Best ammo for the 45/70 rio??

[JBox818]

I just got back from the range, fired my first twenty rounds through that beautiful beast of a lever gun.
I was shooting black hills 405gr lead flat point rounds and from what I could tell not a single shell burned all the powder contained within. The first few I hand fed and ejected that's when I notices powder coming from the expelled shell.
I'm guessing it's because the Rio has a 20" barrel not a 24" or larger like many other 45/70 rifles.
So the search is on for the right powder, primer and projectile.
I'd love to hear more of what you guys have found, more for a mild efficient round.

[pricedo]

I just got back from the range, fired my first twenty rounds through that beautiful beast of a lever gun.
I was shooting black hills 405gr lead flat point rounds and from what I could tell not a single shell burned all the powder contained within. The first few I hand fed and ejected that's when I notices powder coming from the expelled shell.
I'm guessing it's because the Rio has a 20" barrel not a 24" or larger like many other 45/70 rifles.
So the search is on for the right powder, primer and projectile.
I'd love to hear more of what you guys have found, more for a mild efficient round.

Unburned powder in the expended shell would suggest several remedies if this were hand loaded ammo: 1) go to a magnum primer (especially if it was a ball powder being used), 2) go to a faster powder, 3) perhaps a heavier crimp, 4) reduce the charge or a combination of 1), 2), 3), or 4).

But if you are shooting Black Hills factory ammo I don't know what the remedy (if any required) would be.

Some factory ammo uses proprietary powders not available to hand loaders.

It isn't unheard of for some loads to not be 100% efficient powder burners.

If the load chronied to expected velocities I wouldn't worry about it.

Some things you can't control.

20" isn't a real short barrel for a gun chambered in .45-70. I've seen customized Guide Guns with 16 1/2" barrels and the norm is around 18".

[Ranch Dog]

I too do not think it much of an issue. With any cartridge it is tough to get a 100% burn, no matter if you are seeing the particles or not as a lot of powder is blown out the barrel unburnt. Depending on the type of powder used, what you are seeing might actually be burnt but left behind. If you like the accuracy and terminal performance, I wouldn't worry about it.

For my reloading data, I use QuickLoad and the percent of the powder charge burnt is one of the outputs. Here is a list of typical powders reloaders would choose from, calculated for the RG4570 and my TLC460-425-RF bullet. The actual charges have been intentionally left out.

Burn.jpg

[JBox818]

I guess I won't be too worried about it then. Black hills was the most affordable factory ammo available up here in Ketchikan. $34/box
I really want to begin reloading for the Rio Grande, the last gun I loaded for was a bolt gun in .300 Remington ultra magnum
The funnest part of reloading was finding the right load for the gun, and talking with people about what they found worked or didn't
Thanks for the load specs Ranch Dog
It's good to see the efficiency of the powder I don't think I could've found that info anywhere else

[pricedo]

If the table data is a true representation of reality as much as 25% (1/4) of the powder charge is "wasted" with some powders...............WOW !
I would love to see the theory, the algorithms and the empirical measurements the software author uses to arrive at & support the data in the tables.
I'm not disputing the information presented .............just curious.

[joec]

I bought a box of Hornady 250 gr Monoflex Leverevolution at Bud's this morning when I picked up my scope for $34 also. I've bought bullets though from Oregon Trail and Badman Bullets. I have about 200 Starline and 200 Remington brass new. So far all I've loaded are a couple of light loads using trailboss but have Reloader 7, IMR 3031 and IMR 4198. I also have some pistol powder for light loads on hand also as well as black powder.

[pricedo]

I bought a box of Hornady 250 gr Monoflex Leverevolution at Bud's this morning when I picked up my scope for $34 also. I've bought bullets though from Oregon Trail and Badman Bullets. I have about 200 Starline and 200 Remington brass new. So far all I've loaded are a couple of light loads using trailboss but have Reloader 7, IMR 3031 and IMR 4198. I also have some pistol powder for light loads on hand also as well as black powder.

I think the Hornady Gummy Bear 325 grain FTX ammo is cheaper than the ammo with the 250 grain Barnes bullet.
Saw a very large bull moose that was shot with 1 of these FTX tipped cartridges from a scoped Guide Gun @ just shy of 200 yards just south of Timmins, Ontario, Canada on a hunting trip last fall.
The shooter had just come out onto the road from a small wood lot where he had shot the moose looking for his hunting buddies to give him a hand handling the animal.
The young chap (early 20s) was so excited his vowels were tripping over his consonants and I could hardly make out what he was saying so seeing none of his co-hunters around I went in an gave him a hand gutting and field dressing the bull moose.
I paced off the distance from the shooters ground blind where the expended casing lay on the ground to where the moose carcass was and it was just short of 200 yards.
The moose had walked about 10 yards and dropped and his lungs had been turned to mush by the 325 grain Hornady FTX bullet.