the barrel.  I stopped at about 2500 because, IT HURT!!! recoil was to much to enjoy shooting it.

So I went back to middle of the road loads, right now I am about 1600fps and accuracy is one hole for 3 shots at 50 yards, very tight clover leaf.  I am going to start working back up and try for accuracy and speed.  I really want to see what this bullet will do to a deer or a coyote at around 2000fps.

I love my handi rifle

[stimpylu32]

I like the idea of having a 445SM with a long case , let me know when you put the 240s on the market , me wants some . 

Do you need to check them to avoid leading at 2000 or do you use a harder cast ? and what powder are you using for the load ?

stimpy

[dk17hmr]

I was using H335, Reloader 7 and IMR 4189, I used the Nosler 300gr Hollow point loads and started a few grains below the starting and worked up.  I switched over toTrail boss and have some loads to try tomorrow in it, also have some that I filled the hollow point with candle wax just to see what they will do.

The bullet isnt a check design and I wish it was, I used 3 coats of lee liquid lube and hand to scrub lead out after 20 shots, which isnt bad for what I doing, I also cast them as hard as I can with tin and drop them in water right out of the mold..

[knight0334]

I do something similar, I drill out 300gr JHP's to about 250grs to use on groundhog.   I've only chrono'd one batch, and they were zipping along at 2500+ fps in my BC, and about 2300-2400 from my Handi.

Works great on chucks,  if you drill them just right leaving a little lead near the jacket, they dont fly apart in mid air - but explode on impact.