Home Forums Reloading Bullet Casting Cast bullet rifle loads with Unique

At one point I had made some plinking 45/70 loads using Unique and cast 360 grain bullets. Several years have gone by and I no longer can find the load I used. As I recall it was about 14 grains. Does anyone have data they would share? I would also appreciate data for the 348 Winchester using Unique and 220 cast bullets. Again, just mild loads to enjoy shooting.

Thanks

Generally 3 action strength grades are provided in most manuals in the 45-70. I think it would be helpful if you provided that info before asking about specific recipes. For all we know you may have a trapdoor or Ballard, and 14 gr of Unique can be a Darwin award winner.

Sorry, the 45/70 is a modern Marlin 1885. The 348 is a Winchester 71.

Thanks

Oh hell, in the .45-70, you are golden with 14 gr Unique and a 360. Now, in a group 1 action, 14 gr Unique, Starline brass and a hard alloy, it is risky... I wonder if there is any cartridge worse than the 45-70 when it comes to internal volume, late Winchester is 30 or 40 grains lighter than the stout ass cases that Starline sells, Remington is all over the scale depending on year of production. Details, details. Digital Dan and Gnoahhh are the gurus on this schidt. I'm a greenhorn on the mighty .348. But, my friend who has several, whom I just emailed, says his go to load is right out of Ken Waters...170 gr Lyman cast, and 54 grains of 4831, yes, not a typo, 54 gr of 4831. About 2,000 fps. Hope this helps.

I shoot 15gr. of Unique in my .35 Whelen with 220-225gr. bullet, the load is mild and accurate. I would assume 15gr. in a Win. M/71 .348 with 220gr. bullets would also be a good load.

Thank you for the replies. Anyone else with experience using Unique for this purpose please share your experience.

I use 9.4 gr Unique and a 405 gr PC'ed bullet for plinking. Won't go into why I stumbled across this combination, but it turned out to be super accurate and is subsonic. About 14 gr should duplicate old black powder velocities.

13-14gn with 405gn cast.

15gn for tooth and claw.

Never fiddled with plinking loads for the .45-70. Don’t have any Unique either.

Is that unique?

BOOM!

I have used 13 grains under both 330 and 405 grain cast. Pretty sure that the load came from some Handloader article.

Both were pleasant to shoot and pretty accurate for plinkers. This was in a Marlin 1895 guide gun.

10 Grains of unique under a 405gr. This is a great social load and accurate out to 600 in my BPCR rifle.

I haven’t tried Unique in the 45-70, been using Blue Dot for “plinking loads” and IMR 4227 for bone jarrers. 330gr and 500 gr cast and powder coated bullets.

Now getting a little off topic… But, I’ve had really good success with 10 gr or Unique in my 450 Bushmaster. I’m using poly fill to hold it against the primer because they are more consistent and I’m using small pistol primers.

Are you guys using any filler or wad with your loads of Unique in 45-70? Are they necessary or recommended?

Two advantages of Dacron fluffy fill or even better in the 45-70, poly insulation rods cut to length. 1. Adds consistency to ignition thus accuracy. 2. You have to look into the case to stuff it in. Highly advised when loading 14 grains of pistol powder sort of loads.

Hercules and now Alliant do not recommend any type of filler or powder positioner with Unique. It has been continuously on the market since 1900.

I once saw some plinker rifle loads for 45/70 and others with titegroup. I'm wondering how it would do without any kind of filler since it's supposed to be designed for light charged in large cases to not be positional?

A local shop just got some Blue dot, unique, and green dot in. They want $54/pound for the alliant stuff so I'm wondering if other pistol powders would work for pinker loads. I've got a bunch of lee 340g .458 bullets casted and coated and would like a good pinker load to shoot them up with. I'd prefer not to use a filler.

Bb

Since Unique was designed in 1900ish just for a smokeless alternative for full case black powder loads at the turn of the last century it seems it would be the best choice...but a lot of guys just insist on using modern shotgun and pistol powders that were NEVER designed to be used in large volume cases...enter the filler theories crowd. Of three fine old Scheutzen rifles and a Ballard I have personally seen with ringed chambers.. three had used fillers...2 cream o wheat and 1 toilet paper...and cotton balls. The debate rages on, years later but in my antiques..Unique every time.
By the way...in the .45-70..a universal plinking load of great accuracy should be found with your 340 gr cast and just enough Unique to propel them at subsonic velocity (somewhere from 10 to 13 gr maybe). I have 2 trapdoors and fine old Pacific Ballard, one load works in all three...11 gr of Unique, 405 gr, any primer, WW brass, gives me 1115 fps which is just subsonic at my elevation 3,200 ft. Averaging around 2 moa, 5 shots, issue sights.

Everyone has listed the 45/70 loads.
10grs of Unique and a 150gr jacketed bullet in a 308 is a hoot to shoot too.

I will have to try that someday. 8 grains in a 35 Marlin with 200 gr. RCBS gets 1160 and super accuracy to 50 yards. Will try 100 yards soon.

http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm


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