Very nice rifle Marshal !! I got my military rifle just before our Wisconsin deer hunting season and cobbled together a few rounds to sight in and take hunting. Mine is a 50-70 and I really like that cartridge. Have owned and shot old trapdoors and rolling blocks and one 69 conversion sharps carbine alot over the years. Always great fun!! I wanted a modern rifle (Sharps) as a dedicated hunting rifle and this one fills the bill. My chamber is tight and the old style RCBS die set I have necks the case just right to chamber Starline,old stock Dixie and even Bertram brass without a hitch. It does however have a snug throat and will not accept the new Lyman 515141 specified at .512 dia unless I seat it very deep in the case. It will accept my old Lyman 515141 at .515 dia sized down to .512 dia. The diameter at the ogive of the new mold is larger than my old mold so I'm sizing those .515's down to .512 and shooting those over 70 grains of Swiss 1&1/2. Just got the BACO .492/500gr paperpatched mold and cast a few to set dies and loading proceedure. They drop .492 and patched out at .500 or just a hair less. Slip friction fit in my full length/neck sized cases. Nice slip fit in the bore! I've got a BACO .501 expander and just have to turn a few thousands off my powder compression stem and I'll be in BUSINESS!! Am filing up a paperpatch template this afternoon and will patch up some bullets over the weekend. I've had very good results using the BACO .441/540 bullet in my 45-70 over 80grains of Swiss 1&1/2 in Winchester brass, CCI bench rest primers and a .30 wad seated .220 in the case (2 inch or less at 200 yards). Will try them in my 45-90 with Starline brass, CCi bench rest primers and 100 to 105 grains of Swiss 1&1/2 with a .60 wad when the weather improves. Also just cast up some BACO .444/540 bullets and give them a try in my .45 caliber rifles. This bullet is the paperpatched version of the money bullet as cut by BACO so I'm hopeing that it really flys out to 1000 yards Paper patched bullets are really working well for me and I'm pretty well sold on them. Looking for a very full shooting season this year. Try a paper patched bullet in you 45-70 and I think you will like the results!