What would cause my 45-70 reloads to do this

[Charlie Bison]

My 45-70 cases get a lead ring after each shoot in my sharps. I have tried different powders and loads,but they are still there. Any idea what causes them?

[Kent Shootwell]

Tell us a bit more about your reloads, type of powder, velosity goals, lead alloy etc. etc. etc. and check your case length.

[Charlie Bison]

Winchester Case length 2.08, Not annealed, yes neck sized, 3031, and Trailboss, 24,000-27,000 CUP. The bullets are Silver State Bullets 45-70 405 RNFP.

[Short Knife Johnson]

Your cases are maybe a bit short.  Trim some to about 2.095" and see how they do.  Never seen this before, so I'm thinking lead is being shaved off at the chamber mouth because it has a .020" gap to jump before engaging rifling.

Grasping at straws here.

[Wild Billy Potts]

Yeah I would agree that the brass is a bit short. Also switch to BP, for more fun shooting, (and more gentle recoil).

[Charlie Bison]

I will try the suggested. Thanks a lot everyone. I think I will stay away from the Holy Black....

[Short Knife Johnson]

I think I will stay away from the Holy Black....

BLASPHEMER!!!

[Sir Charles deMouton-Black]

Charlie;  Remember, smokeless is just a fad!

Really now, cartridges designed for the Holy black seem to work better using BP. 

I go with short and irregular overall case length.  If the mouth doesn't have enough "bell" there could be a bit of lead being shaved off and then smeared over the case mouth in the process of chambering & firing.  Not too much bell, that leads to case splits.  I do not rely on the bullet seating die to guide the bullet into the case mouth.  I start each bullet into the neck by hand.

[Kent Shootwell]

Annealing isn't nessasary and softer alloy bullets will reduce leading in the bore. Try gas check bullets if you're allowed in your application. Neck sizeing will produce short cases, full length sizeing will lenghten your case lenght. Seems odd but brass has to go some wheres. Wide and short narrow and long. I used to think smokeless would be easyer to use in the Sharps but found out it isn't. It never proved as accurate either, but enjoy your learning curve and some day you'll figger it out.

[Yellowhouse Sam]

Annealing may not be necessary but I think it is advisable on new Starline cases.  Else you get a lot of springback and have to work the case a bit more.  Depends on how much neck tension you want.  Nevermind, my brain or whats left of it is in BP land.

Don't do any trimming until you fireform either.

[Ranch 13]

to much crimp.

[rustyrelx]

I have to address something here, right now. Everyone ASSUMES that all chambers are SAAMI specks. That simply is NOT true. One must find out the depth of the individual chamber, everyone is different, even from the same manufacturer. Just because some book somewhere say such and such don't make it true. MEASURE YOUR CHAMBER TO FIND OUT WHAT YOU HAVE. Then trim the brass according to what chamber you have, not from such and such book that lists SAAMI specks. Afterall you measure your bore don't you?    Don  rustyrelx

[Fox Creek Kid]

Annealing isn't nessasary...

No it`s is not necessary, it`s MANDATORY if you want to shoot good groups.   

[Kent Shootwell]

Anneal if your rifle requires it, most do not. I'm not a serious competition shooter but know a couple of national level champions. One anneals new brass once for the year the other doesn't. Read "Shooting Buffalo Rifles of the Old West" by Venturino for how the top shooters win matches. Didn't Charlie ask about the leading of his Winchester cases rather then accurate loads?

[Fox Creek Kid]

Anneal if your rifle requires it, most do not. I'm not a serious competition shooter but know a couple of national level champions. One anneals new brass once for the year the other doesn't. Read "Shooting Buffalo Rifles of the Old West" by Venturino for how the top shooters win matches. Didn't Charlie ask about the leading of his Winchester cases rather then accurate loads?

Every top shooter on the Shiloh Forum that I know of, which includes Venturino, anneals their brass. 

[Charlie Bison]

Every top shooter on the Shiloh Forum that I know of, which includes Venturino, anneals their brass. 

She shoots great...

[Lumpy Grits]

No it`s is not necessary, it`s MANDATORY if you want to shoot good groups.   

NOPE, it's NOT...........

[Fiddler Green]

I saw the saame thing with 405 grain bullets but never with 525 grain bullets. Try a heavier bullet, it's a Sharps for God sake! Leave those little bullets to the lever guns.