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.45-70

What do you think?

Very nice.....Have you shot it much yet?

Please elaborate. I'm about a year into tuning a 45-90 Sharps Long Range Express. Got a Brooks 545 gr Creedmore mould coming for Christmas. A tang sight on that unit would give one a loooonng sight plane. They are scary accurate. Have fun, 1Minute

What do I think? I think that'll work! Loaded properly, the 45-70 is far and away the best cartridge going. You did well, my friend.

I have added a mid range Soule tang sight and a front globe sight. I have shot it some, but I'm just getting used to it and I am trying to work up some loads for it. Useing smokeless powder for now. I'm not expereinced loading with BP yet, but I'm doing the research.

If you set your hat brim down all the luck will fall out of it.

Sweet rifle Jim. Congrats on such a nice piece of gear! Looking forward to range reports and hunting reports!

I like the hat as much as the rifle. I am sure your Sharps will shoot as good as it looks.

Doc

Pedersoli,.....What?

GTC

What are the load parameters on a new production "Sharps" replica like this? I would love to get one but not sure where they fit in for loading. I've had a Marlin lever gun and own a Ruger #1. I know you don't load it like a Ruger but I'm sure it is stronger than the old trapdoors.

Oh and by the way, that is one sweet gun. Makes me want to put Quigley in the DVD player again......

The Sharps company is fine with smokeless loads in the 45-70. They discourage smokeless in 45-90's and up, but some insist on going that route with units up to 45-120's. With black powder, if one can get it in the cartridge and seat the slug, he is good to go. In good hands, they are scary accurate. I'm still in the learning phases with my 45-90, and never dreamed that I'd be able to do MOA groups with iron sights.

This rifle is a Pedersoli siouette rifle. 32 " barrel with a 1/18 twist. The load parameters are pressure under 29,000 CUP/psi. Which is good actually. The load I use with .405 grain Laser cast bullets is 35 grains of IMR 4198. It's about 1400 fps and about 17.0000 CUP/psi.

But I'm still learning.

JimZ: I don't know what the Peder.. folks suggest for their units.
I'm going from memory here, but I think it was the August 2007 issue of Handloader that had an excellent article on loading the 45-70 with a focus on the Marlin 1895's. The article was several pages long and listed a huge number of loads, slugs, powders etc along with pressures generated for each. Actually the tables were broken down into about 4 or 5 pressure categories. I loaned mine to a buddy a couple weeks ago. He called them and for $10 has his own copy on the way.

That article was far superior to the loading info I see in any of my manuals. One might surf them up and give them a call.

1min.

Thanks for the heads up. I actually have that article and used it to formulate my load. I alos used the Lyman manual.

Once you start shooting black powder you will be hooked. Very rewarding and lots of fun!

Here is the rifle with new sights. Soule tang sight and front globe sight.

I have not seen it mentioned so may i suggest a book, Loading the Black Powder Rifle Cartridge. The author is a gent by the name of Paul Matthews.If you want to shoot BPC you will find much in there to get you started. I shoot the same rifle and once you find the load it wants that Sharps will amaze you. I use the 500gr Postell bullet and load either straight goex cartridge or a duplex load with 10% Sr 4759. Good luck and Borealis Bob is correct its addictive.

That longer sight plane will definitely facilitate accuracy. Have fun.

Just got a 545 grain Creedmore mould for Christmas. I've got to get off my butt here.

JimZ,
Very nice rifle indeed, I have been in love with the 45/70 for 43 years now and am still learning! Good luck with yours and God bless