hot 45/70

[jthomast]

I have some 45/70 ammo Ive loaded for a ruger #1 and big bears. Ive since gotten rid of the ruger. my question is will the factory encore bbl handle these loads? its a hefty amount of IMR 4198 with a 350 gr hornady rn going about 2250 fps. a good load in the ruger. Ive taken 3 large alaskan black bear with it. I know I dont need that much thump for black bears but I might just run into that big brown bear. Thanks for any info.

[rickyp]

I asked T/C something like this and this is what I got from the factory.
Officially the encore and contender should be used only with the low pressure loading. unofficially the encore can take mid-line 1895 level loads NEVER use ruger data for the encore or contender. and he was very clear as to not to use the loading data for the ruger

In my 15" encore I used mid line 1895 loads with 405 cast bullets and it is a handful. I don't want to use anymore it hurts enough with the load I am using.

[quickdtoo]

Considering TC chambers Encore rifle barrels in 416 Rigby which pushes 350gr bullets over 2600fps @ 43kcup, it would seem to me your load should be safe. Hodgdon shows their modern rifle 350gr Horn max IMR4198 load @ 43.9kcup. The Rigby has a considerably larger case head at .589" compared to .505" for the 45-70 which would mean breech thrust of the Rigby would be more at the same pressure. But I think it would be prudent to work up to that load as opposed to just shooting your existing Ruger level ammo in it. Something else to consider is the COL of the ammo, if they're loaded long, they may be into the lands which would boost pressures considerably.

Tim

http://stevespages.com/page8d.htm

[KN]

Lets not forget the 450 marlin. Personally I believe TC is claiming this to reduce the chance that some one who owns both the Contender and the Encore won't confuse the loads and fire one in their Contender.

[Hopalong7]

KN, I think you hit the nail on the head.  As one who has both Encore and Contender in 45-70, I've been afraid to push the Encore up to potential.  I might have one of my "senior moments" at just the wrong time and blow me and my favorite gun to kindom come.  Rickyp says the mid-level are about all he wants....trap-door level keeps this ol' man grinning.  GOOD SHOOTIN',  Walt 

[KN]

I sold my contender barrel just for that reason. Didn't see any need for it once I had the Encore and didn't see a need to load two different combo's.   KN

[Lone Star]

A good question would be, what "Ruger-level" loads did you use?  According to Hornady, Ruger-level  loads are are 50,000 CUP and Marlin-level  loads top out at 40,000 CUP.  Yet Speer says Ruger  loads are 35,000 CUP, which isn't even a max Marlin  load according to Hornady.  Speer calls "Marlin loads"  28,000 CUP tops. 

These references to "Ruger loads" or "Marlin loads" are really BS - what matters is the actual pressure, not an arbitrary name.  It is just too easy to get into trouble due to the non-standard naming conventions.


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