Loads for the 40-70 SS

[Longhunter79]

Has any body been shooting a 40-70SS. Any load data you have would be of help.

[Josh A.]

Long:
I have been shooting a 40-70ss in a hunitng Shiloh for several years now. My current load is in stretched BA Krag cases. WLR primers, 62.5gr of GOEX cartridge a .060 Walter's Wad and a custom Paul Jones bullet that goes 397gr. cast in 20-1. The lube is Black Magic.

This load runs 1205fps usually for the first shot and levels at about 1196 for the next five or so. Accuracy is embarrassingly good.

The Shiloh has an 18 twist barrel and is built like an LRE with a half octagon barrel. The chrono numbers are with the barrel at 30", but I just had it trimmed to 27". I have not chronographed the load at the new barrel length.

Anything else that would help?

Josh

[shooter 37]

Long
Have used the 40/70SS as a hunting round and a shilouette rifle for several years.

On whitetails it was a on shot killer using the RCBS 300 gr. flat nose bullet over 65 gr. 2F Goex in RP 30/40 stretched cases. Accuracy in my C Sharps 1875 was MOA.

In the Shiloh as a target round I use the Paul Jones Creedmore bullet at 1/30 mix. Swiss 1 1/2 at 61 grains in RP cases and a Fed 215 primer.

This load is sub MOA and very pleasant to shoot.
I have tried Bertram brass but always come back to the RP stretched.

Good luck

[Ted Kramer]

Hi Longhunter79,

The most accurate load in my 40-70ss has been as follows-Buffalo Arms stretched 30-40Krag brass, WLR primer, 63gr GOEX 2fg or Cartridge, tablet backing wad, then compress powder .300", an RCBS 40-400-CSA of 30:1 alloy sized .409" and lubed with SPG and it seats so that the top grease groove is just in the case. My CSA '74 has a Badger barrel with 1-18" twist and this combo shoots very well in it.

Where in SE MN do you call home?

Ted Kramer

[Clarence]

Longhunter,

I've had a couple of them and found them no more difficult to load for than the .40-65. Try any good 400 grain bullet that carries a lot of lube (I like the Gunn modified and Creedmore designs as Fred Leeth cuts them, but the Lyman Gunn modified shoots very well, too). Try a Fed 215 primer and either enough GOEX FFG to get 0.200-0.250" compression or enough Swiss 1-1/2 to get 0.040-0.050 compression with either a 0.030" or 0.060" Walters vegetable wad and the bullet parked almost touching the lands. If that doesn't work, vary the seating depth and the GOEX compression. I've found that Swiss almost invariably shoot very well with that moderate compression.

Great caliber-enjoy it!

Clarence

[Josh A.]

Long:
One other bit of information, I suggest you keep an eye on bullet length versus barrel twist. That is one of the things Paul Jones was most interested in when he cut the current hunting bullet mould that I am using. I have some other 400 grainers that are substantially longer than the Jones mould, and I get the idea that they are on the edge of stability for the 18 twist barrel.

Josh

[RR]

Hello,
Just noticed the post on 40-70 SS loads. My current best load for silhouette is as follows.
BA Reformed Brass
WLP Primers
Walters Veg Fib .030" Wad
Lyman/Snover cast 30-1
63 grs Swiss 1 1/2
When I had my rifle, Saddle Rifle with 30" standard wt. bbl added, I had the barrel cut to 1-17" twist to help with the longer slugs.
RR

[Jack Bickley]

I'm very interested in this caliber. What barrel weight and length do you have. I have a 40-65 with a standard 30" barrel on order, but must admit to being more interested in the 40-70ss.
I will be using my rifle for deer hunting and BPCR Silhouette. I want to stay with a standard barrel so it won't be to heavy for the woods.
Jack

[obfmcb]

I am shooting the 40-70 in an original Rem-Hepburn - I am using the stretched 30-40 brass, Fed 215M, 71g Swiss 1 1/2, Walters wad 0.06" behind a Seaco 355g FP (.403) lubed with SPG. This is a hunting load with average velocity of 1390 fps.