G'day all,
well I finally got some time off work and got home to Victoria and got my hands on my new Baikal 45-70. Firstly I prepared some loads using Rem. brass,350gr Hornady flat nose projectiles and AR2207 powder ( close equivalent to 4198). As these rifles are proofed to 2200 Bar x 14.7 psi = 32,340psi. This is definitely NOT Springfield Trapdoor territory, more like mid range modern lever action pressures.

I started my loads at 48.5gr and worked up at .5gr intervals. My goal if possible was to end up with the 350gr bullet at approximately 2100fps. I worked my way up to 51gr which should be about where I wanted it and is about a mid way LA load. At no point were there any pressure signs and the cases would fall straight out when you inverted the rifle. It looked like the regulation is going to work out the best at just a little lower velocity, probably 50 - 50.5gr. As I am back at work again I will continue the fine tuning when I get home again in a couple of weeks. I will get some Woodleighs
to try with the next batch. The left/right regulation is fine (with Jack screw adjustment) but vertically well out, and this comes down to fine tuning the load.

To quote Marrakai in an answer to a previous post of mine " good God , it is only a 7 pound rifle"
( or something similar) and yes you were right the recoil is quite, shall we say ROBUST with that load. In answer to some queries about the regulating jack screw, in the Baikal manual it is described as, looking at the rifle from the left hand side turning the screw clockwise will move the point of impact of the right barrel to the right and the left barrel to the left

All the best and good shooting, Ian.