Saturday, May 21, 2016

Friend picked up a .45-70 a while ago,

and I've been looking up load information for it.

Bleep.

Black powder and smokeless, talk about an embarrassment of riches.  And when you touch on black, do a search for 'black powder bullet lube'.  Go on, I dare you. 

Be interesting when he gets some brass and starts loading for it.
(No, I am not sitting here looking at one and hiding it, it really is a friend.  I've done some casting and load help for him before, so there.)

8 comments:

mark leigh said...

My brother shoots a 45-70 or at least did. Ill ask him for sources. Nice rifle BTW.

B said...

You'll find that the 45-70 is very picky on loads for a given bullet. More sensitive than a lot of rifle/calibers, really. Even 2 tenths of a grain can hugely affect accuracy.

mark leigh said...

The name says it all, well kinda, 45 caliber round - 70 grains FF powder. Ken recommends loading 2 grains smokeless at the base than 65-68 grains BP. You might have to go the dead-tree route to find tables.

Firehand said...

Mark, thanks.

B, that's what I've picked up. He and I may have some serious experimenting ahead. It's kind of fascinating to look through all this, in a time-consuming way. Speaking of, questions on the load you mentioned before:
How many wraps of notebook paper? Wet or dry?
Any problems running that through a sizer?
And .500 cardboard? a full half-inch, or number in the wrong place?

B said...

3 wraps. wet (I use spit or a mix of water with a bit of sugar or honey). Tuck the end in and let 'em dry overnight. I have a friend who uses 7 up. Not soaking wet, just a tiny bit (should curl but not tear). Takes a bit of work to get the "feel". Should just touch all the way round (the end of the wrap should just be where you started). Generally cut at an angle. (I can send you pics if you want).

Lube first, then size. I use vaseline melted into Beeswax. around 70% beeswax. Melt then stir together pour into a jar. A few ounces will last your forever plus two years. Like Brylcream, "a little dab will do ya"


No, shirt cardboard or the back of a legal pad cut with a .500 hole punch on a piece of end grain wood..... It will wrinkle just enough to set into the case evenly and hold your powder tight.I hear felt works too, but haven't tried it. .500 diameter round weatherstripping works too to fill the case. Cut it long enough so it is just slightly compressed when the bullet is seated. Makes the powder fit right up against the primer.

Try finding and reading "The Paper Jacket". Can't remember the author and can't find my copy right now.

Feel free to email me if you have questions.

B said...

http://smile.amazon.com/Paper-Jacket-Paul-Matthews/dp/1879356023/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1464052151&sr=1-1&keywords=the+paper+jacket

Firehand said...

Ok, .5" diameter. And since smokeless doesn't have the same 'no space between powder and bullet' restriction as black, that's not a concern.

I've seen that book mentioned several times, hadn't tried to look it up yet, thanks again.

B said...

Keeping the powder tight does seem to close up your groups.

Just sayin'