Attention: All loads were safe in my gun, showed no signs of excessive pressure, but as always, use caution when using someone elses's load data![/size]
Alrighty, I just got back from the range with my final testing for the 45-70 BC. It's a shame really as I am just beginning to find the sweet loads for this gun. There were several loads tested, but only three that really showed any promise. Here are the targets from today's very cold windy testing session. All shots are at 50yds from the bench.
This target was shot with 59gr of IMR4064, CCI large rifle primers and Hornady 300gr bullets. The group size for the best three shots comes out to 1.210"
This picture shows the second group shot which was made of the same bullet, primer and brass, but with 32.0grs of IMR4227 powder. The wind was blowing really hard when I shot these, so I think there is much more potnetial for this powder with this round. The best three out of this group measure .920" and I think it is very signifigant that the group is open horizontal instead of the usualy verticle. This to me indicates that with less wind this group might have been tiny indeed.
This is the load I would develop more if I were keeping this gun as a 45-70. IT shows tremendous possibilities as it was my best group and the three touching were shots #2,3,4. On shots one and five I called them as missed when I fired, knew I jerked the trigger. This group is almost enough for me to retain this gun as a 45-70, but alasi it will become a 45-120 by tuesday The load used was 56.5gr of IMR3031 and of course the same primers, cases, and bullet as before. This would be a really good small game (deer size or smaller) for this gun. The group size for the three shots that I did not mess up came out to .580" I think this may just be the best powder for this gun and while I would not sugest these loads in any other action, they showed no signs of pressure in the BC I have. I can't remember right now how hard these loads are loaded, but I do think they are pretty high, so of course all the usual disclaimers apply here.
Now, next week I will be changing this gun to a 45-120 as previously mentioned so I will not have the chance to chrony these loads. I will however say that the 3031 was impacting about 4" higher on the target than the others, so I'm not sure what that means, but as you can see they are well worth trying out.
Today was a good day for shotting, although it was cold and snowing while I was at the range, so I may have been able to do even better if my hands weren't frozen.
Well, that's about all for me on the 45-70BC, but next week the adventure begins....
George
