Finally got to shoot my 45-70 Handi...

[PhillB]

Yesterday my youngest son and I took my 45-70 out in the backyard and shot it.  Was using some cast bullet rounds with 9.5 gr of Red Dot and a 405gr bullet.  Looked like it shot pretty well considering it was offhand.  Today I will put a reflex sight on it and try it off a rest so I can see what it will do.  My old eyes just aren't what they used to be and using iron sights just don't get it anymore.   Will tinker with the powder charge some to see what shoots best but I want a light load for my nephews to shoot.  If I can get it to shoot as well as my .357 Handi I will be happy.  The boys love blowing up water filled milk jugs with the .357.  It's amazing what a 125 gr HP with a full charge of 296 will do to a water filled milk jug.  I'm still finding pieces of milk jugs on the range from last years shooting sessions.  

[petemi]

I use IMR4198 exclusively in my .45-70.  Here's a Hodgdon load that should work for the kids.

405 GR. CAST LFP

IMR

IMR 4198

.458"

2.540"

30.0

1370

17,000 CUP

32.0

1462

19,000 CUP

Enjoy.

Pete

[PhillB]

I use IMR4198 exclusively in my .45-70.  Here's a Hodgdon load that should work for the kids.

405 GR. CAST LFP

IMR

IMR 4198

.458"

2.540"

30.0

1370

17,000 CUP

32.0

1462

19,000 CUP

Enjoy.

Pete

Thanks but that appears to be at least a trapdoor level load.  I wanted a subsonic load to start the boys out on.  The Red Dot load I tried is probably only about 900fps.  I will save the load you listed for later use.  It sounds just like what I need when I'm ready to step up to a more standard load.   I don't want to hammer my nephews with anything like the recoil my friends 500 S&W chambered Handi has.   

[bikerbeans]

Phil,
 
Let me know what accuracy you get with the Red Dot.  I have had good luck with many of the GMDR pistol powder rifle loads but haven't tried Red Dot.  What boolit are you using? 
 
thanks
 
BB

[PhillB]

Phil,
 
Let me know what accuracy you get with the Red Dot.  I have had good luck with many of the GMDR pistol powder rifle loads but haven't tried Red Dot.  What boolit are you using? 
 
thanks
 
BB

Right now I'm not sure of what boolit I loaded up.  I got them from a buddy to load up until I got my mold.  I got the Lee 405 gr mold but haven't loaded  any yet.  Only have 100 or so of the Lee boolits cast up.  I will be glad to post a photo or two to show you how the Red Dot loads work.  I'm on vacation until Friday so I ought to be able to post something before then.  I also need to fine tune the powder charge as I just used 9.5 gr because I have a scoop that throws that charge and I didn't want to change my powder measure to charge 20 rounds.  Sure wish I had a carbide sizing die for this round, I hate lubing brass.    

[Flynmoose]

The 45-70 is, unfortunately, a slightly tapered round. You will end up lubing them, I use Imperial sizing wax. Since all my 45-70s are single shot, I only full length size when using new brass. I just bell the cases slightly, insert the powder of choice and seat/crimp using a very light crimp. I use TrailBoss powder for a mild load and can still hit the gong at 500 yards with the 30" Pedersoli rolling block, on a good day. We have alot of wind east of the mountains in Oregon...that's my story and I'm sticking to it.
FM

[gcrank1]

Same here, I do not size brass after the initial prepping and fire-forming, and use a bullet dia. fits finger snug in the slightly belled case mouth. Way easy if you dont have multiple guns in the same chambering, then you may need to segregate the brass for each rifle, but not always. With those light loads you dont get sticky extraction and the brass will last about forever. A 'universal decapper' makes reloading a snap since your decapper rod is probably on your size die. A longish nail with the tip ground to pop out primers and the case set over a hole on a wood block or even a thick washer will do the same thing for free.

[rfd]

i do the same as others with my 45-70's - lube new brass or "range brass" with imperial wax, size, and load.  from then on the brass is marked on the rim for each 45-70 and only used in that rifle.  all reloads are done by popping the primer with a universal deprime die, prime, mouth slightly expanded, charge with powder, seat and lightly crimp the boolit.  i'm pretty much sold on trail boss.

[45-70.gov]

welcome to the club


BTW..is your 357  a  MAXT yet??........if not  don't wait as long as i did


top end trap door  in 405g pb cast  is all the fun  i want
i want  no part of lever action loads......and will not ever consider modern rifle loads


[if you are a water jug junki  as i am....get a few 45-70 in  JHP]

[PhillB]

welcome to the club


BTW..is your 357  a  MAXT yet??........if not  don't wait as long as i did


top end trap door  in 405g pb cast  is all the fun  i want
i want  no part of lever action loads......and will not ever consider modern rifle loads


[if you are a water jug junki  as i am....get a few 45-70 in  JHP]

My .357 hasn't been reamed to Max yet.  I have no plans to do it right now.  If I hunted with it, my Handi would already be converted but I only shoot paper and milk jugs at the backyard range.  I will definitely get some JHP bullets in the future but powder will have to become more available first.  Right now the slowest powder I have on hand is the 296 that I use in my .357, .44 and .22 Hornet.  I'm guessing that a slower burning powder like 4198 would give me better performance shooting something like a 300gr JHP.  I'm sure my nephews would really get a kick out of the results of a high velocity JHP( for a 45-70) hitting a milk jug full of water.

[petemi]

If you're looking for mild .45-70 loads for the kids, why not cast a lighter bullet, get more shots per pound of lead, use less powder and cut recoil?

We have 3 Maxis.  I do a lot of hunting with mine, but not deer yet.  There are too few tags and too many rifles in line ahead of them.    You can use the same bullets and powder that you use in the Mags and bust jugs out to 300 yards and hunt deer and varmints too.  I terminated a woodchuck Monday with a maxi.  A .38 would have done just as well, it was only a 40 yard shot.

Pete

[PhillB]

If you're looking for mild .45-70 loads for the kids, why not cast a lighter bullet, get more shots per pound of lead, use less powder and cut recoil?

We have 3 Maxis.  I do a lot of hunting with mine, but not deer yet.  There are too few tags and too many rifles in line ahead of them.    You can use the same bullets and powder that you use in the Mags and bust jugs out to 300 yards and hunt deer and varmints too.  I terminated a woodchuck Monday with a maxi.  A .38 would have done just as well, it was only a 40 yard shot.

Pete

the main reason I don't use a lighter bullet is that the 405 is the only mold I could get.  My regular supplier for reloading supplies is having trouble getting anything.  The Red Dot / 405 gr bullet I tried is mild enough my nephews won't have any problems.  Maybe I'll ream my .357 to Maxi in the future but it is not a high priority.  I don't hunt anymore and my backyard range is only 100yds.  I'm really more of a handgun shooter but I still enjoy getting out one of my Handis or Mosin Nagant and putting some rounds downrange.  Thanks for the info on the Maxi, I really don't know much about it.