Friday Night Reloading Hack

[GSPBirdDog]

I was loading some 45-70 Govt tonight for my Marlin 1895 Lever gun. I bought some Hornady 325gr FTX projo's to load up some 45-70. Side note, Winchester BRASS SUCKS!!! I had 4pcs out of 50 that I couldn't salvage due to the rim not fully machined. Anyway, Hornady recommends you trim the brass below SAAMI trim length in order to crimp in the cannelure. I did not want to trim my new brass below SAAMI in the case I reload normal .458 projectiles.
After I seated the first round as deep as possible, I tried in in my lever gun. Sue enough, got a round stuck in the action because the rubber tip made the COAL too long to cycle from the magazine tube to the chamber.
So, putting my thinking cap to work, I took side cutters and snipped off the red FTX tip. Problem solved and I saved my brass for future loading.

However, I can be a little anal sometimes and the side cutters didn't snip the tip off flush. So i got a wild hare up my rear and tried pulling the red tips out with the side cutters. The Hdy red FTX tips only weighed 3.0gr so now I have them all removed. Only took 5 minutes to remove 40pcs. I don't have to trim my brass below SAAMI and have some beautiful hollow point "CUSTOM" projectiles weighing 322gr. The stars must be aligned because i am using H322 powder!

 

[tomcat13]

Wow, Anxious to see Group Results!

 

[Mgderf]

I wonder about expansion too.
Those little polymer inserts are there to start the mushrooming effect on the bullet.
I wouldn't be too surprised if those don't expand well at all.

 

[TJ Kackowski]

I wonder about expansion too.
Those little polymer inserts are there to start the mushrooming effect on the bullet.
I wouldn't be too surprised if those don't expand well at all.

I thought the rubber tip was to help cushion the cartridges in the tubular magazine ... to keep them from striking the primer of the cartridge in front of them on recoil.

Or is that just a sales gimmick?

 

[Mgderf]

I thought the rubber tip was to help cushion the cartridges in the tubular magazine ... to keep them from striking the primer of the cartridge in front of them on recoil.

Or is that just a sales gimmick?

It is, but it is also designed to initiate expansion.
The marketing is toward lever gun owners with tubular magazines, but Hornady put out a pretty extensive study about how those tips help with bullet expansion.

They very well could expand just like a normal hollow point.
Then again...

 

[92FSTech]

When I bought my guide gun in .45-70 I picked up a box of Hornady factory LeverEvolution ammo with it so I could stop and shoot it at the range on the way home. I hate paying for factory ammo, but I didn't have any .45-70 components yet and figured I would at least be able to save the brass to reload. Boy was I pissed when I got home and figured out that the case lengths were all significantly shorter than SAAMI spec!

I ended up saving it, and I keep it separate from the rest of my .45-70 brass in case I ever want to load some FTX bullets, but for what I'm doing with that gun they don't really offer any advantage over 405gr cast. Changing loads in that gun is a PITA, too, because the trajectories vary so much with different bullet weights and velocities.

 

[GSPBirdDog]

I wonder about expansion too.
Those little polymer inserts are there to start the mushrooming effect on the bullet.
I wouldn't be too surprised if those don't expand well at all.

Not really worried about expansion. I looked up load data on Hodgdon's website and purchased the bullets not realizing they wouldn't cycle without trimming below saami speck. These loads are just for shooting and sighting in and I grabbed the bullets they had available at mt LGS. I am going to get some Berry's for plinking later.

 

[GSPBirdDog]

I thought the rubber tip was to help cushion the cartridges in the tubular magazine ... to keep them from striking the primer of the cartridge in front of them on recoil.

Or is that just a sales gimmick?

Really just for expansion. Many people load round nose projos in tubular fed lever guns with no issues. The diameter of the hollow point is bigger than the primer so no concerns there.

 

[Aszerigan]

@GSPBirdDog - Before you buy a bunch of Berry's, I'll give you some. I have a few hundred laying around. Shoot them first and see if they work. *Hint, they will.

Also, good for you for pulling the tips. That's a great work around.

 

[Creedmoor]

How many grains of powder for a 45-70?

Psssst... With Black Powder, its in the name... 45 caliber 70 grains of smokey love.

 

[bgcatty]

OP- Search out some Starline Brass! Brian’s Surplus has been my source for this brass. You will not regret it!

 

[GSPBirdDog]

OP- Search out some Starline Brass! Brian’s Surplus has been my source for this brass. You will not regret it!

Completely agree! Starline is the best for these type cartridges. At the time I couldn't find any starline locally so grabbed what was available at my LRS. "Local Reloading Store"

 

[Dog1]

Shop Rifle & Shotgun Reloading Supplies | Dies | Bullets | Hulls | Wads | Powder - Precision Reloading

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I have used these 300 grain Hornady bullets with great success. They're accurate and they expand really well. I have used them in Star Line cases in my Marlin and my Sharps with no issues. Like 92 FS Tech above I encountered the shortened Hornady LeverEvolution brass. I had a friend of mine give me a bunch of 45-70 brass that he had picked up at a range.

After pouring them out on an old towel and taking a look at them I realized that they were significantly shorter than the other brass that he had sent. I culled them out, cleaned them, bagged them and sold them.

I only use Starline brass. I have four 50 caliber ammo cans filled with 45-70 Starline brass that I have bought over the years. Some of it on sale some of it not so much on sale LOL. I only use Starline brass for my 45 Colt as well. They are better made and they just last longer.

If you haven't tried it, the Shooters World Buffalo rifle powder is really good powder. It's pretty much all I use in my 45-70, from low recoil to more thumping rounds. I used to use IMR 4198 but now I've switched over to completely to Buffalo rifle.

 

[BE Mike]

Just should have trimmed the new brass?

 

[Dog1]

Just should have trimmed the new brass?

Well you could but then it pretty much pigeon holes you into using that brass for those bullets.

 

[BE Mike]

Well you could but then it pretty much pigeon holes you into using that brass for those bullets.

Those straight walled cases actually shrink in OAL after firing, don't they?

 

[Dog1]

Those straight walled cases actually shrink in OAL after firing, don't they?

To be honest I don't know I've never encountered that. Good question