|
|
|||||||
Bill, Welcome to this forum and I think you will find the right information here to suit your project. I like to regulate my guns to a known handload, that way if I need to tweek it a little I know exactly what the starting load was. If you use a factory load to regulate with, you may not be able to duplicate that factory load exactly if you don't know how they loaded it in the first place. Even if you acheive the same speed with the same bullet they used, the recoil impulse of the different powder may throw the whole thing off. Ammo makers also have access to powders that we cannot even buy and they may be able to safely load a bullet to a speed that we can't get to using off the shelf powders. One thing you've done right in my opinion, is your choice of caliber. The 45/70 is a most versital cartridge. It can easily be loaded up or down depending on what you need. I regged one of my 45-70's with a 300 grain Remingtom hollowpoint in front of 37 grains of IMR 4198 for about 1700 fps. It will shoot the 350 grain flatpoint or a 405 hard cast bullet equaly well to the same point of impact by changing the powder around a little. I have found that there is more difference in POI between jacketed versus cast than between jacketed or cast bullets of differing weights. As always, these loads were found to work in my gun only, and might not be safe in yours. Start under and work upwards till you get what you want. You mentioned doing hunts for different types of animals and I think you will find that maybe a hardcast 405 grain bullet will handle any and all comers. That might also be a good choice to reg. the new rifle. Maybe a 350 or 400 grain jacketed will work best for you. Whatever you choose, just be sure it is consistantly accurate in your rifle and that you can shoot it well. Bob H. |