Home Forums Lever Action Central Big Bore Levers 45/70 real world velocity

Good thinking.

Those 85 rounds are easy to pull...

I'm not too worried about "killing on both ends" because I only shoot 1 or 2 rounds at a game animal. If you want a stomping lethal load, try the 402 Hammer bullet at around 1,700 fps. I shot 2 of them into a broadside bull moose that weighed 1,050lbs. Both exited and the sheared off petals made holes that could easily be seen through the lungs.

I'm going to try some 45-70s loaded to original velocities.

I tried some in my Guide Gun, loved it! But it just didn't seem right in the Guide Gun, so I was, by my conscience, forced to buy a period-correct rifle to shoot such loads.

An 1885 Highwall now has that job.

Hmmm, wondering about one of those Malcom scopes...

Factory loads are kept low because someone still wants to shoot Trapdoors and doesn't reload.
I think your numbers are good. Factory ammo never hits the numbers indicated by the maker.

I roll 420gr hard cast @ 1700FPS in my GG. I could go to max book for a GG which is ~1800fps, but I'm not sure why I would. I keep my GG around for grizz protection if we have game down and a camp gun. It's not my favorite gun to shoot with those loads, recoil is stout. I have some 300 gr cast plinkers I load to ~1800 fps, those are a lot more fun to shoot.

I'm contemplating a new mold, the 405 FN GC. I don't mean to hijack anything here but y'all are talking about that bullet.

I've fiddled some with a 325 gr plain base flat nose and not really liking it accuracy wise in my 2016 made Remlin 1895. I don't powder coat so I'm not running them hard at all. And I've kind of set that rifle to the back because of it.

I don't need/want a pile driver load with the 405, Rotator Cuff issues and all that, so I'd be loading to a somewhat tolerable recoil/velocity. Probably, most likely, with 5744.

What kind of accuracy would/should/could I expect from it at a non-shoulder crunching velocity? All the factors that go into making a cast load accurate are a given so no need to kick that stuff around here/now.

No toothy brown bears around here so 100 to 150 yards max on whitetails in the hardwoods is the most I'd probably ever ask it to do.

Love the different use of powders listed.
I’ve been running the GG for quite some time now and run all sorts of loads out of one particular GG with a 2.5x scope just for load development.

405 cast 458193’s sized at .459-.460 no GC using IMR 4198 at 1500 was my go to when I first started, has taken 6+ bears , numerous wild hogs.

I’ve ventured into the jacketed world some with North Forks and bumped them to 1700 FPS using 3031 just to utilize a full case and for testing purposes. Those at 100 yards are 1” moa out of a decent recoil but still not uncomfortable. That’s using 350’s cup nose solids, Woodleigh’s , north fork SP, and Leigh defense solids as far as accuracy. All in the 1700 FPS range
Best ES I can get from these is 3. These are 5 shot groups as far as accuracy and velocity measurements.

1400-1500 FPS is enough for anything on this continent I believe as I’ve never had anything escape a shot with my original load. Placement and bullet construction is important obviously.

A 405g 18 bhn cast bullet gave in and out penetration on a 1200 pound bison I shot years ago at about 75 yards. Dropped 25 yards from shot.
The old trap door load should be plenty for just about anything for those who dread the heavy recoil of the “bigger” loads

Paul Mathews in "Forty Years With The 45-70" said he settled on 1,300 fps as the best velocity for 405 Hardcast

I'll keep that in mind.

“Forty years with the 45-70” was a great book with loads to compare by.