Reloading suggestions for 45 (Long) Colt & 45-70

[Longbeard]

Everyone,

I'm looking for reloading suggestions for the 45 Long Colt & 45-70. I really have no interest in reloading
anything else at this point.

Guns:
45 Long Colt:
#1: Ruger new model Blackhawk (new)
#2: Marlin 1894 (new)

45-70:
#1: Marlin 1895 (new)

I am looking for:
#A: Reloading manuals, not recipes, so I can refer back to them (OA length, primer depth, etc.)
#B: Easily to find components, nothing exotic. Lead bullets only. I never saw the point of jacketed
bullets in either caliber.
#C: Suggestions on a reloading kit. I have nothing now. It needs to be small, simple & inexpensive.
I have limited time , space & money.
#D: I also need a portable work bench (Loews or Home Depot?) for reloading. I'll have to be able
to fold it up and carry it up stairs to where I live.

The loads I was looking for were:
(These basically duplicate commercial loads from Buffalo Bore.)

45 Long Colt:

255-260 grain lead flat point (Keith ?) @ 1,000 fps from the Ruger Blackhawk.

45-70:

405 grain lead flat point @ 1,300-1,600 fps

430 grain lead flat point @ 1,500-1,900 fps

(If the OAL is not too long I may later load 500 grain lead flat points.)

Thank you in advance.

Blessings,

LongBeard

Read More

 

[filsonhand]

Two excellent calibers. Hodgdon has online resources that are good, and Lee and Lyman have good paperback info.

45-70 and 300 weatherby are the two calibers that got me started

 

[Roundball58]

Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook.

Based on the reloading I've done for my 1895, the 500 grain bullets will be too long for the action.

Been awhile, but my plinking load for the 405 grain cast bullet was 12gr Unique. Going on memory, but it was in the Lyman manual.

 

[Longbeard]

Lyman Cast Bullet Handbook.

Based on the reloading I've done for my 1895, the 500 grain bullets will be too long for the action.

Been awhile, but my plinking load for the 405 grain cast bullet was 12gr Unique. Going on memory, but it was in the Lyman manual.

Thank You. That's exactly what I was looking for. I'll order one tomorrow. Jacketed bullets expand based
on velocity and neither cartridge has velocity to spare. And with one bore being .451 and the other at .458
what's the point?
I'm going to teach myself to pan for gold and how to set trap lines next year and the lever action in .45 LC
and the Ruger will be my companions. With a flip up tang sight I should be able to hit anything out to 100+
yards with great accuracy.
The 405 grain should stomp anything in the PNW while the 430 grain will be for anything beast that fights
back.

Thank You again,

LongBeard

 

[thorborg]

I loaded 45 colt for decades using lee hand loader. All you need is a hard surface and a mallet. I have made thousands of rounds this way. Mine came with simple instructions and a card for cartridge and case dimensions projectiles and suggested loads and powders.
It doesn't get any simpler, or lower cost, in loading tools. I also followed suit for .270 and 45-70. It works very well, and will save a ton of money if you decide reloading isn't your thing, you're not heavily invested.
Personally; I like 230gr by laser-cast for target which is all I really do with it, but will use whatever is lowest cost, even jacketed if the stars align, Your hand will appreciate it, and It will fly flatter, farther too. My Smith does not behave with .451 so use .452 dia. bullets. Short barrels are easy to slug to confirm size and usually can find the right fishing weight to cram down to print it using a wooden dowel . that stuff you can find online. I also like a little crimp.
I started with Unique and Bullseye which give about 800 to 820 FPS for 230gr bullet using a 7cc scoop provided. (roughly 6.4 to 6.6 grains) This works really well on its own.
`The cartridge can preform better, but venturing beyond that, you really need a scale, and a book, and do a proper work up.

 

[dangerranger60]

Unless you are trying to pack everything you own into a saddle bag I would skip the Wack a mole Lee Loader. I have used them and they work. But you can do a much better job with a full length resizing die. The Lee Loader only neck sizes. Both 45-70 and 45 colt are straight walled cases and don't take too much force to re size. You can easily do that with any single stage press. If you mount the press to a square of plywood you can clamp it to any table. it makes it very portable.
My first loading bench was an old roll away tool box. I put a plywood top on it that hung over the sides a few inches. this let me mount a press on each side and not get in the way of the drawers. It was small enough to fit in a closet when I wasn't using it. I used that through my apt. years.
You will have a hard time beating the price or weight of a Lee kit. I have had one for over 35 years. it all still works. I do own other presses. I have a Rock Chucker that I use for swaging, and a Dillion for large batches of pistol ammo. But I still use the Lee kit.

I load and shoot both 45 colt and 45-70. Both are easy to load and pretty forgiving.
I load a 405 gr hollow base bullet in the 45-70 at 1400 fps. Its not a shoulder punishing load, and is plenty accurate to 200 yds.
And I load the 45 colt with 160, 230, and 250 gr bullets. I also load 325 gr bullets in a carbine load only. I load them to the lower end of 45-70 power. [ think Trapdoor rifle loads.] The 160 and 230 bullets make good small game getters, [at 800 to 900 fps] and the 250 a great hunting round for up to deer size animals from a pistol and bigger from the carbine. Good Luck DR

 

[saxon]

Ruger new model Blackhawk so don't load to heavy as it is not the old model pre 76 ish large frame
also the nosler 250 jacked HP did great and are not all that expensive

 

[aklaunch]

You can download the Sierra load manual via a free app on your iphone.

I have lots of lever actions in many calibers. I use copper jackets. You can push the bullet faster, accuracy stays there for longer, and the barrel is easier to clean.


To each their own. I like AA2015, Benchmark, IMR 3031 and IMR 4198 for 45-70 gov.

The Lyman book mentioned above is a necessity for cast bullet students.

 

[2506]

These two things will get you were you need to be.
You said you don't want recipes, but 265gr Keith over 9.0gr of Unique is about as good as it gets. Very accurate out of my Old Model Blackhawk and my son's NM Vaquero.

 

[Longbeard]

You can download the Sierra load manual via a free app on your iphone.

I have lots of lever actions in many calibers. I use copper jackets. You can push the bullet faster, accuracy stays there for longer, and the barrel is easier to clean.


To each their own. I like AA2015, Benchmark, IMR 3031 and IMR 4198 for 45-70 gov.

The Lyman book mentioned above is a necessity for cast bullet students.

I shot a few jacketed bullets from the new barrels in case there were any machining burrs , I shot the lead bullets,
then I shot a few jacketed rounds to clean the lead out.

I'm a bit of a traditionalist so I wanted to use lead bullets and, neither cartridge has a lot
of velocity to spare and the lead bullets expand easier and at a lower velocity so I was
headed that direction.

LB

 

[No_Regerts]

Think of it this way, a 1oz 12ga slug is 430 gr. The 45-70 has a much better sectional density and will penetrate better. Because of that, I wouldn't worry about going real heavy. I use 350gr Hornady round-nose and reloader 7. Loaded and crimped on the cannelure, it feeds great out of the 1886 that I shoot it out of.

 

[Longbeard]

These two things will get you were you need to be.
You said you don't want recipes, but 265gr Keith over 9.0gr of Unique is about as good as it gets. Very accurate out of my Old Model Blackhawk and my son's NM Vaquero.

View attachment 646473 View attachment 646474

Will Unique completely fill the case at that charge? I'm also a Muzzle loader & I have drilled
into my own mind to never leave an air apace , you create a bomb like that with a muzzle loader.

The Lyman book also mentions True Blue powder.

I think... it was Mike Venturo that mentioned "scooping the case full of Unique, scraping it off, and
seating the bullet.

For bullets the catalog mentions:
Lyman #452424 @ 255 grains
Saeco/Redding #454 @ 300 grains
RCBS 452-270-SAA @ 270 grains

I'll see how they work.

LB

 

[Longbeard]

Ruger new model Blackhawk so don't load to heavy as it is not the old model pre 76 ish large frame
also the nosler 250 jacked HP did great and are not all that expensive

I'm not even that far into it and now I'm trying to reason out how to afford a single action
in 454 Casull...

LB

 

[Throckmorton]

I disagree with the new model Blackhawk being 'weaker', the new model Vaquero is, but a Blackhawk is a Blackhawk as far as I know.
"
I think... it was Mike Venturo that mentioned "scooping the case full of Unique, scraping it off, and
seating the bullet. " YIKES

SOME CAST BULLET SUPPLIERS i LIKE'
Brazos love that they sell smaller 'sample packs'
T&B in oregon,prices include shipping,
Badman bullets, great folks to buy from

 

[Longbeard]

I disagree with the new model Blackhawk being 'weaker', the new model Vaquero is, but a Blackhawk is a Blackhawk as far as I know.
"
I think... it was Mike Venturo that mentioned "scooping the case full of Unique, scraping it off, and
seating the bullet. " YIKES

SOME CAST BULLET SUPPLIERS i LIKE'
Brazos love that they sell smaller 'sample packs'
T&B in oregon,prices include shipping,
Badman bullets, great folks to buy from

Wow!
Throckmorton; that name jogged my memory!
I'm old enough that I used to listen to Throckmorton P. Guildersleeve; The Great Guildersleeve on the radio
before we got an old 12" , black and white, cabinet, tv.
The Great Gildersleeve - Wikipedia
I also used to listen to Fibber McGee & Molly (and the closet!) on the radio.
Fibber McGee and Molly - Wikipedia
Both shows are still on 860 KPAM in PDX, Saturday & Sunday evenings; you may be able to
listen on line. There are links for the show producers.
**
Regarding Unique, It was decades ago when I read that article. I can't remember if it was Bullseye
or Unique. Mike must me in his late 80's now. God bless him and keep him well.

Bless you all,

LongBeard