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45/70

fastfish66

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I HAVE TWO DIFFERENT CASE LENGTH 45/70. THEE NORMAL ONE I SHOOT IN MY RUGER#1 ISWIN OR REM 300/405 GR AND THE CASE IS ABOUT 2.08 IN LENGTH. THE BULLETS I WAS GIVEN ARE R/P45/70 GOVT AND THE CASE IS 2.38" IN LENGTH. WHY THE BIG DIFFERENCE? I HAVE NOT TRIED THIS IN MY GUN. TKS TOM RETIRED VET IN VILLA RICA
 
Hey fastfish66,
SAAMI specified case length for 45/70 government is 2.105 -0.20" regardless of what gun it is chambered in. Hornaday's 9th edition of Handbook of Cartridge Reloading lists a case trim length, for all 3 types of 45/70 loads, at 2.095", which would be at the SAAMI middle length. Your long cases are out of tolerance long, and your short cases are out of tolerance short (short by 0.005" under SAAMI). Lee's Modern Reloading 2nd Edition and Nosler Reloading Guide 7 list a (max) case length of 2.105" while Hodgdon 2016 Annual Manual lists a trim length of 2.100" If your long cases are really 2.380" long, I would inspect them carefully while trimming to spec. I can't believe they stretched that much... 0..275" over max length!
My experience with Hornaday brass, from Hornaday factory loaded ammunition, is that it is short...both pistol and rifle. Some under their specified trim length in their manual, and some under SAAMI spec. I won't purchase their loaded ammo anymore for that reason...cause I expect the brass to be in spec for loading. I think their factory ammo is great, but I expect to be able to reload the brass. Have fun. Pete
 
Hey fastfish66,
SAAMI specified case length for 45/70 government is 2.105 -0.20" regardless of what gun it is chambered in. Hornaday's 9th edition of Handbook of Cartridge Reloading lists a case trim length, for all 3 types of 45/70 loads, at 2.095", which would be at the SAAMI middle length. Your long cases are out of tolerance long, and your short cases are out of tolerance short (short by 0.005" under SAAMI). Lee's Modern Reloading 2nd Edition and Nosler Reloading Guide 7 list a (max) case length of 2.105" while Hodgdon 2016 Annual Manual lists a trim length of 2.100" If your long cases are really 2.380" long, I would inspect them carefully while trimming to spec. I can't believe they stretched that much... 0..275" over max length!
My experience with Hornaday brass, from Hornaday factory loaded ammunition, is that it is short...both pistol and rifle. Some under their specified trim length in their manual, and some under SAAMI spec. I won't purchase their loaded ammo anymore for that reason...cause I expect the brass to be in spec for loading. I think their factory ammo is great, but I expect to be able to reload the brass. Have fun. Pete
tks pete,traded the brass for some that's in toerance
 
IF I am not mistaken doesn't the 45/70 head space on the rim??
if so then as long as the proper loading data is used for the proper case it shouldn't be a problem. although honestly I believe in the Murphy law principle and wouldn't keep the short cases in with the regular length ones.
mark them so you are aware of the shorter case.
factory brass will differ from manufacture to manufacture quite often, just not by a lot and normally it is within SAAMI case specs.
 
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