45/70 in Ruger #1

[Darrell Davis]

OK, sorry to drag up a subject which surely must have been covered before, but I didn't find what I was looking for so ---------------------------------

Anybody out there with experience in casting for and shooting the #1 - 45/70.

I want to have some fun, but will also plan to hunt with this combination, that is providing the trade gets made.

I have had a good number of #1s over the years, and never a bad one.

They ranged from .223 to 300 Win. Mag and If I had been smarter, they would all still be in my gun rack!

Everyone of them!

Thankfully, my son still has a couple of them so they are still in the family.

Anyway, looking for a mold with a wide meplat for casting with WW and thoughts/information on cast bullets in the #!

Keep em coming!

CDOC.

[MePlat]

A 45/70 is so easy to cast for and load for there are no special needs for it.
Just pick out a flat nose bullet (one with a decent flat nose) cast with a sufficient hardness (maybe straight wheelweights I water quench mine) or Lyman #2 and start low on powder charge and work up.  Since your OAL will be governed by the lenght of the throat seat the bullet to just barley contact the rifling and then back off maybe a 32nd of an inch and go for it. 
Reloader 7 and the 4198's do very well.
I load for a sharps 1874 replica a Marlin lever gun, and encore Pistol, and a Ruger #1 in 458 Mag and a 458 Lott pistol and with a single shot crimping is not necessary.  I've never seem any wide variations in vel. while not crimping.  But I don't use a wimpy bullet weight in my 45/70's.  I like at least 400 but use a 550 gr old NEI design in my marlin  and the 2 458's.  The Marlin thrives on Reloader 7 and H4198.  So will the Ruger.
You can get maybe some more vel. from some of the slightly slower powders but do you think it really matters.
Oh yes I use the Lyman 457125 500 grainer in the sharps replica with SR4759 and it shoots very well.
Don't make something hard out of something easy.  It's not like one was talking about a varmint rifle that is going to be used for 3-400 yd varmint shooting.

[Lloyd Smale]

my #1 is a very accurate gun and all thats ever been shot in it is cast. A good starting place is the rcbs 405. It doesnt have a huge metplat but ive used it to kill game as big as a 1000lbs and it works great. It is one of those bullets that seems to shoot well in any gun and it does real well in long range shooting to boot.

[Darrell Davis]

Thanks guys!

Good to hear from folk with real life experience.

I have done limited cast bullet rifle shooting, the most being with a Marlin .44 which I shot with my Redhawk loads, so good to hear this should be an easy project.

Lloyd, you say you have shot critters up to 1000lbs with a bullet that, "doesn't have a huge meplat."

Did the bullet hit something hard and expand, or was it just the size of the hole/bullet which did the trick.

Thanks for the tip on the RCBS mold!!

Meplat, You indicate you water quench your big slugs, cast from WW.

Now I normally do this with my handgun slugs, but was thinking that maybe I should pass on the quenching in favor of a slight bit of expansion.

My normal critters to hunt - meat wise -  would be deer and elk with a possible Black bear thrown into the mix.

So, at least in the case of the deer there won't be much to slow the bullet down or cause expansion, but is it even needed, especially if I have a wide meplat?

Looked at my old RUGER catalog this morning and see the naked rifle is about 9lbs.

This Ol'Coot has shoulder problems which does not allow for carring heavy items in/on my arms for long periods of time.  I found the "Boonie" sling to be the answer with my current rifles and expect the same with the #1 - 45/70.

Gave my last #1 to my son because of the weight. Wish I had known about the Boonie sling first!

I, unlike GB have never had a bad #1. 

I have for years, floated the forearms (do the same with my bolt guns)  and in the case of the Alexander Henry, it gets cut off just aft of the grove and replaced with a nice forend tip.  This allows for continued use of the barrel band for a sling and makes the slim forearm, WAY COOL!

Also wonder about a peep as apposed to a low power scope.  Time will tell, providing the trade gets made.

Looks like the pawn shop will let it go/with Pentax scope for about $650.

Keep em coming!

CDOC

[Lloyd Smale]

The rcbs bullet has a comparitively smalll meplat but ive shot a number of animals with it casted hard and the metplat seems plenty big for quick kills.

[Darrell Davis]

Again, Thanks Lloyd.

That is good info.

Keep em coming!

CDOC

[Frank46]

Slug the barrel on your ruger #1. Mine comes out at .459 I like em a little fatter than that. Usually somewhere around .462 bought a group buy lee 6 holer from one of the honcho's on the castboolits web site. Since things are starting to cool down here a little may fire up the pot and breakin the mold and see what I get. I have some 4759 that I'm dying to try out in the 45/70. Frank

[jpuke]

I shoot the RCBS 405 grain in either wheel weights or cast of pure lead (from my brother-in-law's dental x-ray machine).  I've never shot anything with the wheel weights, I shoot the lead bullets after paper patching them - makes for an awesome projectile.  Perfect, controlled expansion and I can load them up to 2000 fps with no leading.  Either bullet shoots 2" groups at 100 yards out of my No. 1. 

I've also cast and shot a Lyman 500 grain round nose and the Gould HP but haven't thought of taking game with either of them. 

[jhalcott]

 I don't have a #1, but I shoot the 45-70 in a bolt gun and a T/C contender. I've used 300 ,405 and 420 grain cast to kill deer from them. I have an NEI pointed bullet mold that drops the 420 graiers from wheel weight alloy. It does work a bit better when I soft point it then when all WW. The large meplat does work better on animals.

[flintman]

 Intresting thread....

[shooter6br]

I use a 350g Ranch Dog with 4759 The Ruger has a short throat so you cant use some of the heavier bullets. The 45-70 is very flexible with powders. I use Universaol,4759.H322. 4064,H414,and Traiol Boss

[Darrell Davis]

Well, that #1 and I have yet to become "an item"!

Have been putting the word out about my Redlabel being for sale, but no serious interest so far.

Guess the #1s have a small and select group of lovers, or it would have long ago departed the pawn shop rack.

There is also a Marlin 45/70 at the came location, priced under 400 by a good bit, but I am, at present, still holding out for the "1".

Thanks for the posts an Keep em coming!

CDOC

[Cat Whisperer]

I have #1's in .458WM, .375H&H and .405Win.

Of note in the .458 the throat is gently tapered (compared to the .45-70 in the #1).

It might be worth one's while to run a throating reamer - to allow better cast bullet performance.

[Lloyd Smale]

get that #1 if you can. Mine is probably my favorite rifle. quote author=Darrell Davis link=topic=180135.msg1098985395#msg1098985395 date=1262534228]
Well, that #1 and I have yet to become "an item"!

Have been putting the word out about my Redlabel being for sale, but no serious interest so far.

Guess the #1s have a small and select group of lovers, or it would have long ago departed the pawn shop rack.

There is also a Marlin 45/70 at the came location, priced under 400 by a good bit, but I am, at present, still holding out for the "1".

Thanks for the posts an Keep em coming!

CDOC
[/quote]

[Darrell Davis]

Thanks Lloyd.

I have been a lover of the #1 since the first ad I saw, way back.

Everyone I have had, has been a fine shooter and something which gave me pride of ownership.

My oldest son has two of my past rifles, a 270 and a 300win mag., both VERY good shooters.

They are his go to hunting rifles and have taken a pile of game over the years.

If I had been a lot smarter, each and every one would still be in my rack today!

Keep em coming!

CDOC