Heavy lead with a smokeless.

[Leigh Clambakes]

Ever consider powder coated cast bullets?
Gardners Cache offers a few interesting offerings.

 

[Leigh Clambakes]

Here's an example...

http://gardnerscache.com/45_70_405_fp_pc.html

 

[michiganmuzzy]

My rifle is a cva optima elete 45-70 conversion with no brake. I’m just trying to match the old 405gr bp load or maybe a little more. I use imr4759 with saboted 200gr and full bore up to 300gr. I just thought the 4198 would be a better choice but I might give the 4759 a try. I think I have room to move up with the 4198 though.

Ive heard great reviews of the 4759, and bought an 8# can of it a few years ago. It doesn't show up in my QL tho.

 

[GM54-120]

More full case loads around 1800-2000fps for a 405gr-420gr. So you could sure do "full case" load of less powder such as the starting load and peak should not be an issue. I meen if peak is say...........39kpsi with a max 60gr (compressed)....surely the starting 50gr load at 1650fps wont make anywhere near 39kpsi. It will make more than the listed pressure for the starting load but i cant see it making more than the max load.

https://www.shootersreference.com/reloadingdata/45-70-government/
Benchmark
3031
Varget....looks kinda good and low peak even at max.
AA2015
4895...really nice low pressure even at max load of 55gr with a 400gr Speer.

 

[michiganmuzzy]

I have a few pounds of the 2015 and have shot a few lighter loads so far. Varget and Benchmark are out of stock nearby right now.

 

[MeatMachine]

Ive heard great reviews of the 4759, and bought an 8# can of it a few years ago. It doesn't show up in my QL tho.

It’s good stuff. I bought a 8lb and a couple 1pound jugs of it just before they stopped making it and I’m glad I did.

 

[MeatMachine]

Ever consider powder coated cast bullets?
Gardners Cache offers a few interesting offerings.

I have but haven’t done it yet.

 

[MeatMachine]

Here's an example...

http://gardnerscache.com/45_70_405_fp_pc.html

I wonder if those bullets would size down to.453 without scraping off the powder coating?

 

[michiganmuzzy]

I wonder if those bullets would size down to.453 without scraping off the powder coating?

I was wondering same. Go down in several steps and use enough lube, should be ok that way, i think.

 

[MeatMachine]

I think I’ll keep doing what I’m doing in my sml but I would like to start powder coating for my 45-70 apex so I won’t have to mess with lubing those bullets.

 

[michiganmuzzy]

I think I’ll keep doing what I’m doing in my sml but I would like to start powder coating for my 45-70 apex so I won’t have to mess with lubing those bullets.

maybe undersize them a little, then powdercoat?

 

[MeatMachine]

I could but what I’m doing now in my sml is working well for me. Today I’m going to boost my imr4198 to 30gr and see if I get some bore leading.

 

[HV-Muzzleloaders]

I wonder if those bullets would size down to.453 without scraping off the powder coating?

The hardness of the bullet is a factor. A softer bullet is less likely to lose the powder coating, because the bullet more easily changes diameter.

 

[Mnt monkey]

First trial of Varget with the 400 gr. Northern precision the bottom right scattered group is 55 grains of Varget the next group is the top left that was 56 grains to the right of that is 57 grains I'm going to tweak just a little bit up from 57 maybe 57 5 the rifle recoil is very smooth as a matter of fact one of the smoothest recoil signatures in the smokeless load that I've ever noticed very easy to shoot,, I know this thread is about big lead but since there's not many guys shooting big jacketed bullets either I'm going to just piggy back with y'all for a moment if it needs to go on a separate thread that's fine too the Varget is very smooth I'm going to have to try the fury 400 with it also

 

[Mnt monkey]

Those are 1-in dots orange dots by the way the 57 grain load is a five shot load I wish those two Rascal bullets on the bottom right would have been up there with those other three might have been me, I don't think so though,I I feel good

 

[Mnt monkey]

Okay bumped up to 57.5 now the Blackhorn load has some competition ,again this is a Paramount with the Woodman arms upgrade ,brux 1-18 twist, shooting Federal large rifle primers in a brass 209 veri-flame adapter. Very smooth really cool very little Barrel jump at all rifle just coming straight back in a smooth motion really impressed with how the rifle is reacting when you shoot a lot you notice those things the group below it was 57 already posted that was a five shot group and yes this is also 57.5 has much promise.

 

[MeatMachine]

bumped up the imr4198 to 30gr and fired five shots in a row and all shot well. Swabbed my bore with one dry patch and the bore looks mint with no leading. I haven’t done any swabbing or bore cleaning since I started shooting my 405 gr cast bullets until today.

 

[Mnt monkey]

I added five more shots to that group I think I have a new favorite pet load very easy recoil I have to check velocities in a day or two pretty decent 10 shot group for me

 

[45-70]

First trial of Varget with the 400 gr. Northern precision the bottom right scattered group is 55 grains of Varget the next group is the top left that was 56 grains to the right of that is 57 grains I'm going to tweak just a little bit up from 57 maybe 57 5 the rifle recoil is very smooth as a matter of fact one of the smoothest recoil signatures in the smokeless load that I've ever noticed very easy to shoot,, I know this thread is about big lead but since there's not many guys shooting big jacketed bullets either I'm going to just piggy back with y'all for a moment if it needs to go on a separate thread that's fine too the Varget is very smooth I'm going to have to try the fury 400 with it also

very impressed

 

[Mnt monkey]

It is the easiest load I've tried yet with the big bullet very smooth recoil, the 84 grains of Blackhorn load felt a little bit more crisp but the black one was really shooting good with the big bullet very very accurate this is going to be right there with it ,45-70 I bet you got an 18 twist Barrel sitting around somewhere you need to try this bullet and the fury 400 grain that has a similar profile I know they don't have the BC of Kyle's 350 or Luke's 350 but they got 50 more grains of weight