45-70 Gov't

42grs of RL7 and the 405 bulk Remington shot good, I went up to 47grs, recoil was rough, I then went to a 350gr Hornady and 48grs of RL7, recoil was rough. The hornady was going between 1980fps-2000fps, I have since went back to factory loads for deer.
 
Concerning Varget and the .45-70... I don't know about anyone else, when I was working up loads with the 350 gr. Hornady flatpoint, Varget spiked in pressure very, very, quickly. I was able to get excellent accuracy, but nowhere near max velocities with Varget. The difference between no pressure signs and wild erratic pressure was about 1 grain of Varget in my rifle. I don't know, maybe my 1974 Marlin M1895 has a really tight chamber, but every other powder seems normal in this rifle and I've tried RE-7, IMR-3031, IMR-4198, and H4198 besides the Varget. I would caution working up very carefully with Varget and maintaining good loading discipline when loading cartridges. A little mistake could mean a lot if it behaves in anyone elses rifle like it did in mine. I've used Varget in .243 and .308 with no such problems... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif
 
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Concerning Varget and the .45-70... I don't know about anyone else, when I was working up loads with the 350 gr. Hornady flatpoint, Varget spiked in pressure very, very, quickly. I was able to get excellent accuracy, but nowhere near max velocities with Varget. The difference between no pressure signs and wild erratic pressure was about 1 grain of Varget in my rifle. I don't know, maybe my 1974 Marlin M1895 has a really tight chamber, but every other powder seems normal in this rifle and I've tried RE-7, IMR-3031, IMR-4198, and H4198 besides the Varget. I would caution working up very carefully with Varget and maintaining good loading discipline when loading cartridges. A little mistake could mean a lot if it behaves in anyone elses rifle like it did in mine. I've used Varget in .243 and .308 with no such problems... /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/confused1.gif



I've used both of the 4198's with good success. The Hornady 350's (flat and round) are good bullets. I've put the 350RN on top of a decent load of H4198 and called it my "headache round". If you do use this combo you really need to have a chrony (me, not yet) for approaching max loads. There is a sizeable discrepancy in listed data with Hodgdon showing a significant amount higher than other data. When talking to a gunsmith in a local shop he couldn't believe the difference in H4198 and IMR4198 listings. I've gone as high as 54gr with the H4198 @60gr listed max (depending, of course on whose listing you read).

I'm currently using the H.
 
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I shoot 45/70 competively in CAS.
Desperado 415's would work well and are soft lead. What I have found is that in the single shots, your bullet length is as inportant as powder loads or weights of bullets. I use a 494 grain spitzer from Chey-Cast for long range to 800yds. The 415's from Desperado bullets are great for levers or single shots but you can seat them a little farther out in a single shot and they work even better. I'm using IMR 4198 but many have good luck with other powders of similar burn rate. Kinda depends on how fast you want to go, but that caliber doesent have to go fast to do what you want. You can anchor something at 1200 fps or go faster if you can take it. Speed in that caliber has nothing to do with accuracy.

Pack



I also use the Chey-Cast bullets in my Sharps...I love them!
Then again, thats my Spitzer mold they're using!
 
I have won lots of long range contests with that spitzer bullet of Chey Cast, made by you apparently. I'm shooting a Browning BPCR. If they had a bullet in .40 caliber I would be very happy as I also shoot a BPCR in 40/65.
I was looking for a 300-350 grain .459 Spitzer a while back as I wanted a fast loading round, as the pointed round doesen't catch the flats of the barrel as a flat nose does, when you are throwing them in. I couldn't find one. A pard had some from years ago, and sent them to me, but I'm out now. Nice bullet.

Pack
 
GC, I wonder if your trouble with Varget has anything to do with the lighter bullet. I know another guy that loads the same thing I do and neither of us has ever had any issue with pressure. Both shooting Marlins. When I first started using it in my 45-70 the Hogdon manual listed a max load at 55 grains with the 405 grainer. They have since backed that off to about 50 grains I think. I still load mine to 53 grains because that's what my rifle and my shoulder like the best. One thing I have noticed with Varget is that it seems to perform best in loads that fill the case or maybe even slightly compressed. Of course I would not suggest that anyone not use safe reloading practices so working up any load should be done with caution no matter what powder.
 
I don't really know why the real sudden spike in pressure. I do know one of the complaints about Varget is inconsistency from lot to lot, maybe I had a quick burning lot of powder. I wanted 1,850 fps from the 350 gr. flatpoint but couldn't break over 1,775 fps before pressure spiked alarmingly.
 
Gosh it's been a few years since I chronographed the load I listed above but I'm pretty sure it was running around 1880 fps out of my Sharps replica and pretty close to 1800 from the Marlin. I don't have the Sharps anymore. I sold it to buy a black rifle. Always good to chat with the 45-70 crowd!
 
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