Unique in 45-70 with the 350 grain cast

[tacotime]

Just wondering if anyone has experience loads using Unique and the 350 grain cast bullets (mine are Oregon Trail).  I see some mention 10 to 12 grains but I think they use 405 grainers. 
 
I'd like to get the 350 up to 1300 - 1400 or so, but there wouldn't be much point unless I can get the load consistently accurate in the Ruger #3.
 
Thanks.

[Larry L]

I use 12.0 grs Unique under most any weight bullet in a 45-70. The max load for a 552gr gr lead is 14.0 grs Unique so a 300 or 350 isn't much. Per Lyman manual you can use up to 17.0 grs Unique with a 385gr lead. My 300gr Lasercast come out of my H&R BC at 1100'ps for a comparison. It a lot of fun to shoot too and very accurate.

[stimpylu32]

I agree with Larry , I shoot my cast 300g over 14 grains of Unique and get right in the range of 1450 fps , very little recoil and a hoot to shoot ! 
 
stimpy

[Hairy Chest]

You have so many powders to choose from since you have a long barrel.  Why pick a powder, Unique, when you can use  medium speed powder, like IMR4198, W748 or SR4759?  Do you need mouse fart loads? 

[tacotime]

I have not gotten very good results with the other powders.  I think this rifle doesn't care that much for this particular bullet but it's the one I already have plenty of, so I want an easy and fun load for cheap, so I'm trying Unique.
 
So...  with that for the 300gr, then maybe 13 grains or so for the 350gr.

[D Garfield]

I load for 45-70 quigley  and I use 4749 and love it, I cast allof my own.
Use 330 HP up to 485 pointed.  They all shoot very good.  I load the 330hp with 31 grains, nice shooting and accurate .
 
                                                                                                                                                 Garf

[Hairy Chest]

I load with SR4759 and 420 grn LFNGC.  Great powder. 



Here I shot 5 to check the zero.  All was good. 

[Iowa Fox]

I have a very old 456192 350 grain Ideal mold. I use 13 grains of Unique with that bullet cast from WW sized to .460 or .461 depending on rifle, it gives good accuracy and doesn't beat me up.

[Lloyd Smale]

one of my favorite plink and short range whitetail loads for the 4570 is 15 grains of unique and a 350 cast.

[Graycg]

I have excellent accuracy with a rolling block with open/ sights and 350 and 405 grain cast bullets over 14 grains of unique at 100 yards they will group into 2-3.5 inches, I shoot many of these, but I also shoot the same bullets over 21 grains of 2400 and they shoot even better.  I tell you though, the 14 grain unique loads only chrono out of my 28 inch barrel at 1050 fps, while the 21 grains of 2400 are moving at 1200 fps.
 
regards,
 Graycg

[Hairy Chest]

Here's 5 shots at 200 yards.  25" of drop with the SR4759 load and wind was blowing left to right, off and on.  Powder selection also means going for an adequate power level because with heavy bullets there is drop.

[Graycg]

I get very good results with 14 grains of unique or 21 grains of 2400 over any cast bullet between 300 and 400, but the velocities are no where near 1350, more like 1150-1200 per my chrony.  Both powders are incredibly accurate, I shoot 2-4 inch groups off the bench with my tang sighted rolling block or my sharps repro.  I have aperature sights up front too, really tightens up the groups.  Do not fall into the trap of using large pistol primers because you are using pistol powders!  Large pistol primers are shorter than rifle primers and you might find yourself in misfire city!   You can shoot a hundred rounds of the above loads and not go home hurting, but load up some 300 gas checked bullets over 52-55 grains of RL-7 as I use for hunting out of my Ruger #1 and feel the push!
 
regards,
 Graycg

[Hairy Chest]

Do not fall into the trap of using large pistol primers because you are using pistol powders!  Large pistol primers are shorter than rifle primers and you might find yourself in misfire city!   
 
regards,
 Graycg

Maybe with Unique, but for a revolver large pistol magnum primers are the most accurate with SR 4759.  Now if I use your RL7 load, then yes, a rifle primer would be necessary to burn the slower powder.  Not with Unique, though.  I would like the Unique users to show their 100 yard groups in 45-70.  If the BFR revolver does best with a slower powder like SR 4759, then a rifle must do better with that powder and even slower, not faster, but you can prove me wrong!