BravoWhiskey
Inactive
First post for this black powder rookie. I've been shooting my '61 Navy percussion revolver for awhile, and got so enamored of it, I've moved up to black powder cartridge rifle. I've shot now about a hundred rounds of (expensive) store bought rounds in my new .45-70 Sharps Sporting #3. My best 4-shot grouping was 3" at 150 yards, but lately I'm scattering them around several inches or more at 100 yards. I want to start loading BP and push my distance out to 300 yards, then to 650. Eventually I'd like to consider a trip to Montana to try my hand at the 1,000.
Now I've collected 100 cases, time to start reloading. To practice, I've purchased a Lyman T-Mag kit and have loaded several batches of .38's and .357's for my Smithy-Westie 686. Not sure, though, on where to start and on what variables to test first on loading for my .45-70.
I've gathered up a couple of lbs of 1/2 Fg, Ffg, and Fffg Swiss powder, 50 .459" RN 520 gr lubed bullets, 50 .459" Creedmore-style 545 gr. lubed bullets, and .030" vegetable fiber wads. I'm going to use Federal Large Magnum Pistol primers until I can locate some Fed 215's (is this okay?). Should I start with shooting 25 each of the 520 grain and 545 grain bullets with everything else constant (using 1/2Fg), and next change up the powder? Once I get the 215 primers, will this screw up the load data I have already acquired. Not sure the most efficient way to get started on this and wanted expert advice.
Semper Fi,
1/23 Marines, Al Anbar 04-05
Now I've collected 100 cases, time to start reloading. To practice, I've purchased a Lyman T-Mag kit and have loaded several batches of .38's and .357's for my Smithy-Westie 686. Not sure, though, on where to start and on what variables to test first on loading for my .45-70.
I've gathered up a couple of lbs of 1/2 Fg, Ffg, and Fffg Swiss powder, 50 .459" RN 520 gr lubed bullets, 50 .459" Creedmore-style 545 gr. lubed bullets, and .030" vegetable fiber wads. I'm going to use Federal Large Magnum Pistol primers until I can locate some Fed 215's (is this okay?). Should I start with shooting 25 each of the 520 grain and 545 grain bullets with everything else constant (using 1/2Fg), and next change up the powder? Once I get the 215 primers, will this screw up the load data I have already acquired. Not sure the most efficient way to get started on this and wanted expert advice.
Semper Fi,
1/23 Marines, Al Anbar 04-05