45-70 users

[mickb]

Fellas what ammo do you normall run hunting? Are most people using off the shelf or handloads?

[Blr243]

Sierra 300 hp. Or hornady flex tips Or if I’m useing cast home made 520 grain hollow points a variety of commercial lead cast pills from 300and up to 405 grain Unfortunately it’s mostly a nice looking safe queen. I thought you were not ever excited by this calibre ?

[Blr243]

Beware of the flex tips in lever actions. Their length if I remember correctly only feed properly with the shortened hornady cases

[mickb]

Sierra 300 hp. Or hornady flex tips Or if I’m useing cast home made 520 grain hollow points a variety of commercial lead cast pills from 300and up to 405 grain Unfortunately it’s mostly a nice looking safe queen. I thought you were not ever excited by this calibre ?

Thanks Blr for your input. yes its not one I need to own, was just more curious whether fellas are loading it up or using factory ammo. I have a lot of admiration for it btw, my only gripe has been how often it turns up on other threads( 44 mag, 45 colt, 444 marlin etc) lol

[Bello]

Hello Mate
In my 45-70, I load the Hornady 325 FTX. (If using this projectile in a leaver rifle, the cases MUST be trimmed shorter). There isn’t too much that I use the 45-70 for. I have sighted mine in for 50 meters. I use it for close work.
It’s loaded a little warm. I have a red dot on it.
I load for mine as I like to load all my ammo. But I would advise people who don’t shoot too much, to just buy a round that works in your set up.
These days 99% of my hunting is done with my very reliable 223.

[bigrich]

hey mick , i remember an earlier topic you started about 444 marlin. there's a 444 enfield No4 on used guns for $400 . your helping enable me about a rossi purchase, thought i'd return the favour use 444 as the keyword in the search, otherwise you won't find it .

makes a nice change , changing the topic from 45-70 to 444 . normally it's the other way around

[Wapiti]

Hey does anyone have any experience with the Sharps falling block 45-70 single-shot copy by Chiappa? Or maybe another maker?

One of these would be a great alternative to my yearning for a flintlock for hunting, might be more useful.

[bigpete]

Just get the flinchlock

[bigrich]

Just get the flinchlock

hey pete , haven't seen you around for a while . i think in australia a flint lock would be a bushfire risk percussion cap maybe

[bigpete]

Nope. Not unless you set up tinder on the flashpan

[bigpete]

I literally TRIED to start a fire with one. Certainly wasn't an easy task

[Wapiti]

No, don't want a flintlock now. Got over that one.
Also looked into black powder, it's very difficult to get around here. So nobody has or is interested in a Sharps single shot?

I have looked up some mild loads using smokeless powder which I can get readily.
Was trying to see if anyone had any issues with any of the reproductions.

[bladeracer]

No, don't want a flintlock now. Got over that one.
Also looked into black powder, it's very difficult to get around here. So nobody has or is interested in a Sharps single shot?

I have looked up some mild loads using smokeless powder which I can get readily.
Was trying to see if anyone had any issues with any of the reproductions.

I'm going up to Hawthorn this morning (two hours each way) to collect blackpowder, it's 5.5hrs each way normally but Roger is coming down this way so I'm meeting him up there. $240 per kg now which is becoming too expensive to shoot (you use five times more black for similar pressures as smokeless loads - 17gn in .38, 26gn in .44-40, 68gn in 12ga.). So I decided I'm only shooting smokeless at Nowra this weekend. I'd like to shoot black at the SA state titles next weekend but I'll only have maybe a day and half to load ammo for it so I don't think I'll manage it.

For low-pressure, low-price .45-70 ammo one of the guys here tested 2gn of Trailboss, but with the bullet seated right down into the bottom of the case on the powder. They worked fine but they were very light loads. Light loads of Trailboss behind light cast bullets makes for very cheap shooting.

I'm certainly interested, just can't afford one
I was loaned one last year for the Chisholm Trail at Millmerran, beautiful rifle. The bloke had just bought it, 32" I think. He put about twenty rounds through it the previous week, then brought it to the shoot just for me to use for the long-range shoot. 65gn of FFFg behind 535gn cast bullets. If I'd known beforehand I would have loaded a couple hundred rounds of .45-70 and spent some time dialing it in.
https://cowboygunsandgear.com.au/Chiappa-1874-Sharps-Sporting-rifle-45-70-32-

But new they're around $2500 plus tang sight. For a rifle that will fire perhaps 100rds a year max I can't justify even half that price. In the big Cowboy matches we shoot two or three long-range shoots with the single-shot rifles, 28rds rounds each match generally (7rds at four distances). We also use a single-shot .45-70 for Plainsman matches, but a 32" rifle is very awkward in confined spaces so most use a shorter rifle for that, and I definitely can't afford two of them. I want a shorter rifle for Plainsman but still adequate for the long-range shoots.

I had a look around and Bergara do the cheapest single-shot .45-70 I can find, about $1000. But it's break-action with plastic furniture which I don't know is compliant with Cowboy rules. Only a 20" barrel so you give up twelve inches of sight radius to the longer ones.