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Load for lighter 45-70 bullet (Read 1314 times)

boats Frequent Elocutionist Offline Posts: 7760 Location: Virginia Joined: Apr 23^rd, 2004	Re: Load for lighter 45-70 bullet Reply #15 - Sep 4^th, 2026 at 6:36am	Print Post
	Before good reproductions were available (excepting unobtainable Sharps) matches in my area were shot with a mix of originals, good number were Trapdoors. Offhand match on 200 yard steel swingers was 40 shot's. With sighters and shoot offs 50 shots typical. Government carbine bullet 405 grains most often used but some of the best shooters used a 330 grain out of a Rapine mold that duplicated a typical lever action 45/70 cartridge . Powder always Pistol, Unique or similar, no wads or fillers. Right at sub sonic velocity. It was accurate as long as the rifle was mounted consistently. Low recoil made a real difference end of long strings with an unaltered Trapdoor particularly in shoot off’s. I did switch to the 405 at longer ranges, up to 500 yards and once at 1000. Boats
	« Last Edit: Sep 9^th, 2026 at 8:30pm by boats »

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Pepperpete Participating Member Offline Posts: 10 Joined: Aug 19^th, 2018	Re: Load for lighter 45-70 bullet Reply #16 - Sep 4^th, 2026 at 7:59pm	Print Post
	oneatatime wrote on Sep 1^st, 2026 at 2:19pm: Switching from a 500-grain to a 400-grain bullet at the exact same velocity reduces free recoil energy by roughly 30% to 36%. Energy Drop: Recoil energy scales with the square of momentum. This means a 20% drop in total ejecta momentum results in roughly a 30% to 36% reduction in the actual kick hitting your shoulder. Thank you for that. I didn't realise the reduction in recoil energy would be so dramatic. I'm off to the range soon to try 55gr FFg under my 420gr round nose projectiles. Will report back. Cheers Pete


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Pepperpete Participating Member Offline Posts: 10 Joined: Aug 19^th, 2018	Re: Load for lighter 45-70 bullet Reply #17 - Oct 1^st, 2026 at 10:49pm	Print Post
	I finally have something. After missing several range days due to weather and family commitments I was able to get to the last BP silhouette match. So, while optimistic but somewhat unprepared, I 'tested' two loads 1. 55gr 2Fg + filler and 2. 62gr 2Fg(no filler) out to 100m and and 200m. I can report that the 55gr was very comfortable to shoot and quite accurate at both 100m and 200m with 8/10 dings. While the recoil on 62gr 2Fg was acceptable I only managed 4 dings out of 10 shots. Overall pleased with the reduced load plus filler. Still more work needed to fine tune both loads and settings and, of course I'll need to see what happens at longer ranges. Thanks for your interest. Pete


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JHand Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 289 Joined: Apr 15^th, 2024	Re: Load for lighter 45-70 bullet Reply #18 - yesterday at 12:56am	Print Post
	Pepperpete wrote on Oct 1^st, 2026 at 10:49pm: I finally have something. After missing several range days due to weather and family commitments I was able to get to the last BP silhouette match. So, while optimistic but somewhat unprepared, I 'tested' two loads 1. 55gr 2Fg + filler and 2. 62gr 2Fg(no filler) out to 100m and and 200m. I can report that the 55gr was very comfortable to shoot and quite accurate at both 100m and 200m with 8/10 dings. While the recoil on 62gr 2Fg was acceptable I only managed 4 dings out of 10 shots. Overall pleased with the reduced load plus filler. Still more work needed to fine tune both loads and settings and, of course I'll need to see what happens at longer ranges. Thanks for your interest. Pete What did you use for a filler?


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RJ-35-40 Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 394 Location: Saint Augustine Joined: Dec 7^th, 2016	Re: Load for lighter 45-70 bullet Reply #19 - yesterday at 3:12pm	Print Post
	I'm with Pete, A 45-70 should be re named 'The "punisher' even with 405 grain loads. What I'd like to see, if anyone can offer, is a mouse fart Gallery Load for the 45-70 still shooting BP.... I'm looking for a light bullet suggestion that is still conical. I was ready to swap out my barrel for either a reline, preserving the octagon or a new barrel for a 32 of some variant. I have a real eye problem due to recoil plus I just can't "see" to shooting boomers any more, THX in advance for the recommendations. Bob in Saint Augustine. Pepperpete wrote on Aug 29^th, 2026 at 1:25am: I have been shooting my 1885 High Wall 45-70 using 520gr cast bullets over 64gr FFFg Wano black with reasonable success, but in an attempt to reduce recoil I'm thinking of trying a 420gr conical cast bullet to see if that helps. Also wondering if maybe reducing the powder load would also reduce recoil to a more acceptable level (for me). Does anyone have any experience using these lighter lead bullets? Any thoughts would be appreciated


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1Hawkeye Senior Forum Member Offline Posts: 293 Location: South end of Northern Virginia Joined: Jun 29^th, 2019	Re: Load for lighter 45-70 bullet Reply #20 - yesterday at 7:30pm	Print Post
	If you want to stay with bp you'll have to do a lot of testing to find a lighter bullet that will be accurate. Black needs to be compressed to give a proper burn and going lighter than the 405gr carbine load is going to take some work. Switching to unique with no fillers is the easy answer. I shoot with Boats at the same matches but I'm using a 330gr with 40grs of IMR3031 which duplicates a original Winchester load from the 1890's @ 1335 fps recoil isn't bad and I use the same load for the buffalo target which is at 500 yards. If you're not interested in distance then you can try a lyman collar button bullet with about 9grs of bp that duplicates the old ideal gallery load.


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