Who Reloads 45-70 With Black Powder?|Winchester Hunting, Shooting & Reloading|Forum|Winchester Collector

Kevin-

I think the powder is your issue, or more specifically, how you load it. Some folks prefer a drop tube instead of a compression die for optimal BP charging of the 45-70. I use both or either. You didn’t say if you were using an overpowder wad so if not I’d recommend you do. I use a .030″ vegetable wad but that is one area where almost every shooter will have a different opinion. BP needs to be compressed, the amount of compression it likes varies between powders and sometimes other factors. Also, BP is measured by volume, not weight. FFg is a good granulation to try in the 45-70. You’ll need to determine how far into your case your bullet goes when seated to the desired depth. Once have that you will need to find out how much powder it takes to fill the case to that point-including the wad. Swiss powder, for example, seems to like very little compression so you need to determine how much powder it takes to fill the case to the point where the wad is .003″ past the point where the base of the bullet will be. Then increase the amount of powder until you find a load that gives you a consistent result. Your single shot rounds will not require crimping with adequate neck tension but I suspect your Hotchkiss will require at least a light crimp to avoid pushing the bullet into the case when chambering the round. The Black Powder Cartridge Reloading Primer by Mike Venturino and Steve Garbe is a great resource for a more detailed description of the process. I see Steve has a revised edition but have no experience with it. Steve is a BPCR national champion and he taught MLV how to load for the BPCR so I can certainly recommend this book. 

In short, BP loading is very different from smokeless. My “load” will be useless to you unless we are using exactly the same components. Your load is what your rifle likes. Hopefully your Hotchkiss will like the same load your Single Shot likes. Good luck, have fun! Please let me know if you have any questions.

Mike

Not yet but it’s on my short list of things to do. Somewhere in my shop I have some 50 caliber round balls left over from a long-ago misadventure with a muzzle loader. I propose to.roll one to a smaller diameter, slightly cone-shaped cylinder. Finding the box is the first step.

Zebulon said
Not yet but it’s on my short list of things to do. Somewhere in my shop I have some 50 caliber round balls left over from a long-ago misadventure with a muzzle loader. I propose to.roll one to a smaller diameter, slightly cone-shaped cylinder. Finding the box is the first step.
  

I would get an appropriate mold and melt those down to create the proper bullet.

kevindpm61 said
I don’t think Bill is talking about using those bullets to shoot.  I think he’s talking about rolling them into a smaller size and using them to slug his barrel.
  

I agree. An easier method is to somewhat flatten a slightly smaller (.451 ball) lead ball for slugging, less drag as less lead is actually contacting the bore. Rolling a ball between two pieces of heavy iron works too. Let me know if your musket balls don’t show up, Bill. I know where mine are. 

Mike

Nice! I’ve been thinking about a screwdriver rack for my bench. I like having a regular screwdriver handy now and then but they seem to enjoy hiding at the bottom of tool boxes or drawers. 

Did you get that bore slugged?

Mike

I spent too much time making holes on a drill press. It stays set up for 500 rpm for metal and rearranging the belts is a pain. I added a couple of holes to the top when I found two more screwdrivers and did those with a high speed portable. Worked just as well. 

My gunsmithing tools are upstairs but I use Brownell Magnatips in the little red boxes that won’t stay open. Someday…….

I’m slugging the 1886 45/90 barrel first. The 86 45-70 is going downstream so no need to bother. I’ll do the Shiloh 45/70 after polishing my technique. 

I reloaded BP 45-70 for decades. Your best bet is to get a copy of Mike Venturinos Black Powder Cartridge Reloading book if you’re looking for competition rds.

if you want to reload old military type rounds then you gotta get the Wolf book ( these would be for Trapdoor Springfields of course ).

I shoot a sharps replica. I have to look up my load data, but I drop tube ~63 grains 2F goex or 1 1/2 Swiss. And use a .30 fiber wad. SPG lube or homemade equivalent. I cast a 520 gr round nose, slight crimp. The important part is to never leave a gap between your powder charge and your bullet. You can’t load too much black powder as long as there’s no air gap you’re good.

I shot the BPTR mid-range NRA matches. 

Steve,  I’m struggling with this editor for some reason. Thanks very much for your advice. I just got in Lyman’s cast bullet handbook and am going to order the black powder book you suggest.

I do have one question – where do you get black powder right now? Nobody local seems to have any? 

I just inherited a boatload of various canisters of smokeless and bought 3 pounds of RL-7, so I’m probably going to use up some of all that before trying the black stuff. But, in time, I’ve got to experience it.