I have been shooting my Marlin 1895 near max with H4198 and a 350g Hornady flat points and decided to look for a light load using 300g Speer Hollow points. Anyone have a good accurate starting point for maybe 1500-1800fps? Might use them for Hillcountry whitetails but mostly just plinking with my grandson.
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Light load for 45-70?
- Thread starter Six Pack
- Start date
45-70 load for 1895 marlin
48 grains of IMR 3031 works great for me with speer and Hornady 300 gr. hollow point,
keep in mind these bullets are made to perform at 1500 to 1800 fps I used to try to push these bullets close to 2000 fps and found that faster is not always better with these big bores..
the 2nd deer I shot with my 45-70 was a brush shot at 15 yards. The deer and I both started moving at the same time and I hit it square in the right shoulder and it knocked the deer flat but it jumped up about as fast as it went down. It took 2nd shot put a stop to it. Upon checking out the shot in its shoulder I found that the hollow point bullet blew apart and did not get thru to the vitals. Since then I slowed em down a bit a haven't stopped a bullet in a dear since.
48 grains of IMR 3031 works great for me with speer and Hornady 300 gr. hollow point,
keep in mind these bullets are made to perform at 1500 to 1800 fps I used to try to push these bullets close to 2000 fps and found that faster is not always better with these big bores..
the 2nd deer I shot with my 45-70 was a brush shot at 15 yards. The deer and I both started moving at the same time and I hit it square in the right shoulder and it knocked the deer flat but it jumped up about as fast as it went down. It took 2nd shot put a stop to it. Upon checking out the shot in its shoulder I found that the hollow point bullet blew apart and did not get thru to the vitals. Since then I slowed em down a bit a haven't stopped a bullet in a dear since.
ShootistPRS
New member
56 grains of H4895 will net you about 1700 fps and it is listed as a starting load for Marlin 1895 and Winchester model 1886 lever guns. Hodgdon says you can take that load down to 37.2 without problems (60% of maximum listed charge).
Six Pack: I have been reloading for a 45-70, for a long time. And My Son and I have several Rifles in 45-70. The load we use in all of them the most is 35grs of IMR3031 with a 405gr Hard Cast LRNFP Bullet. We use this load for 95% of all our shooting of our 45-70`s. We Hunt Deer & Pigs, Cowboy Action Shoot, Shoot Steel Silhouettes, and it is just great for a all around Plinking Rifle. This load is comfortable to shoot and is very accurate for us. And it does most everything we need it to do.
ken
ken
Check out this site and the Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook.
Remember that many lighter loads can be double charged if you are sloppy.
You need to charge all cases then examine the powder level in all of them with a flashlight looking for double charges.
http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm
Remember that many lighter loads can be double charged if you are sloppy.
You need to charge all cases then examine the powder level in all of them with a flashlight looking for double charges.
http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm
m&p45acp10+1
New member
I use Trail Boss it works. I have used Red Dot though I would not do it again unless it was all I had.
My loads with 300 grain Hornady hollow points with 4198 has been around 36 grains. I didn't see if you were using Hodgedon or IMR. That is starting load for IMR. Hodgedon 4198 is 42.3 as listed roughly 1600 fps.
Also, for just plinking I don't like to spend a lot. The cast bullets shoot well in my Marlin. 405 grainers as listed before my post despite 1200 fps were the same basic ballistics the US army developed back in the trapdoor days. Enough for bison, so should dispatch a whitetail easily. Plus if you get a Lyman or Lee mould and smelting pot, it's much much cheaper and you can plink even more.
Also, for just plinking I don't like to spend a lot. The cast bullets shoot well in my Marlin. 405 grainers as listed before my post despite 1200 fps were the same basic ballistics the US army developed back in the trapdoor days. Enough for bison, so should dispatch a whitetail easily. Plus if you get a Lyman or Lee mould and smelting pot, it's much much cheaper and you can plink even more.
Win brass, Fed 210 primer., Marlin guide gun, factory replication loads.
Win 300 gn factory = 1770 fps
Rem 300 gn jhp, 2.540 col
47.0 gns H4198 = 1790 fps very good accuracy
45.0 gns IMR-4198 = 1750 fps, excellent accuracy
54.0 gns h-322 = 1800 fps, decent to very good accuracy
Win 300 gn factory = 1770 fps
Rem 300 gn jhp, 2.540 col
47.0 gns H4198 = 1790 fps very good accuracy
45.0 gns IMR-4198 = 1750 fps, excellent accuracy
54.0 gns h-322 = 1800 fps, decent to very good accuracy
28 gr of 4198 using a hard cast 405 gr rnfp shoots about 1230 fps out of my 1884 TD.
This load gives you the same velocity of the original 405 BP Load for the 45-70. I found it to be exceptionally accurate in both my Brown 1895 High Wall and my '73 Trapdoor.
This load is safe in the old Springfield Trapdoors, (assuming they are in good shape), plus it's mild shooting when using these guns with the steel butt plate.
The only difference I add to Road Clam's load, is I put a 45 cal. veg. fiber wad over my powder so that the powder sets consistently in the case for each round, no matter the angle I'm shooting. You'll notice this in long range practicing such as the Creedmoor Matches (800,900, 1000 yards).
Note: The Creedmoor Matches require BP, but the 4198 is good for practicing as it uses the same sight settings as my BP loads.
kraigwy said:The only difference I add to Road Clam's load, is I put a 45 cal. veg. fiber wad over my powder so that the powder sets consistently in the case for each round, no matter the angle I'm shooting.
Last couple times I shot your suggested load I did notice a few un-burnt powder kernels in the chamber of my TD. I am going to start wadding the charged cases as well. I got some 1/2" polyfill batting from Walmart.
For a light load I use trail boss and a 45 caliber round ball... I they are made for pistols so they are a little small unless you order them larger. http://hunters-supply.com/shop/cheap-shooting-balls-c-54.html?osCsid=3g1mja1dmjv6cbetc1i9m28kb2 has .458 caliber round balls.
I load them over tail boss. They move about 1000 fps and are super quiet and super low recoil.
I load them over tail boss. They move about 1000 fps and are super quiet and super low recoil.
There is a real good reference for light 45-70 loads at gmdr.com. I shoot one of their 1,175 fps loads in my 22" 1895 using 300 gr. RNFP over 15.0 gr. of HS-6. Can shoot these all day long and reload them economically. Great plinking loads. I don't hunt, so I shoot these at paper and steel. With a Limbsaver pad on my 1895, these are real enjoyable loads. Cheers!