Rang report, 45-70 BP

[blackpowderbill]

Yesterday I took my Handi out with some BP rounds I loaded. The loads where  Goex 3F 55 to 70 grains in 5 gr increments. a lubed felt wad and a card wad, atop was a 500 gr WW Lee bullet. I only loaded one with 70 gr because I literally had to stand on the handle of my compression die to make room for the bullet. 55 grains was to best overall. The group is at fifty yards fired on a regulation Navy 1000 inch rifle target. I have a old Weaver K1 on the rifle.
It won't win any matches but it is heading in the right direction.

[LONGTOM]

It sure is headed in the right direction.

[stimpylu32]

I just love shooting BP and Pyrodex in my 22" Handi 45/70 , just something about that puff of white smoke    also clean-up is a snap with the Handi . 

stimpy

[Smokin Joe]

Bill, did you use a drop tube to load the powder? It helps settle it, and you can get more in the case.

[blackpowderbill]

My loading process at this time is this.
1. Neck size the brass, prime and bell mouth slightly.
2. pour in 55 gr of FFF through a drop tube (36 inches)
3. place thin card wad
4. compress powder
5. place lubed felt wad and card wad
6. seat lubed bullet
7. crimp bullet in place
 Step 3, I just began, when I put a lubed wad in and compressed the powder I destroyed the wad so now I compress the powder first and then place the lubed wad in. I put another thin card wad on top of it to prevent it from sticking to the bullet. The first thin card wad is to prevent the powder from sticking to my compression die.
  The powder and wad are are positioned so that I can seat the bullet on them without further compression.
  The lube I use for both wad and bullet is one part bee's wax and two parts lard.
I am  relatively new to the the BP cartridge game, so I am feeling my way along. If any of you experienced types out there want to chime in I will gladly lend an ear.

[quickdtoo]

Junior might have something of interest, if not, it's still a good read.

Tim

http://www.castbullet.com/shooting/1871.htm

[dpe.ahoy]

I have used Bore Butter for 10 plus years in my front stuffers with real good luck for a lube.  Haven't done any BP in my cat-rige guns yet.  May have to try in my 45-70, maybe even in the 444.  Keep your powder dry, Pilgram.   DP.

[handirifle]

Bill
nice write up.  What size are your bullets and bore?

[coyotejoe]

My experience with NEF 45/70 and 35/55 is that they have oversize bores and shallow grooves which is not the best for black powder. That is not to say they aren't worth shooting, just that it is not the best rifling form. I think it is for that reason that I have generally gotten better accuracy with Pyrodex than with Goex. I'd suggest you try running a damp patch through the bore between shots just to see if that has any effect on your group size, even though it may not be something you want to do as a general practice. I've also found that a change in bullet lube can sometimes make a world of difference in accuracy with black powder, likewise any change in bullet alloy can make a great deal of difference.

[blackpowderbill]

The bullets come out of the mold .457. I dip them up to the crimpping groove in melted lube. After it has hardened I run them through a die that measures .457 to clean off the excess lube. The bore I have not slugged, a failure on my part. The bullet does seem to work well in the barrel however. So long as I wipe between shots, my BP loads group slightly better than the fake powder(smokeless) loads I have tried. The best of them so far is 13.2 gr. of Unique, same bullet and lube but no wads. I have chrono'd it at an average V of 1039fps. It averages about 4" at 100 yards.