Firing .410 shotshells in a 45-70?

A

AEM

New member
It was suggested in a "survival" website that .410 shotshells can be fired in a 45-70 for small game. I haven't compared the dimensions yet but the shotshell would certainly produce less chamber pressure than the rifle cartridge. The rifling would disturb the shot pattern, of course, but at close range it might not be important.

Does anyone know if this is feasible? It might be fun!
 
The 45/70 is a tapered cartridge, just over .50" at the base, the .410 is cylindrical, about .47" (which is why it chambers well in the .45) - The brass cartridge's rim is also a little wider than the shotshell. It will chamber, the 2" .410 may even load from a tubular magazine (sometimes) and I've found that the rim will hold just enough for the firing pin to be effective. The small 'paly' splits the .410 base and can probably send part of the plastic case down the barrel. That would cause a dangerous situation!. I guess it would do in a survival situation but don't think its a good idea. On the other hand empty 45/70 cases have a lot of room for making up a shot load, if you wanted to go that way.

Peter Knight
 
Thanks, Peter.

It probably would be better to make shot loads in 45-70 cases. I have an old article by John Wooters, written in the early 70s, with his 45-70 shotshell load information. I've never tried it--if you have any info on making up 45-70 shotshells I would be inter ested.

Another 45-70 load I would love to make would be a lead bullet small game load with 45 Colt or 45 ACP ballistics. The tricky part is filling all that empty case space.
 
C.E. Harris has some writings about using 13grns of red dot with no filler for plinking rounds in a 45/70.. Also read about a Unique load with about 10? grns. I haven't got around to trying either, but the Red dot sounds good the well tested. The 13grns was his pet plinking load for most large cases above 308 with standard to heavy weight bullets.

Always looking for a way to stretch my shooting dollars.

Be safe.

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lasciate ogni speranza, voi ch'entrate
 
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