.45-110 load for a newbie

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Williamsmattc
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.45-110 load for a newbie

Post by Williamsmattc »

Hello guys and gals! I’m patiently (more or less...mostly less) waiting for my Shiloh to be built. I’m a veteran handloader, no stranger to “big” rifles, but new to BPCR’s. I am looking for a “jump in” load recipe to get me started. Everything I’m reading raises more questions! I am looking for tried and true loads to get me started. Here is what I’m working with:

Rifle is going to be a 1874 Hartford in .45-110. 7 degree leed (may or may not change) 32” heavy Octagon, with LR Buffalo Soule and #113 front sights, with a shotgun style butt.

Supplies on hand:
10 pounds Swiss 1.5F
200 Norma 2.9” cases
CCI BR primers
BACO .444” 540 grain “Money” mold
50 pounds of 20:1 lead
BACO #9 patching paper
Lyman dies including a separate taper crimp die
24” drop tube

I haven’t bought any wads yet, so open to suggestions.

I know I will need to experiment, tweak and try, but want something as a starting point. I chose the .45 2 7/8” as I have shot an original in that caliber and fell in love with it!

Thank you for your time and suggestions!

I also have a BACO GG mold for a .459” 540 grain bullet with the first two bands reduced... just to have an option!
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Lumpy Grits
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Re: .45-110 load for a newbie

Post by Lumpy Grits »

I like .060 fiber wads in my .45-70 and .45-90.
Never loaded for the '110.
Gary
"Hav'n you along, is like loose'n two good men"
Williamsmattc
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Re: .45-110 load for a newbie

Post by Williamsmattc »

Thanks Lumpy!
Are you running just the wad, or with a grease cookie etc.?
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Lumpy Grits
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Re: .45-110 load for a newbie

Post by Lumpy Grits »

I shoot GG bullets. :D
Might want to look at using a coffee paper filter wad over the primer at the bottom of the case.
G.
"Hav'n you along, is like loose'n two good men"
mike herth
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Re: .45-110 load for a newbie

Post by mike herth »

Here’s how I load for my Shiloh. It has a tight chamber for PP.
Norma brass trimmed to 2.875, chamfered with VLD tool
100-105 grains OE Fg
Same bullet as yours cast with 16:1 and seated 1/8” deep
Thin cardboard wad, 3/16” grease cookie, thin wax carton wad
9 lb paper, 7/8” wide patch, wrapped dry
Drop tube and compression die for consistent seating depth
I run the patched bullet through a .450 Lee sizing die if needed for uniform patched diameter, but depends on the paper. Same for taper crimp die, usually not needed.
Easy loading!
For shooting, wiping with 2 damp and 1 dry patch after each shot.
Mike
Williamsmattc
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Re: .45-110 load for a newbie

Post by Williamsmattc »

This is exactly what I’m looking for! How much do you compress your powder?
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Lumpy Grits
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Re: .45-110 load for a newbie

Post by Lumpy Grits »

Williamsmattc wrote: Wed Jun 26, 2019 2:43 pm This is exactly what I’m looking for! How much do you compress your powder?
Use a compression die only-NEVER the bullet.
Compress enough to allow the bullet to set .100-.125" into the case.
Your Swiss powder won't like more that .100-.125 total compression with wad etc.
Compress with 1 overpowder wad, and then seat the lube wad and cardboard wad with a wood dowel.
Then seat bullet on top of that.
Gary
"Hav'n you along, is like loose'n two good men"
Williamsmattc
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Location: Northeast California

Re: .45-110 load for a newbie

Post by Williamsmattc »

Thanks! I knew not to compress with the bullet. Will reach out to BACO and get a compression die.

What do you favor for a grease cookie?
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Lumpy Grits
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Re: .45-110 load for a newbie

Post by Lumpy Grits »

For lube-I really like DGL.
G.
"Hav'n you along, is like loose'n two good men"
Dennis Armistead
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Re: .45-110 load for a newbie

Post by Dennis Armistead »

Just a couple of suggestions that you might want to consider. Standard chamber, it will shoot paper patch just fine. Don't trim your brass till you have the rifle and do a chamber cast. Fire form and check for length, especially if shooting PP. Chamfer the inside of the brass only. Polish the inside of the case very well. If shooting a "money" nose profile lead should be hard to prevent nose slump. I cast at 16:1. No lube cookie if wiping. If blow tubing use a 1/8 cookie. More than that and accuracy will suffer. I use a 1F powder, little to no compression, maybe 03" by using thumb pressure only. Use Seth Cole 55W paper, wrapped dry. Depending on your chamber a .444 should work if wiping, .443 if blow tubing. a .45 2 7/8 has a lot of horse power so I found that wads thicker than .060 are best, I usually stack 2 .060" on top of each other between powder and bullet. That seems to control the bullet upset when fired. I use Federal 150M primers. Hope this helps.
Dennis
Experience trumps intelligence every time.
Williamsmattc
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Re: .45-110 load for a newbie

Post by Williamsmattc »

Thank you!
mike herth
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Re: .45-110 load for a newbie

Post by mike herth »

Dennis, what powder charge are you loading and what is your seating depth? LDPE or veg wads?
Mike
Dennis Armistead
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Re: .45-110 load for a newbie

Post by Dennis Armistead »

mike herth wrote: Sun Jun 30, 2019 11:43 am Dennis, what powder charge are you loading and what is your seating depth? LDPE or veg wads?
Mike
Mike, most of the time I load around 105 gr. for paper patch and 94 gr. for grooved. I use veg wads for patched and poly for grooved. Some times I mix poly on powder and veg on top for my patched loads. Seating depth is around .080 for patched. My grooved rounds are loaded up so my reduced driving band just touches the rifling. I don't use a cam tool. Every powder batch will be different though. I usually batch a bunch of powder together and blend in case I have different "lot's". then I use that powder for the season. Depends on what works for you. I can't afford to buy 50 lbs at a time of the same lot.
Experience trumps intelligence every time.
mike herth
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Re: .45-110 load for a newbie

Post by mike herth »

Thanks Dennis. I’ve loaded some 100 grain PP loads with 2 .06 veg wads with seating depth of .22 to powder column. Also trying some 1.5 OE charges of 100 grains measured, not weighed. Just experimenting to see if my standard load using a grease cookie can be improved.
Mike
Dennis Armistead
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Re: .45-110 load for a newbie

Post by Dennis Armistead »

Mike, good luck on using a lube cookie, I think they work out ok for a hunting/plinking load, but for obtaining any type of accuracy at distance, wiping between shots is a better alternative.
Dennis
Experience trumps intelligence every time.
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