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Hi all,

Quick question really I have seen some very nice looking Henry All Weather Guide Guns chambered in .45/70, they have a lovely wood stock to them and a stainless action and barrel, I will attach an image if I can find it again.

I know for this calibre you would have to reload and looking at prices cases and boolits are not that cheap. My question though is could this be used as a gallery rifle if downloaded? I'm thinking a cast boolit with a small charge?

Kind Regards





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There have been a lot of what are being called 'detonations' in replica black-powder cartridge revolvers with very small charges of smokeless propellant. Lost the top three chambers of my 1873 Colt clone in .44-40. What supposedly happens is the very small powder charge lies along the bottom of the case and when the primer ignites the flash covers all the propellant, and rather than burning progressively, it all goes off at once. The powder companies say it can't happen, but it sure happens a lot. Lost count of the number of photos of revolvers I have seen missing the top half of the cylinder.

So if this can happen to reduced charges in a .44-40, just imagine the possibilities in a .45-70. Not to say it can't be done, but you need to think about something to take up all the empty space in the cartridge case to make sure the propellant stays where it belongs.

My favourite load for .45-70 is two Pyrodex Pellets, with a card wad and topped off with an Ox-Yoke Wonder Wad to fill up the case and cut down on powder fouling. It almost duplicates the old .45-60 carbine load, and works a treat in my replica Sharps Cavalry Carbine. That's about as far as I want to down-load a .45-70.

I would say no. Since the vague "pistol calibre" definition of a gallery rifle was abandoned, the limit has been the velocity and energy of a gallery range, using the factory load data. Melville is used as the reference, although most gallery rifles have the same limits. 45-70 would be OK on the velocity limit, but way over on energy.
Fred

My favourite 45-70 short range load is as per the original practice load.

You will need fired unsized cases just reprimed, 5 gns of 2 or 3 fg black powder and a .457 round ball lighly tumbled in 50/50 xlox and white spirit. Just seat the round ball down into the case so that it seats on top of the powder, I use a 3/8" dowel, load and fire. It knocks the middle out of a PL 12 target at 25 yrds in my Trapdoor, I got banned from using it in the club competitions as the secretary couldn't score it as he didn't know which were nines or tens as the nine ring inward was missing.

It was good enough for training the US military and is good enough for me.

Buy one anyway. 45-70 is great fun to shoot at short to medium range. I did switch from Reloader 7 to 2400 though. Still packs a punch but find the loads a bit more manageable.

I have a Marlin 1895SBL, and was told I couldn't use it on the Gallery range at Bisley due to Muzzle energy concerns. No mention was made at the time about the possibility of 'downloading', although I have no doubt some clubs will be more understanding about the potential of doing so. I use it at 100yrds on Short Siberia at Bisley. 45/70 is fun, and I would well recommend them - the one I have always gets a crowd when I take it down there, and people just want to have a go.

Dromia has some good advice. I hate to be "that guy" but if you are only using downloaded loads and want a lever action in .45 calibre why not look at a .45LC version, as shown in the link below? Disregard this if you intend to use full power .45-70 loadings.

https://www.henryrifles.com/rifles/all-weather-big-boy/

We have a gallery range. As I said above, the 45-70 in factory loads exceeds the energy limit. We therefore encourage downloads, but each members loads have to be chronographed and recorded in a log book before being allowed. Gallery rifle competitions simply exclude downloads to avoid the need for this hassle.
Fred

Thanks for all the replies, I have a lot to think about, I may eventually get a .45/70 but use it only on occasion at a permitted range maybe out to 100yards as suggested.


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