45-70 Lucky Find

[BigBolt]

Received a call last week from a friend, his cousins dad passed, and his cousin had some 45/70 ammo, some H4895 and some 45/70 cases. I took a trip up to see what he had. The cousin's dad only owned a Marlin 45/70 which the cousin sold to a dealer for 400 bucks. The cousin said he did not like guns, yup one of them. Well, they were all hand loads with Starline brass. What was weird the COL appeared short to me, and the bullets also looked small. He kept a record of his loads and only used H4895. The hand loads were 200gr bullets with 58 grains of H4895 and large rifle primers. He had around 80 cases primed, and a 50 CAL ammo can about half full of hand loads.

The cousin told me no one wanted the hand loads, and he did not know what to do about the powder. His dad apparently started reloading this past year and was in his late 80s. The short of it I took everything free of charge and he was glad to get rid of it all. I also offered to pay for the press and dies he said no just take it.

I spent the better part of last week pulling heads off the hand loads and saving the powder from them. The heads were 200 grain FN I could not determine the make and the COL was way short. The cases were factory all between 2.095-2.102. Once emptied I resized and reloaded a few with HCFN 375 gr bullets and 54 grains of the H4895. They shot great with no issue at all. Saturday, I finished pulling over 200 heads and resizing the cases and ready for future loading.

 

[Olevern1]

free is by far the best price. What kind of press did you get?

 

[nakneker]

Received a call last week from a friend, his cousins dad passed, and his cousin had some 45/70 ammo, some H4895 and some 45/70 cases. I took a trip up to see what he had. The cousin's dad only owned a Marlin 45/70 which the cousin sold to a dealer for 400 bucks. The cousin said he did not like guns, yup one of them. Well, they were all hand loads with Starline brass. What was weird the COL appeared short to me, and the bullets also looked small. He kept a record of his loads and only used H4895. The hand loads were 200gr bullets with 58 grains of H4895 and large rifle primers. He had around 80 cases primed, and a 50 CAL ammo can about half full of hand loads.

The cousin told me no one wanted the hand loads, and he did not know what to do about the powder. His dad apparently started reloading this past year and was in his late 80s. The short of it I took everything free of charge and he was glad to get rid of it all. I also offered to pay for the press and dies he said no just take it.

I spent the better part of last week pulling heads off the hand loads and saving the powder from them. The heads were 200 grain FN I could not determine the make and the COL was way short. The cases were factory all between 2.095-2.102. Once emptied I resized and reloaded a few with HCFN 375 gr bullets and 54 grains of the H4895. They shot great with no issue at all. Saturday, I finished pulling over 200 heads and resizing the cases and ready for future loading.

Lucky man. That old man probably loved and cherished his reloading equipment and rifle. It’s a sad commentary when it’s gets passed to the hands of posterity who have no respect or worse yet, think it evil.

I’ve been having fun with 45-70s over the last year. Mostly been shooting Hornady flat points and hollow points, 300-350 grain. A couple weeks ago I loaded some LeHigh defense in 300 grain and 380, Barnes 300 HP, also loaded some 300 grain cast bullets and still need to load some 405s I have.

The powder I use the most is AA5744, Lyman has load data, I’m between max and minimum. These loads are being shot in a Ruger #1 and one of the new Marlin 1895s. That powder and charge will take the sting of the 45-70, I wouldn’t call them powder puff loads but I can shoot 30-50 rounds a session with it.

When I was in college I worked at a gun shop in Mesa Arizona, this would have been circa 1991-92. They bought used guns and all kinds of firearms came through there. I didn’t have much money but I still managed to pick up some old Husqvarnas, Galils and Colt Sauers for cheap. One day a young man came in and wanted to sell the guns he had just inherited from his Grandpa. My friend was the manager and gun buyer, I accompanied him out to an old LTD where the young man lifted the trunk and there sat several Drillings, three pre 64 model 70s and two model 12s. The guns were piled on top of each other, no cases. The kid was going on about how he hated guns and just wanted to get rid of them. The manager offered him 3k for the lot. The seller was delighted. We unloaded the guns, cleaned them up and the owner made a killing. Watching the whole thing made me sick, I felt bad for the grandpa. Although I bet grandpa was happy to see his cherished guns go to people who wanted them.

 

[BigBolt]

Lucky man. That old man probably loved and cherished his reloading equipment and rifle. It’s a sad commentary when it’s gets passed to the hands of posterity who have no respect or worse yet, think it evil.

I’ve been having fun with 45-70s over the last year. Mostly been shooting Hornady flat points and hollow points, 300-350 grain. A couple weeks ago I loaded some LeHigh defense in 300 grain and 380, Barnes 300 HP, also loaded some 300 grain cast bullets and still need to load some 405s I have.

The powder I use the most is AA5744, Lyman has load data, I’m between max and minimum. These loads are being shot in a Ruger #1 and one of the new Marlin 1895s. That powder and charge will take the sting of the 45-70, I wouldn’t call them powder puff loads but I can shoot 30-50 rounds a session with it.

When I was in college I worked at a gun shop in Mesa Arizona, this would have been circa 1991-92. They bought used guns and all kinds of firearms came through there. I didn’t have much money but I still managed to pick up some old Husqvarnas, Galils and Colt Sauers for cheap. One day a young man came in and wanted to sell the guns he had just inherited from his Grandpa. My friend was the manager and gun buyer, I accompanied him out to an old LTD where the young man lifted the trunk and there sat several Drillings, three pre 64 model 70s and two model 12s. The guns were piled on top of each other, no cases. The kid was going on about how he hated guns and just wanted to get rid of them. The manager offered him 3k for the lot. The seller was delighted. We unloaded the guns, cleaned them up and the owner made a killing. Watching the whole thing made me sick, I felt bad for the grandpa. Although I bet grandpa was happy to see his cherished guns go to people who wanted them.

I typically shoot 400gr, 375gr or 350gr hard cast flat nose with gas check that I cast. I have loaded some Hornady 325gr FTX rounds which feel like shooting a 22 after shooting the others. I use a verity of powders, LT30, LT32, H4198, IMR4064, benchmark, IMR4198 and H4895. The majority of my loads are mid-range in each of the powder loads. I have a Henry H010B 45/70 with iron sites and typically get 6-inch groups at 100 yards. It is a light weight compared to my Bighorn Armory .500 S&W magnum carbine. I shot a 375gr hard cast right through 1-inch-thick bullet proof glass at 50 yards.

 

[BigBolt]

free is by far the best price. What kind of press did you get?

It was a Hornaday one arm bandit just like the one I have.