Now I've got to dig around in the closet and find my Hunter's Orange. I think I remember where I left it.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Getting Ready
Saturday morning will open our deer season here in Louisiana. The first week is something they call "primitive weapon" season. It used to be a pure muzzle loading season, but it's been diluted so thoroughly that they finally bowed to practicality and allowed a limited number of breech loading firearms. So, I'm using my Handi-Rifle in .45-70, which is on the list.
My ammo is a handload featuring the Lee 405 grain flat point bullet, cast from pure lead. I load it with a piddling charge of IMR 4895 and push that bullet to about 1300 fps. Before you scoff at that load, it duplicates the carbine load that the US Army used during the late 1800s and it has taken lots of game over the years. A 405 grain bullet isn't something to scoff at, at any velocity. I'll be hunting a dry creek bed that runs through a thicket and I can't imagine any shot being over 100 yards. Likely closer to 50 yards.
Now I've got to dig around in the closet and find my Hunter's Orange. I think I remember where I left it.
Now I've got to dig around in the closet and find my Hunter's Orange. I think I remember where I left it.
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6 comments:
I wouldn't want to be hit by a 405 grain bullet even if someone just threw it at me!
I thought I read somewhere (maybe at Cast Bullet, but I'm not sure)that LA primitive weapons season cartridge weapons had to use black powder. Maybe I didn't read it but just thought it.
Dads got a 45-70 rolling block that's killed lots of deer. Good looking gun paw paw.
Riley
might want to add a little linotype to the lead, makes it just a bit harder, not much, say 3-5% or so.
I find i have better results in my 44mag and 44 super mag cast loads.
also are you dropping the cast rounds in to a bucket of cold water?
what lube are you running?
Bradley, at only 1300 fps Pawpaw doesn't need hard bullet alloy. And lube doesn't really matter at such low velocity as long as it's lube. Bacon grease would work.
No, Brad, these bullets are dead soft. I'm not pushing them very fast and I want them to expand. I save my linotype for bullets that will be going over 1500 fps. And no, they're not water-dropped. I save that technique for alloys that I want really hard.
As for lubes, I use LLA for everything smokeless. It's easy to use and does a real good job.
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