Need Handload advice for a friend. TC Contender 45-70 loads

[GhosT]

Howdy all.

I Got a friend that bought his first TC Contender recently.
(Original, not a G2)

Safe bet he likes it, cause posted  Lots of rabbits  that met the .410 ..14" barrel.


He Just bought both a 22 match grade barrel......
And a 45-70 stainless 14" barrel.

The 22 barrel, I own, we got that covered.

But  The 45-70 barrel, I don't own one.
He lives in MICHIGAN........
Wants for Deer and such.

Would appreciate  any loads, advice, and stories on the  45-70 round>

Thanks in advance

    GhosT

[GhosT]

Sorry, posted on wrong board....yet...same post showed up on the right board.
Ask the mod that removes it from this board makes sure that doesn't remove it from http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php/board,24.0.html

Thanks 

   GhosT

[quickdtoo]

Your link is this forum, you posted this topic in the Contender classifed forum, I moved it here. 

Tim

[GhosT]

Thanks TIM 

ANY 45-70 Owners out there willing to share?

[BBF]

 
MAN !!
There is so much 45-70 stuff around here that there must be a virtual shrine hidden away in this site.
So we need to know what is planned on being killed and how much pain is your friend willing to endure

[quickdtoo]

BBF is right, use the search for 45-70 selecting just this forum from the list, you'll get several pages of hits.  You'll also find more than one manual has Contender 45-70 data, the Lyman 48th and Hornady 6th to name a couple.

Tim

http://www.gboreloaded.com/forums/index.php?action=search

[MOPARV104X4]

I am the new Contender handgun shooter Ghost is referring to. I want to hunt white tail deer with my new to me 45-70 super 16 barrel. I am looking for an accurate effective load for cast lead 350 and 405 grain bullets. I am not a speed freak with my hand loads and will be shooting 100 yards or less. I have been hunting the last 5 years with a Ruger SRH in 480 Ruger.

[tallpaul]

Ya sure don't need the heavier bulletts for deer under 100 yards....

I went a similar route as you in that a long time ago T/C had a program where ya buy a complete contender and ya could get another factory barrel cheap and I got a 14 inch .22 match and a 45/70 to start 

I had not done much with that 45/70 barrel for years after shootin a box or two for effect

I want to develop a white tail load too so I am watching this also.  I was gonna likely use a 350 grain jacketed but would like the info for the cast also.

[BBF]

Looking at the Speer and Hornady 350 gr bullets I saw that they recommend 1800-1900 fps as a start MV. None of them are soft bullets.

 Figuring approx 46 gr of powder to get those bullets out of a 22+ inch barrel and using a 8lb rifle you still get 27 ftlb of recoil. Using a 300 gr bullet you can shave that by about two to three pounds. I'd be looking at cast. I have used 50 gr of RL-7 and a 350gr Hornady RN and remember the recoil. 

A nice load is 27 gr of 2400 and a 400 gr  Speer or 405 gr Rem bullet. From a 16" Contender barrel you can expect 1400 fps and these bullets will mushroom at that velocity. 

[Slowpoke Slim]

Yes some of the "45-70" bullets are really intended for the 458 win mag. You have to pick your bullet carefully. I believe the 350 Hornady is one of those made for the win mag.  The Rem corelokt bullets are softer and designed for slower speeds. The 300 gr Rem Corelokt bullet would probably be all you would need if you can get them to group for you. I have shot the 405 Rem's before, and they are VERY soft.

The Lyman reloading manual has a section in it for TC Contender loads, and they do list 45-70 as one of those chamberings. You are also loading to "Springfield Trapdoor" levels, if you are using another manual for reference. I would start with a modest level of IMR 3031 or RL-7 and don't push it past "Trapdoor" levels.

I'm working with cast bullets myself, so I can't really help you with a jacketed load. Right now I'm playing with a home cast 350 gr Lyman, and a "store bought" 405 gr hardcast.

I still do most of my shooting for "fun", and shoot heavy blackpowder loads out of it. But, I have become interested in trying to push some accuracy out of it, and am starting to work up loads "for real" use.

Whitetails are NOT hard to kill. Pretty much whatever you shoot them with will work. We're still talking a .458 diameter hole in a deer here. As long as you "steer the hole" through the vitals, you're gonna kill a deer.

[Bullseye]

I use a Hornady 300 Gr HP and IMR 4198 loaded to trapdoor levels in mine.