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Seeking .45-70 Government

So I have a Lee kit showing up Saturday along with a book.
This is my first go-round on reloading this sort of round, so please excuse the potentially stupid question.
Everything I am reading tells me to stay away from gas checked projectiles, and stick with softer lead in the 400-405 grain projectile weight range.
What else should I look for?
 
Darksideblues42 said:
So I have a Lee kit showing up Saturday along with a book.
This is my first go-round on reloading this sort of round, so please excuse the potentially stupid question.
Everything I am reading tells me to stay away from gas checked projectiles, and stick with softer lead in the 400-405 grain projectile weight range.
What else should I look for?
Click to expand...
Lead projectiles. Trapdoor loads. Crimp isn’t super important because it’s a single shot so you don’t need to worry about the bullet moving in a tube magazine and the bullets weight 400-500 grains so the powder doesn’t require a stiff crimp to get good burn.

Bulky powders are good. Watch for double charges in that huge case.

Make sure your primers are lined up right when seating with the Lee loader or you’ll get a pop. Not a big deal but it’s loud and you’ll need new shorts.

Make sure to flare the case enough to accept the bullet. If the loader doesn’t come with a flaring tool look up how to fabricobble one or other ways like a set of needle nose pliers. The rounded outside of the jaws can flare the case just a bit.
 
Darksideblues42 said:
So I have a Lee kit showing up Saturday along with a book.
This is my first go-round on reloading this sort of round, so please excuse the potentially stupid question.
Everything I am reading tells me to stay away from gas checked projectiles, and stick with softer lead in the 400-405 grain projectile weight range.
What else should I look for?
Click to expand...
Do you have large rifle primers?
 
This is what I am looking at for projectiles.

Any issues the more experienced folks see?

425gr WFN 45-70 Hand Cast Lead bullets [45-70-425-WFP-459] - $26.81 : GT Bullets!, Fine Hand Cast Lead Bullets

GT Bullets! 425gr WFN 45-70 Hand Cast Lead bullets [45-70-425-WFP-459] - 425gr 45 caliber Flat Point plain base cast lead bullets with crimp groove to fit 45/70. Very nice plain base design is very accurate and gives all the advantages of flat point design. These are cast from 2-2-96 lead alloy...
www.gtbullets.com
 
Darksideblues42 said:
This is what I am looking at for projectiles.

Any issues the more experienced folks see?

425gr WFN 45-70 Hand Cast Lead bullets [45-70-425-WFP-459] - $26.81 : GT Bullets!, Fine Hand Cast Lead Bullets

GT Bullets! 425gr WFN 45-70 Hand Cast Lead bullets [45-70-425-WFP-459] - 425gr 45 caliber Flat Point plain base cast lead bullets with crimp groove to fit 45/70. Very nice plain base design is very accurate and gives all the advantages of flat point design. These are cast from 2-2-96 lead alloy...
www.gtbullets.com
Click to expand...
Other than sizing. You might need .461 or .462 in that rifle. Best way to tell is get a dead soft lead ball and ram it down a well lubed bore. Then check that size with a micrometer. Get a bullet .001” over size.
Or use a hollow base bullet.
 
I use the Lee 405 grain hollow base in an 1873 trapdoor. A solid bullet of .459 is too small for my rifle. Try 5744 or black powder. I don't think you'll find any Trailboss. SR4759 is discontinued but if you see any, grab it. It works great.
 
gerrycaruso said:
I use the Lee 405 grain hollow base in an 1873 trapdoor. A solid bullet of .459 is too small for my rifle. Try 5744 or black powder. I don't think you'll find any Trailboss. SR4759 is discontinued but if you see any, grab it. It works great.
Click to expand...
Since I won't be casting, would a slightly lighter projectile such as this be a decent option?

390gr WFN 45-70 hollow base cast bullets [45-70-390-HB-459] - $26.53 : GT Bullets!, Fine Hand Cast Lead Bullets

GT Bullets! 390gr WFN 45-70 hollow base cast bullets [45-70-390-HB-459] - 390 grain 45 caliber Flat Point hollow base cast lead bullets with crimp groove to fit 45/70. Very nice plain base design is very accurate and gives all the advantages of flat point design. These are cast from 2-2-96 lead...
www.gtbullets.com
 
andrew1220 said:
Good luck finding Trailboss 😂
Production stopped like a year or 2 ago if I recall
Click to expand...
I didn't even know that. I have 5 of the pound-sized (but not a pound) containers and I use that powder pretty much exclusively for .45 Colt. I don't shoot that round a hell of a lot though so my current stock of that powder should last me a few years. Hopefully Hodgdon is back up to normal production levels by then.
I've also used TB for .38spl and .45acp and it's a nice powder for mild loads. I shot a few mags of very mild .45acp using TB through one of my 100+ year old 1911's and it was a kitty in the recoil department.
 
can trailboss go through a powder measure? Or does it behave like an extruded powder? I’ve never even seen it let alone used it.
 
92G said:
can trailboss go through a powder measure? Or does it behave like an extruded powder? I’ve never even seen it let alone used it.
Click to expand...
When I first started loading with it I used Lee Dippers but that ends up being a friggin' mess. I then went to the RCBS powder measure that I've used for every other powder and while it can be a bit "crunchy" and not exactly consistent, for what I'm doing with TB it's fine.
 
Darksideblues42 said:
So I have a Lee kit showing up Saturday along with a book.
This is my first go-round on reloading this sort of round, so please excuse the potentially stupid question.
Everything I am reading tells me to stay away from gas checked projectiles, and stick with softer lead in the 400-405 grain projectile weight range.
What else should I look for?
Click to expand...
If you are using less than @ 26g of powder, use some fiberfill to keep the powder against the primer.
 
bmac10 said:
If you are using less than @ 26g of powder, use some fiberfill to keep the powder against the primer.
Click to expand...
I disagree. Filler can become a projectile that can hit the bottom of the bullet, bumping its diameter and ringing the chamber.

Use a bulky powder. Like I said before 12 grains of unique is volume for volume the same as 32 grains of H4198. It’s not about weight it’s about volume.
 
Darksideblues42 said:
Since I won't be casting, would a slightly lighter projectile such as this be a decent option?

390gr WFN 45-70 hollow base cast bullets [45-70-390-HB-459] - $26.53 : GT Bullets!, Fine Hand Cast Lead Bullets

GT Bullets! 390gr WFN 45-70 hollow base cast bullets [45-70-390-HB-459] - 390 grain 45 caliber Flat Point hollow base cast lead bullets with crimp groove to fit 45/70. Very nice plain base design is very accurate and gives all the advantages of flat point design. These are cast from 2-2-96 lead...
www.gtbullets.com
Click to expand...
I consider a 390gr bullet same as a 400 or 405gr, and would use 400gr data to load even a 385gr lead bullet. A Trapdoor will shoot best with 385gr or heavier bullets. The 45/70 is not difficult at all to get good results from unless there is something fundamentally wrong with your load. There is no need whatsoever for a gas checked cast bullet. Myself and many others have had excellent results with a bullet designed for a gas check, but not wearing one.
Like Michael said, slug your bore to make sure that it's not oversized. If it's .460 or less you can buy commercial cast bullets and expect decent results. If it is larger than .460 you can still try some jacketed bullets loaded specifically for a Trapdoor rifle, but casting would be your best option.
Reloading the 45/70 is a lot of fun. It's definitely a gateway to an obsession.
 
shootymacshootface said:
I consider a 390gr bullet same as a 400 or 405gr, and would use 400gr data to load even a 385gr lead bullet. A Trapdoor will shoot best with 385gr or heavier bullets. The 45/70 is not difficult at all to get good results from unless there is something fundamentally wrong with your load. There is no need whatsoever for a gas checked cast bullet. Myself and many others have had excellent results with a bullet designed for a gas check, but not wearing one.
Like Michael said, slug your bore to make sure that it's not oversized. If it's .460 or less you can buy commercial cast bullets and expect decent results. If it is larger than .460 you can still try some jacketed bullets loaded specifically for a Trapdoor rifle, but casting would be your best option.
Reloading the 45/70 is a lot of fun. It's definitely a gateway to an obsession.
Click to expand...
It measured out at .4593 after slugging when I had it inspected when I started this project.

I snagged the 390 grain hollow base projectiles at .459

Have some Remington primers on the way, new Starline Brass, a Lee kit, a digital powder scale, a non-marring rubber and composite hammer all on the way.

Just need a decent powder.
 
Powder is still not widely available so you may have to settle for whatever you can find, that won't blow up the old rifle. You may not find the absolute best powder, but it probably won't matter. The shooter isn't competing in a 1000 yard match. He's just trying to keep his shots in an area the size of a pie plate. His ability is a lot more important than your powder choice.
 
That hollow base sized at .459 should shoot well. The hollow base bullet I use is sized .459 and the bore of my rifle is larger than .459. I size the Lyman 457125 down to .450 and paper patch to about .464. You won't have to get into that bullshit.
 
Darksideblues42 said:
It measured out at .4593 after slugging when I had it inspected when I started this project.

I snagged the 390 grain hollow base projectiles at .459

Have some Remington primers on the way, new Starline Brass, a Lee kit, a digital powder scale, a non-marring rubber and composite hammer all on the way.

Just need a decent powder.
Click to expand...
LRP in stock at cabelas online. Free ship to store (outside MA). They a bunch of powder too

Powder:
 
gerrycaruso said:
Powder is still not widely available so you may have to settle for whatever you can find, that won't blow up the old rifle. You may not find the absolute best powder, but it probably won't matter. The shooter isn't competing in a 1000 yard match. He's just trying to keep his shots in an area the size of a pie plate. His ability is a lot more important than your powder choice.
Click to expand...
He is comparable to me in terms of shooting (see target earlier in the thread)

I just want to find the right powder to give his rounds enough oomph for the task of taking a deer or two in the course of a season.

Target velocity is 1200 fps with that projectile, should be well under the danger pressure threshold.
 

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