Looking for 45-70 load info

[tcoggins]

Gents - I am new to reloading, and am taking it slow.  Started out loading for the .243 (for my 11 year old son), and the 45-70.  Not looking to "hot rod" any loads, but have some nice mild loads for plinking at the range.

My son is shooting my .243 Handi Rifle, and I am shooting an H&R Buffalo Classic in 45-70.

I picked up some 350 grain lead bullets for the 45-70, but am having a tough time finding any load data for this bullet.  I would like to load up some light loads using these bullets, but don't know where to start, and don't want to do anything foolish along the lines of reloading.

Can anyone point me in the right direction?

Thank you.

Tim

[jhalcott]

  the Hornady manual has some info on that bullet for the 1895 Marlin. IS the BC as strong as the Mrlin?

[tcoggins]

I have heard that the H&R can handle the lever action loads (I've also heard that it can handle Ruger #1 loads, but those must be brutal).  I'll check the Hornady manual.

Thanks for the info.

Tim

[Larry L]

I'm using 12.0 grains of Unique under a 300 gr Lasercast lead bullet. Very mild recoil and super accurate. Speed is at 1100'ps. Another great one which is low recoil but is not a sleeper by any means is 30.0 grs SR4759 under a Remington 300 gr HP. Speed is at 1680'ps. I didn't have the accuracy with the Lasercast as I did with the Rem HP but if a 3" group at 100 yds works for you, that's what the lead bullet did with that load. Otherwise, a great hunting load with far less recoil than other powders I've used.

[Smokin Joe]

Here's the light ones:

http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm

Here's links to the others:

http://www.alliantpowder.com/reloaders/default.aspx

http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

http://data.hodgdon.com/main_menu.asp

http://www.realguns.com/archives/117.htm

[tcoggins]

Thanks for the info.  I do appreciate it.

I have a question though.  Can I use load data for a copper jacketed bullet with a cast lead bullet?  Seems like that may cause some leading issues in the barrel.

I'm sure my questions may seem a bit simple, but I really don't want to do anything foolish.

Thanks.

Tim

[Troyboy]

No you cannot. Use the info for jacketed. Use the info for lead. They are loaded to different pressures. It is best to use the information for the bullit that is being used.

[tcoggins]

Troyboy - Thanks for the response.  It was the response I suspected. 

My problem is, I have 350 gr cast lead bullets.  I cannot find load data for that weight bullet.  However, I do have Hodgdon load data for H4198 powder using 300 grain and 405 grain cast lead bullets. 

I suspect I can calculate the load for the 350 grain from this data, interpolating between the data for the 300 grain bullet and the 405 grain bullet.

Thanks.

Tim

[McDerry]

Troyboy - Thanks for the response.  It was the response I suspected.  

My problem is, I have 350 gr cast lead bullets.  I cannot find load data for that weight bullet.  However, I do have Hodgdon load data for H4198 powder using 300 grain and 405 grain cast lead bullets.  

I suspect I can calculate the load for the 350 grain from this data, interpolating between the data for the 300 grain bullet and the 405 grain bullet.

Thanks.

Tim

Do not do that. Calculating is just that calculating and it won't be the same as a tested load which is what you are viewing in a manual.  Unfortunately the results are not linear.  

What powders do you have floating around?

If you plan to do anything not listed load as if it was the heavier lead bullet, lots of data for the 378 bullet out there.

I personally use 45 grs of accurate 2015 under a 350 grain lead bullet.    Gets you into the 1600 fps range.

For a light load I use 15 grs of blue dot.  Only 1100 fps and below the 10,000psi mark

[tcoggins]

I probably should have elaborated a bit.  I am looking for low velocity loads for the 350 gr bullet, which I cannot find. 

Using data for H4198, the 300 gr starting load is 30 grains of powder, and the 405 grain starting load is 27 grains of powder.  I calculate a starting load of 28.6 grains of powder for the 350 grain bullet.  Max load for the 300 grain bullet is 35.5 grains of powder, and for the 405 grain bulloet, 31 grains of powder.   I understand that this assumes linearity, but we are also talking about low pressure loads ( approx 14,400 CUP). 

My question is, would these be safe loads to start out with, or would I be safer just using the 405 grain bullet data with the 350 grain bullet I have.

I have Hodgdon H4198, Hodgdon H4350, and Reloader 7 on hand (H4350 is the powder I am using for .243).

I also found load data for a 385 grain cast lead bullet.  Would I be better off just using that data, knowing that the lighter bullet I am using would result in a lower pressure?

Not trying to be argumentative, just explaining my reasoning and running it past the experts here.

Thanks for the feedback.

Tim

[Smokin Joe]

Tim, contact Hodgdon:  help@hodgdon.com

They answer e-mail questions like this all the time. Also, a brief answer to your question re: the 385 vs the 350; I shoot the Ranch Dog 350 grain with Lyman 385 data and have been for about 6 months. It works just fine; Lyman and Hodgdon will tell you that.
 You can load 405 data using a lighter bullet and it works..............maybe not the optimum performance level, but it won't hurt anything.

[ruppster]

How slow & light? Might look at Trail Boss data.

[McDerry]

I probably should have elaborated a bit.  I am looking for low velocity loads for the 350 gr bullet, which I cannot find. 

Using data for H4198, the 300 gr starting load is 30 grains of powder, and the 405 grain starting load is 27 grains of powder.  I calculate a starting load of 28.6 grains of powder for the 350 grain bullet.  Max load for the 300 grain bullet is 35.5 grains of powder, and for the 405 grain bulloet, 31 grains of powder.   I understand that this assumes linearity, but we are also talking about low pressure loads ( approx 14,400 CUP). 

My question is, would these be safe loads to start out with, or would I be safer just using the 405 grain bullet data with the 350 grain bullet I have.

I have Hodgdon H4198, Hodgdon H4350, and Reloader 7 on hand (H4350 is the powder I am using for .243).

I also found load data for a 385 grain cast lead bullet.  Would I be better off just using that data, knowing that the lighter bullet I am using would result in a lower pressure?

Not trying to be argumentative, just explaining my reasoning and running it past the experts here.

Thanks for the feedback.

Tim

A little information can be a bad thing.  Please do not start trying to calculate start load based on caparable data without real pressure testing equipment.  Just use the data for a lead bullet heavier then the 350.  Reloading is not linear no question about it when charted the pressure increase will follow a parabola (curve).  The powders will aslo behave differently depending on the speed of burn and the bullet weight.  Most guns will never be able to take a max load without showing high chamber pressure indicators.

Interesting example is that accurate listed a load for the 378 lead as starting at 44.1 and maxing at 49.0 while the same powder as the 378 is listed for a 405 lead as a start of 48.6 and a max of 54.0.

[tcoggins]

Excellent information gentlemen.  This is why I asked the questions I asked instead of just pressing forward.  As mentioned in my first post, I am new to reloading, and want to make sure I am doing the right thing.

I'll send Hodgdon an e-mail to verify the load data.

Hopefully, I'll be able to help out a newcomer to this hobby as you folks have helped me.

Thank you.

Tim