45-60 reload info

[Bone Id]

Howdy all,  I'm new to this forum, but I've done some lookin around, I got my 76' 45-60 Chaparal    afew months back and I'm ready to start reloadin, but I can't seem to find any info on reloadin (smokless)? Thinkin bout usen reloader 7? jus wonden if any of u all would share a recipe of two. I understand I use this info at my know risk with a 10% reduction to start 

[Grizzly Adams]

Howdy all,  I'm new to this forum, but I've done some lookin around, I got my 76' 45-60 Chaparal    afew months back and I'm ready to start reloadin, but I can't seem to find any info on reloadin (smokless)? Thinkin bout usen reloader 7? jus wonden if any of u all would share a recipe of two. I understand I use this info at my know risk with a 10% reduction to start 

I have not tried RL-7...yet!

Currently my favorite loads for the 45-60, using the 305 grain #457191 bullet are:
35.5 grains of H4895
26.5 grains of 5744
25.5 grains of H4198

Our pard, Okdee is working with H4831 and he has had some success with it.

http://www.cascity.com/forumhall/index.php?topic=21996.0

When working up loads for the 45-60, I start with 45-70 data that is for the Trapdoor Springfield rifle, and reduce the starting load accordingly.  Stay well within BP velocities and pressures, and use a chronograph to check on velocities and ES.  Keep firmly in mind that there is NO tested data for any of this family of cartridges!  Proceed with caution, and do keep us posted on your progress.

Oh, and welcome to the fire!

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Howdy Pards
Has anyone else used imr-4198 I have used it with the Meister 300 grain bullet and shoots good . I called Hodgdon  to try to get loading info and the only smokeless load they would give was using Trail Boss . They said it was To Weak for smokeless I have a Smith rear sight and hope to figure out the longer shoots on the ladder

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[Grizzly Adams]

Howdy Pards
Has anyone else used imr-4198 I have used it with the Meister 300 grain bullet and shoots good . I called Hodgdon  to try to get loading info and the only smokeless load they would give was using Trail Boss . They said it was To Weak for smokeless I have a Smith rear sight and hope to figure out the longer shoots on the ladder

IMR and H 4198 are pretty close.  What loading are you using with the IMR4198?

[Bone Id]

Howdy pards,

Thanks Grizz jus the info I'm lookin fer.    I was going to use the RL-7 45-70 load info reduced with a Laser Cast 300gr .459. Whats the skinny on the Trail Boss I use it for my 38-40 loads when I'm not using BP?

[Grizzly Adams]

Howdy pards,

Thanks Grizz jus the info I'm lookin fer.    I was going to use the RL-7 45-70 load info reduced with a Laser Cast 300gr .459. Whats the skinny on the Trail Boss I use it for my 38-40 loads when I'm not using BP?

IMHO, Trailboss is no good for rifle loads, unless you just want a gentle little plinking load.  Good in 45LC and such, but not for rifle rounds.   You asked!

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Griz
I put 28.0 grains of IMR 4198 with the Meister 300 gr. RNFP  It averaged 1350 fps across a chronie .

[Grizzly Adams]

Griz
I put 28.0 grains of IMR 4198 with the Meister 300 gr. RNFP  It averaged 1350 fps across a chronie .

Thank you Rowdy!

[Rowdy Fulcher]

Griz
Deer season is just around the corner,and my rifle is driving tacks . I can't wait . I went to the freezer last night and   noticed were almost out of steaks.

[Grizzly Adams]

Griz
Deer season is just around the corner,and my rifle is driving tacks . I can't wait . I went to the freezer last night and   noticed were almost out of steaks.

When I lived in Alaska, the Native folks called it "making meat,"  Go forth and fill that freezer, Amigo!

[Bone Id]

Thanks Grizz an Rowdy, It kind does make the neck swell this time of the year talkin about guns and shootin.

[Jubal Wilson]

     I have been working up loads for my Uberti 76 in 45-60 for over a year now and thought I would share some of what I have learned.  I have a Marbles tang sight and use a varity of front sights.  The bullet I have been using is the RCBS 300 GC.  The nice folks at Mt Baldy cast this bullet with 1:20 alloy and SPG lube for me and it weights 321 gr.  I bought my cases from Buffalo Arms because my 76 will not close on cases with a rim thickness greater than .062 in.  I trim the cases to 1.870 so that the OAL with the bullet is 1.292 which feeds very smoothly through the action.  I sometimes use Puff-Lon filler in loads as noted.  I never use wads with smokeless powder.
     I have tried several different powders and primers but here are the three best so far.

          30.0 gr H4198 no filler, accuracy superior, vel 1450 fps, 50 yards.
          Although the accuracy is great I will probably reduce this load to 28.0 gr and try to get the vel to 1350 fps.



          Same load at 100 yards.



          60.0 gr Swiss 1.5 (30 in drop tube and .070 compressed), .030 card wad, .125 lubed felt wad
          This load is very accurate at 1290 fps and shows promise for shooting a 40 shot match. 50 yards



          Another load was 26.5 gr 5744 + Puff-Lon filler to case mouth
          This load gave the following results for two strings of five;
            velocity           1422            1416
            SD                    2.7              3.4
            ES                    6.1              8.3
          These are some of the lowest SD I have ever gotten.
          The accuracy was very good but since I had run out of targets I was shooting at targets with holes already in them.
          If anyone wants any additional information I will be glad to reply
Jubal

[Grizzly Adams]

Nice looking targets, Jubal.  Interesting indeed!  

I had tried 25.5 grains of H4198 and it was all over the map, both on paper, and in SD and ES.  Your results seems to confirm my suspicion that it was too light.  My next attempt was going to be 28.5. 

In looking at your results with the 5744, I think I need to dig out that bottle of puff-lon I have somewhere!   I have been shooting that same load (26.5), and have not been able to get any where close to your results with it.

Thanks for the post, Jubal.

[OKDEE]

Jubal, That is some nice groups!   What is your barrel length?

I am not sure about the puff-lon filler.  Can you explain what it is and how you use it?

Cheers,

Oklahoma Dee

[Jubal Wilson]

OKDEE,
My 76 is a Cimarron/Uberti with a 28 inch barrel.  It has shot real good from the get go.  Puff-Lon is some combination of secret stuff that helps lube the bore? and act as a filler to.  I think of it like SuperGrex that is used as a shotgun buffer.  Check out their website (Google Puff-Lon).  What a filler does is keep the powder in the same place for each shot when the powder doesn't fill the case below the bullet.  Fillers increase the pressure and thus the velocity so if you have worked up a load you like then reduce the powder by about 10% when you add the filler.  The velocity should come out close and the accuracy may improve.  Puff-Lon does not improve the accuracy for all the loads that I have tried but when it does then I stay with it.  I use to shoot BPCS with my Sharps so I got to liking peep sights and if you make the rear appature fairly big they are as quick to acquire as barrel sights.  Thats my story and I am sticking by it.  Have fun out there.
Jubal

[OKDEE]

I will add my info here.  I have a Winchester 1876, 45-60 caliber, 23.5" relined barrel rifle.  I have a Lee Shaver w/level Globe front sight, and a Riflesmith Short Staff Tang Rear Sight, with a Hadley Eye Cup added on.

This group was shoot on a breezy cloudy afternoon in SW Texas.  100 Yard out, give or take 6-12 inches.  The load is 24 grains of 5744, and a 321 grain RNFP lead bullets from Gil.  Remington Large Rifle Primer.  The brass is Star-Line 45-70, shaved down to the correct length, by myself.

[biggun41]

Got my Chaparall 45-60 about 3 months ago and just shot it! Damn! Its accurate. Loaded a 300 gr FP with 60 gr. Goex FF, a .30 wad and a CCI mag primer in midway brass (45-70 turned down) and it shot a 3 inch group with five shots at 75 yards. Not too bad for the FIRST loading. Functioned perfectly because of the exact case specs. Maybe a hunt is in the future? Got this load from Mike Venturinos book " Shooting Lever Guns of the Old West"