Powder recommendations for .45-70

36general

36general

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Just getting ready to load for my Marlin 1895 in .45-70. Hoping that you guys can recommend powders for loading with 405gr lead. I've read that some Accurate Arms powders work excellent, but I can't find those powders anywhere..

The gun will primarily be used for white tail deer here in Ohio. So no need to hotrod the load. I assume a 405gr slug at 1600fps should work just fine :)

Thanks in advance,
 
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I powder coat a 405 and kick it into orbit with imr 3031
reloader 7 worked out pretty well too.

ever see pictures of old western cowboys and notice how they never smile?
something about spending the day with an equine crammed between your legs and firing one of these just might have something to do with that.
 
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Over the years I have used IMR4895, 4198, 4227, 3031, and RL7, all to great effect. The .45-70 with a 405 bullets seems to be a very forgiving cartridge. Lately I have been using 777 FFg, though not quite as accurate or powerful as the smokeless powders it's plenty good for shots under 100 yards which in Southern Ohio where I deer hunt is about as farther than you can see a deer through the trees. I just like the big fluffy clouds of white smoke.
 
All of my .45-70 rifles (and .45-90, .45 Sharps Express, and a few others) were manufactured between 1873 and 1900, well before smokeless powders came into general use. So I tend to treat them gently and load very conservatively. I use cast bullets exclusively in weights from 340 grains to 500 grains. Two powders have proven to be very useful for just about everything, those being IMR-4198 and IMR-3031. Both meter very accurately from my old Lachmiller powder measure.

Even with modest loads the .45-70 is very effective on any North American game. The 500-grain bullet at 1100FPS muzzle velocity will shoot through a 600 lb. elk from end to end. The 340 and 405 grain bullets at 1300-1400FPS put down deer and elk like lightening bolts. There is just no reason to push the upper limits of performance, in my opinion. Enough is enough, and a modest load in the .45-70 is more than enough for just about anything that walks.
 
My Marlin 1895 really likes H4895. I do use the Speer 400 gr JSP. Very accurate in the Marlin at about 1780 fps. It's a fine Elk load out to about 150 yards - my self imposed max with the gun.
 
Back when I had an 1895, I used IMR 4198. Any propellant in the medium to fast burning rate range will be best - 4198 or 3031 would be my choice.
 
Haven't loaded 45/70 in a while, but when I did I had good results with 3031 and 5744.
 
Always had great success in my Marlin's with H4198 and H322. I am 100% certain the IMR 4198 would work well too. In the Accurate line look at 2015 for regular loads and 5744 for lighter loads.

Mark in GA
 
For stouter loads I use IMR 4198. For puff loads I enjoy Unique.
 
As stated before

RL-7 4198 5744 3031 and 4895. Now I just gotta say. for whitetail deer in Ohio. you really don't NEED 400 gr bullets. Hornady has a very good 300 gr HP or they also have a 350 gr SP..or did. that is what I load for my black timber hunting. Heck the longest shot I will get even on an elk will be 80 yds....in the black timber. I have a tendency to use RL-7 and 4198 mainly cause I have a lot of it..5744 is so expensive I keep it for the Savage Smokeless powder muzzleloader...which I have shot quite a few deer with. 3031 would be my next choice in the 45-70. Someone gave me 90 lbs of 45-70 cast sized lubed bullets so I use them for playing around. They all shoot well out of my Ballard rifled 1895..most did not shoot well out of the microgroove gun..except the Gould HP bullet..so I sold it and got the CB gun with traditional rifling. I shot one deer with the Gould bullet out of my Contender Thank You Jesus gun. I called it TYJ gun cause you wanted to thank Him after shooting a few rounds at the range.. I didn't mind recoil in the past..but then I didn't know what recoil REALLY was.
 
Mild to Wild 45-70

I have used (from mild to wild) Unique, Universal, 4759, H322, Varget 3031, I use a 350 g cast Ranchdog. I get 1500fps with H322 wityh Ruger #1 45-70
 

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Skeet 028 said:
RL-7 4198 5744 3031 and 4895. Now I just gotta say. for whitetail deer in Ohio. you really don't NEED 400 gr bullets. Hornady has a very good 300 gr HP or they also have a 350 gr SP..or did. that is what I load for my black timber hunting. Heck the longest shot I will get even on an elk will be 80 yds....in the black timber. I have a tendency to use RL-7 and 4198 mainly cause I have a lot of it..5744 is so expensive I keep it for the Savage Smokeless powder muzzleloader...which I have shot quite a few deer with. 3031 would be my next choice in the 45-70. Someone gave me 90 lbs of 45-70 cast sized lubed bullets so I use them for playing around. They all shoot well out of my Ballard rifled 1895..most did not shoot well out of the microgroove gun..except the Gould HP bullet..so I sold it and got the CB gun with traditional rifling. I shot one deer with the Gould bullet out of my Contender Thank You Jesus gun. I called it TYJ gun cause you wanted to thank Him after shooting a few rounds at the range.. I didn't mind recoil in the past..but then I didn't know what recoil REALLY was.
Click to expand...

that's a valid way of looking at it ...
another way is to embrace it's ability to spit cast lead to epic effect, arguably with little to nothing given up to a jacketed offering.
I LOVE the cartridge for that:D
 
I had an earlier M1895 Marlin, I think from around the mid-1970s. It had a bore with lots of lands and grooves, sort of like their Microgroove rifling. As I remember, it did not handle lead bullets very well, but was OK with jacketed bullets. I think a little later, Marlin changed the rifling to a style more suitable for using cast bullets. For Ohio deer hunting, which someone here discussed awhile back, rifles must have straight cases and no more than three rounds capacity. In which case, a .45-70 would be the ideal choice. For Ohio deer, lead bullets at black powder velocities should work just as well as jacketed at the short ranges involved. Remember, millions of Buffalo were killed with black powder trapdoor military Springfield rifles in .50-70 and .45-70.
 
venomballistics said:
I powder coat a 405 and kick it into orbit with imr 3031
reloader 7 worked out pretty well too.

ever see pictures of old western cowboys and notice how they never smile?
something about spending the day with an equine crammed between your legs and firing one of these just might have something to do with that.
Click to expand...

I hate to start another 45x70 thread. I traded for a buffalo classic 32 inch with a M.B. a few years ago but never shot it. I am going to scope it and shoot 200 yard targets on the bench. What weight bullet & powder would work best for this for accuracy? If it wont shoot at least a 3 inch group I probably don't need it. Thanks--
 
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4barrel said:
I hate to start another 45x70 thread. I traded for a buffalo classic 32 inch with a few years ago but never shot it. I am going to scope it and shoot 200 yard targets on the bench. What weight bullet & powder would work best for this for accuracy? If it wont shoot at least a 3 inch group I probably don't need it. Thanks--
Click to expand...

With most cartridges I'd agree with your course of action.
This one is a little special.
Just load up some 405 lead, traditional lube or coated, and try it out as is.
Let this one speak to you and listen to what the lady wants to be before you force it into a role .
I opted out of the optics and built a flip up rear with 1903 Springfield surplus parts.
Zen begins at 300 and keeps on for as long as you have elevation to dial in.
 
I will tell you what powder NOT to use. Back when I started reloading for my Ruger #3 in .45-70, (a 6.5 lb. rifle, with a curved buttplate) I noticed in the old Speer manual, that they had data for 2400 using the 350 gr. Sierra SP bullet. I tried a load that would sail that slug at around 1800 fps., and let me tell you, I found out what "sharp" recoil was. From a sitting position, I think my butt scooted across the ground a little. I think we shot about 5 of them. I went home and pulled the bullets and reloaded the cases with IMR4198 or 4064, which was much more pleasant. 2400 is too fast for that big straight wall case, unless you just like punishment.
 
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If you go with 4198, The H version has somewhat smaller grains so it meters better.
It also is more temperature stable than IMR.
I have used both and the H4198 may be a tad slower as well.
Almost all recipes add a grain or 2 over the IMR4198.
I have switched to the Hodgdon permanently.

===
Nemo
 
Thanks for all the input guys! I have some 4895.. I'll give that a try. I'll also keep my eyes open for some 3031. The bullets I have are 405gr coated lead from SNS casting. With the newer standard rifling in Marlins, I hope these will perform well :)

Thanks again everyone.
 
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