Joined
·
149 Posts
Where I hunt in Michigan I can legally use my 45/70 but only if I trim the brass shorter- to no longer than 1.8".
I have done this and have so far shot 4 Whitetail does with my short cased 45/70. I have been using the Hornady 325 grain FTX loaded to an overall cartridge length of about 2.56" and am using a custom Lee Factory Crimp Die to crimp the bullet to that length. As such I am not really hindered by needing to use a shorter case since my powder capacity has not been affected. I am however considering switching to using a Hard Cast lead bullet. Perhaps the 350 grain WLNGC bullet from Beartooth. I have some of those in stock. I think though that I would need to crimp that bullet in the crimp groove, thereby giving me a shorter overall length and reduced case capacity? Am I wrong? Could I use my Lee Factory Crimp Die to crimp a cast lead bullet to whatever overall length I want (within reason)?
The reason I am thinking about switching to a hard cast bullet is so that I can break a shoulder to reduce the chance of losing a deer. The Hornady FTX bullet is killing them just fine but they run off and they do not start bleeding immediately so I do fear one day losing a deer. I suspect that if I can break a shoulder while also penetrating the vitals the deer would more likely drop sooner and with the cast bullet I would not lose much shoulder meat.
So if I do switch to using a hard cast lead bullet and seat that bullet to the crimp groove how would l go about choosing a powder and charge range? I am currently using 48 grains of H4198 and a CCI 200 primer. Muzzle Velocity is right at 1900 fps from my Marlin 1895 SBL.
I have a Leupold 2-7x scope that has extra dots for longer distance aiming points. Zeroed at 100 yards the next dot is on at 150 yards and the next dot is on at 200 yards. Where I hunt my shots have so far been at 55 yards and under from the tree stand but there is an open field on the property that deer hang out in at times and shots could reach 200 yards so it has been nice with my current setup in case such an opportunity were to present itself.
I remember that gun writer John Barsness came up with some formulas on the impact of case capacity with respect to velocity but I do not remember the details. I think it was something like if case capacity is for example 10% less then velocity would be expected to be about 2.5% less. Is that correct? my case at 1.795" is 85% the case capacity of the full length 45/70 case which is 2.105" so if I remember that formula correctly I think I could expect a velocity of about 96% what I would get with a full length case.
If that is right would I just start with a reduced charge of H4198 and work up to no faster than 96% of the velocity that could be had with a full length case? I know that one can typically get a hard cast bullet to safely go faster than a copper jacketed bullet (that is at the same pressure a hard cast bullet will normally be going faster than a jacketed bullet of the same weight and seating depth).
As such I could possibly get the 350 grain hard cast bullet to go 1800 fps in the shorter case without unsafe pressures.
Anyway I would appreciate some input from folks who have either done this loading in a shortened 45/70 case or can advise me on some of these formulas. I have no desire to ruin my gun or myself and have been handloading for 40+ years safely.
I have done this and have so far shot 4 Whitetail does with my short cased 45/70. I have been using the Hornady 325 grain FTX loaded to an overall cartridge length of about 2.56" and am using a custom Lee Factory Crimp Die to crimp the bullet to that length. As such I am not really hindered by needing to use a shorter case since my powder capacity has not been affected. I am however considering switching to using a Hard Cast lead bullet. Perhaps the 350 grain WLNGC bullet from Beartooth. I have some of those in stock. I think though that I would need to crimp that bullet in the crimp groove, thereby giving me a shorter overall length and reduced case capacity? Am I wrong? Could I use my Lee Factory Crimp Die to crimp a cast lead bullet to whatever overall length I want (within reason)?
The reason I am thinking about switching to a hard cast bullet is so that I can break a shoulder to reduce the chance of losing a deer. The Hornady FTX bullet is killing them just fine but they run off and they do not start bleeding immediately so I do fear one day losing a deer. I suspect that if I can break a shoulder while also penetrating the vitals the deer would more likely drop sooner and with the cast bullet I would not lose much shoulder meat.
So if I do switch to using a hard cast lead bullet and seat that bullet to the crimp groove how would l go about choosing a powder and charge range? I am currently using 48 grains of H4198 and a CCI 200 primer. Muzzle Velocity is right at 1900 fps from my Marlin 1895 SBL.
I have a Leupold 2-7x scope that has extra dots for longer distance aiming points. Zeroed at 100 yards the next dot is on at 150 yards and the next dot is on at 200 yards. Where I hunt my shots have so far been at 55 yards and under from the tree stand but there is an open field on the property that deer hang out in at times and shots could reach 200 yards so it has been nice with my current setup in case such an opportunity were to present itself.
I remember that gun writer John Barsness came up with some formulas on the impact of case capacity with respect to velocity but I do not remember the details. I think it was something like if case capacity is for example 10% less then velocity would be expected to be about 2.5% less. Is that correct? my case at 1.795" is 85% the case capacity of the full length 45/70 case which is 2.105" so if I remember that formula correctly I think I could expect a velocity of about 96% what I would get with a full length case.
If that is right would I just start with a reduced charge of H4198 and work up to no faster than 96% of the velocity that could be had with a full length case? I know that one can typically get a hard cast bullet to safely go faster than a copper jacketed bullet (that is at the same pressure a hard cast bullet will normally be going faster than a jacketed bullet of the same weight and seating depth).
As such I could possibly get the 350 grain hard cast bullet to go 1800 fps in the shorter case without unsafe pressures.
Anyway I would appreciate some input from folks who have either done this loading in a shortened 45/70 case or can advise me on some of these formulas. I have no desire to ruin my gun or myself and have been handloading for 40+ years safely.
