Plinkin' loads for 45-70

[Steel Horse Bailey]

Steel Horse Bailey,

Historically speaking, waayyy back when, factories offered "Armory Practice" .45-70 cartridges.
One of the "Armory " cartridges was loaded with 20 grs. of b.p. and a 240 gr. bullet.

I have an original factory loaded cartridge and found that the powder was loaded loose with plenty of airspace!
.
I loaded some replication cartridges using the 457190 .45 Colt bullet that I upset to .459" diameter.  Accuracy @ 100 yards was surprisingly good at around 3" to 4" from a trapdoor.  Velocity was 860 f.p.s.  It's been awhile since I did this but I recall that I got more consistant results by placing a .006" thick paper disc. on top of the powder to hold it back against the primer.

It's nice to recreate history! 

Thank you, one and all!

44WCF - perfect!

Since I still go along with the "no excess airspace using BP" rule, I'm gonna do just that and use extra wads.  3" at 100 yds is jes' fine, and I doubt it'll be over 80 yds that I need to shoot!

Again, thanks to all!

[Wills Point Pete]

 Steel Horse, sorry it took so long to get back to you, yes that link is the Remmington bullet I was talking about.
I don't have a .45-70 anymore but just filling that slight hollowbase works fine for my 24 inch barreled .45 Colt. I suspect you would do well with an even lighter charge, too.
The only downside to that bullet is the lube tends to build up in the die so you have to take the die apart and clean it after fifty rounds or so. That black crap lube does not hurt with black powder, either. It's just a tad messy to work with. Never work with them while wearing new dress clothes.

[Cuts Crooked]

I've been thinking on this one fer a while now, sorry it took s'long, but thinking and me don't get along well.

My thought....paper patch on a standard .45 250gr slug!?!?! This could bring it to correct diameter fer yer 45-70 bore, and you could use any combination of wads/powder charge under it you like!

[Steel Horse Bailey]

That'd work, too!