45-70 loading

[howard NZ]

Hi there,
yesterday loaded my first 45-70 cases - with Hornady jacketed 300gr hp bullets, every one I reloaded shows a slight bulge on one side of the case ie it was like the dies wern't aligning the bullet for the case, tried doing it really slowly and turning the case but made no difference, rounds chamber and extract no problem, havn't been to the range with it yet for ther bulge on one side to me the bullet won't be leaving the case straight, any help apprieciated,
Thanks Howard.

[quickdtoo]

I use my Lee Loader to align the bullet in the case, you'll still end up with a slight swell, but it's even all the way round. The lyman "M" die is real handy for loading cast bullets, also.

http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/phpbb2/viewtopic.php?t=61320&highlight=lee+loader+4570

[Stan in SC]

I have noticed that on my 45/70 reloading but it has not created any accuracy problems that I have noticed.

[Zeke Menuar]

I have noticed that on my 45/70 reloading but it has not created any accuracy problems that I have noticed.

Doesn't cause any problems here.  

I resize just enough to hold the bullet in place and still chamber.
Skip the expander die.  
Use a chamfer tool and chamfer the mouth of the case just like my bottleneck rounds.  
Seat like normal, no crimp.  The runout guage shows less than .002 runout on the bullet and the case.  Accurate enough to hit golf balls at 100 yards with a scoped BC.

ZM

[Paul5388]

Howard,

I just looked at my .45-70 reloads and if you hadn't said something, I wouldn't have noticed the ever so slight bulge on one side.  

I was also looking at a .45-70 target I shot on 11/28/04 with 12.0 gr Green Dot and a 405 gr cast bullet that measured 1.125" at 100 yards.

If that kind of group is acceptable, I don't guess the bulge matters.

[Lone Star]

This is common on many straight walled cases like the .357 and .44 Magnums and is due to an over-enthusiastic resizing die which reduces the case diameter too far.  It is almost impossible to get a bullet started perfectly into a hole which is too small; the bullet will stretch the thinnest side of the case and create a bulge.  With a slightly tapered case like the .45-70 it is easy to just raise the sizing die up into the press until the case neck is not reduced too far, then go about normal reloading.  With a true straight walled case, you'll need a new sizing die.  But the bottom line is that the off-center bulge will not hurt anything.

[Mac11700]

I've used the Lyman "M" die for my 45-70 reloading...and it expands the case mouth better than any normal belling factory die .Since using it...I've had no case bulges either loading cast bullets or jacketed.They aren't expensive...and do work great.My other extra die...is the Leee Factory crimp die.The 2 extra's make loading the 45-70 so much easier.

Mac

[howard NZ]

Thanks Guys,
it is reassuring that I wasn't doing anything really wrong. Next reloading session I will raise the resizing die and if that dosn't improve things I will get the Lyman M die,
Look forward to finally shooting it next weekend.
Regards Howard.