45-70 and 2400?

[Snorkel Bob]

Gonna start up loading these bad boys for my guide gun. Was thinking of a 300 grn soft point. But Barnes makes a 250 grn X-bullet. That would be real fun for deer. But I doubt for pigs which would be my primary use for it.
Anyone use 2400 for their loads? I see many like 3031 and RL-7. But I already use 2400 for 44 mags and 45 colt. So Id like ot see what this powder does for the 45-70

 

[Black Snowman]

On Alliant's site they have reloading data for the 300 gr Hornady HPs but 2400 give relatively low velocities for the pressures it produces. If you shooting in a very short barrel it might be good but for a rifle you're going to get better performance from a slower powder. Thier recommendation for it is Reloader #7. I personally prefer Hodgden powders but probably just because the HQ is just down the street from me

http://recipes.alliantpowder.com/

 

[Art Eatman]

2400 is good for plinker loads in rifles. For instance, I use 20 grains behind any old 150-grain to 180-grain bullet (lead or jacketed) in an '06; roughly 1,800 to 2,000 ft/sec.

I wouldn't try to use 2400 for max or near-max loads; too fast a burn rate to get good results. As Black Snowman commented, pressure increases faster than velocity.

Art

 

[444]

I have used 2400 in a number of rifles including the .444 Marlin (similar, but not a .45/70). I think it would be a fine deer load. I used the same data and same bullet as I would in a .44 Mag. Obviously the load gives you performance beyond that of a .44 Mag handgun. Plenty of gun for deer.

 

[Matt G]

Soooo, what about really reduced loads out of a Guide Gun? Say, a 405g bullet at about 950? Back down on 2400, or move to H110 or the regular pistol powders? Should be decent even for deer out to maybe 50 yards (think: pistol ballistics, but much quieter and more accurate than a pistol).

Anyone got a fave load?


"Poomp!"

 

[444]

That load is easily achievable. I would use a lighter load of 2400. I would not try something like this with H110 for sure. I might try some other faster burning powder; Unique for example. I have done a lot of light rifle load shooting with Red Dot.

 

[Paul "Fitz" Jones]

45/70 loads

In selling several hundred 4 cavity Saeco 45/70 bullet molds in 300 to 405 grain weight I recommended the most accurate powder in my experience was 3031.

The match winning load for the 300 to 350 grain weights was 48 grains of 3031 and I have had a number of customers agree and thank me for that recommendation.

Paul Jones retired
Saeco Bulletcasting Company

 

[uglymofo]

My notes aren't with me, but I'm pretty sure I used 27-29 gr. of 2400, and pack it with a buffer (cornmeal) to fill the case and allow for a uniform ignition. As far as I could tell, it worked pretty well for me. The gun was a 10" Magnum Research BFR in 45-70. I only shot at silhouettes and paper, and I never hunted with it so I don't know how it'd perform. But it seems to me you'd being doing yourself a disservice in finding the optimal hunting load when the case can hold almost 3x that much powder. There's gotta be better performing loads. I used 2400 for the same reason you want to, to reduce having to carry'extra' powders in my inventory--but I'm only ever gonna plink with it.

 

[Snorkel Bob]

ya I dont think Im going to mess with 2400 now, Ive found it to be inconsistant with my 44 mag. So im gonna play with some other powders

 

[Gewehr98]

I had a lot of trouble with 2400 and 3031...

Behind 405gr cast bullets, I could easily have dumped the unburnt powder granules from the barrel of my 22" Ruger #1S and saved them for use later.

Jacketed 405's with 3031 fared somewhat better, but got "peaky" as I worked up the loads from the listed starting point.

My best solution? Reloder #7.

 

[cdbeaver]

IMR 3031 also gave me a ton of unburned powder in my .45-70 behind a 300-gain Remington HP.

I switched to either IMR or H 4198 and got much better results. My current deer-shooting load is 43 grains of 4198. Not too fast, maybe, but if the deer is standing it has a tendency to not move after that 300-grain pill is swallowed.

 

[Clark]

My experience is the 45/70 works well with powders from Unique to IMR4895 [and probably will work well with allot wider range than that] with 405 gr bullets, but Re7 and there abouts is best to maximize veloicty.

As the bullet gets lighter, the range of powder gets smaller.
2400 will be in the small circle of powders that work well with light bullets in the 45/70.