black powder and max velocity in 45-70.

[ffffgdave@yahoo.com]

i almost ordered a 500 grain flat nose bullet this summer, and have foundthat its trajectory can be improved both with 400 grain bullet becouse it is lighter and alows more powder.. (i dont want greased grooves showing outside the case for hunting.) i dont think 500 grains is neccesary for elk or deer, but am open to suggestions.. im looking at 150 yards for me as a maximum practical hunting distance and would likde to get 1300 feet per second, 1400 if possible.. what load would not anger the accuracy crumrudgeon in my 74 sharps std weight barrel.. ? is 70 grains 3f and 400 grain bullet too much for a sharps with badger barrel? i can work up to that much powder if 3f goex is ok.... i talked to a cowboy shooter today and he said to leave plenty of jump between bullet and lands..he may be talking about jacketed bullets tho.. id probably use about 25-1 lead tin ratio for hunting.. im using about 62 grains swiss 1 1/2 with old lyman round nose 400 grain gas check mould.. it seems (by bullet trajectory measurments ) to be doing only about 1100 feet per second.. any comments appreciated.. thanks dave..

[Clarence]

Dave,

I'm not sure what kind of cases you're using, but I'd expect to get more powder than that behind a 400 gr. bullet. I get 64 gr. of Swiss 1.5 Fg behind a 535 gr. Gunn modified bullet, with all grease grooves covered and 0.040-0050" compression in Win. cases. It has right at 0.6" of bullet inside the case.

I'd try either of the ~400 grain flat nose plain base Lymans. The 457193 would allow 65-66 gr. with 0.040" compression in my cases, since it would have ~0.550" of bullet in the case.

I've never tried those light bullets, although I have the mould and am ready to do some experimenting when I get time.

My experience with GOEX FFg says it likes at least 0.200" compression. With Win. cases, you should be able to get 70 gr. of FFg and probably about the same amount of FFFg with 0.200-0.250" compression.

Mike Venturino gets ~1250-1260 fps out of a .45-70 with Swiss FFFg and one of the bullets in the 530 gr. range (I've forgotten which one). He is using Starline cases, I believe, and less powder than I get in the Win. cases. I think you should get well over 1300 fps with that powder and a 400 gr. bullet.

Some who've experimented say Swiss has a second sweet spot with quite a bit of compression, so that's another possibility.

Clarence

[Clarence]

Dave,

I'm not sure what kind of cases you're using, but I'd expect to get more powder than that behind a 400 gr. bullet. I get 64 gr. of Swiss 1.5 Fg behind a 535 gr. Gunn modified bullet, with all grease grooves covered and 0.040-0050" compression in Win. cases. It has right at 0.6" of bullet inside the case.

I'd try either of the ~400 grain flat nose plain base Lymans. The 457193 would allow 65-66 gr. with 0.040" compression in my cases, since it would have ~0.550" of bullet in the case.

I've never tried those light bullets, although I have the mould and am ready to do some experimenting when I get time.

My experience with GOEX FFg says it likes at least 0.200" compression. With Win. cases, you should be able to get 70 gr. of FFg and probably about the same amount of FFFg with 0.200-0.250" compression.

Mike Venturino gets ~1250-1260 fps out of a .45-70 with Swiss FFFg and one of the bullets in the 530 gr. range (I've forgotten which one). He is using Starline cases, I believe, and less powder than I get in the Win. cases. I think you should get well over 1300 fps with that powder and a 400 gr. bullet.

Some who've experimented say Swiss has a second sweet spot with quite a bit of compression, so that's another possibility.

Clarence