.45/70 Rifle Strength

Ambrose

Some of my loading books list 3 levels for reloading the .45/70 cartridge: #1 for the trap door Springfield, #2 for the Win 1886 & the newer Marlin, #3 for the Ruger single shot. Where does the TC Encore fit?

Bert H.

I would put it in category #2.

charliemeyer007

I think my Lyman manual has a section just for TC data.

added In a light rifle you will likely fail from recoil before the rifle fails from pressure.

The 330 Lyman Hollow Point 457122 shoots well, especially when cast soft. If cast hard they tend to be very oversize and hard to size.

rufe-snow

Unless your fixing, on hunting dangerous game. I would load it with BP equivalent loads.

I've owned a number of 45-70's in the past. They were down rite painful, with heavy loads. I let a guy from work, shoot my 1886 repro. The combination, of modern smokeless high velocity ammo. And that old time, half moon butt plate are a bad news. I poop you not, thought he was going to cry. Would only shoot it once.

Although the Encore, would no doubt shoot heavy loads just fine. You would be just beating your self up, for no good reason.

gruntled

I have been wondering almost the same thing. The Ruger #3 loads may be ok for mine but they are too much for me so I use the same in my #3 & my Marlin. The problem is for the 45/70 barrel for my Thompson Contender. To be safe I have been using the same loads I put in my 1873 Trapdoor. At least it keeps is simple to tell them apart. Cast lead bullets in the Trapdoor loads & jacketed bullets in the other.

gruntled

But what about the Thompson Contender?

tsr1965

I own a half dozen 45-70's...Pedersoli 1874 Quigley, Shiloh Sharps Quigley, Remington Custom Shop Rolling Block Creedmore, Browning 1885 BPCR, an original made in 1891 Winchester 1886, and a Repro Winchester(Miroku made) 1999 vintage 1886 Takedown. I shoot a load suggested by a good friend on here of 33.0 grains of IMR 4198 behind a 405 grain hard cast. Very fun to shoot, and with my Quigley/BPCR rifles, can hit a gallon jug 8 out of 10 shots at 400 yards...if I judge the wind right. I would use the Trap Door data myself, as those loadings have killed everything there is to kill on this planet, including Pachyderms...

dfletcher

quote:Originally posted by Ambrose
Some of my loading books list 3 levels for reloading the .45/70 cartridge: #1 for the trap door Springfield, #2 for the Win 1886 & the newer Marlin, #3 for the Ruger single shot. Where does the TC Encore fit?


I've used the Encore and Contender in 45/70 (and about 50 other calibers) for about 30 years and stick with Marlin level as max for each. I tend to go much, much easier on the Contender. T/C will say to stay in Trapdoor territory for the Contender.

Hodgden from time to time publishes 45/70 loads specifically for the Contender that are the same as I see in the Ruger No1 section. They don't hurt the gun, they sure as heck hurt my shooting hand.

1KYDSTR

For the aforementioned reasons of hand structure retention and not ?hinduing ? yourself in the forehead with the tip of the barrel on recoil, even though the Encore will take the pressure, I always stick to high end Trapdoor loads...it?s the sensible route.