Re: My New LONG RANGE rifle
<div class="ubbcode-block"><div class="ubbcode-header">Originally Posted By: BKSSNIPER</div><div class="ubbcode-body"> They say it is, I don't know that I would want to. There is a man that has rechambered one of his to 45-120 and shoots it.
The 300 grain is all they had around here the other day/ Am trying to get organized to set up my reloading stuff to play with it. Supposed you can shoot a 45 caliber muzzle loader ball with about 6 grains of reddot and it makes a neat plinking load out to around 50 yards.
I have a Marlin Guide Gun in 45-70 and that is what sold me on the caliber. I have also ordered one of the Marlin 1895 SBL rifles, waiting on it to come in.
I want a Sharps one day too but ain't got no patience to save the money and the wife always fins something to spend my rathole money on... </div></div>
The 45-70 is my all time favorite cartridge. For your Gallery Load you should start out with 3.0 grains of Red Dot. In my rifles I shoot 3.5 grains of Red Dot. With the longer barrel the load makes almost no sound at all. As a matter of fact you actually hear the hammer drop. And the dropping hammer is louder than the load. Two things to watch when loading a gallery load. 1. I use a Dacron filler, you need to make sure the powder is at the bottom of the case with the primer. This is essential-you can create real problems if you do not do that. 2. Properly seating the ball. I seat the ball where the ball is level with the top of the case rim mouth, then I apply just enough crimp to maintain the ball in position.
When developing a Gallery load you want just enough powder for the ball to clear the barrel every time. 3.0 grains will be enough in shorter Marlin barrels, but in you longer barrel it usualy takes 3.5 grains, or slightly more.
I use my gallery load for small game hunting while I am deer hunting. You can shoot about any small game out to 40 or 50 yards with zero noise, so you can eat grouse during deer season, without affecting your deer hunting.
For your standard load try a 405 grain cast bullet(I cast my own) over 40.0 grains of RL7. This will yield roughly 1600 fps in your rifle. This load is more than adequate to kill buffalo, yet milder on your shoulder than the harder hitting loads. I can cast and load over 500 rounds for less than $100. That is the real beauty of the 45-70. Tom.
