Got me a MT Moose tag and I'm thinking of giving the 45-70 a first chance at a bull.
Does anyone have a good list of things to watch for when loading lever guns?
I'm thinking the 276 or 300gr Sledge Hammers (Hammer Bullets) in my Marlin SBL 45-70 will be my bullets to test. Hoping to get some 4198 or similar powder paired with fresh Starline brass and either Rem or Federal primers.
I've always tended to keep my lever gun loads pretty mild as they tended to be more of a novelty to shoot than a serious hunting option. I've read some threads to track velocity but these bullets don't have a lot of info out there except for 2 or 3 guys tinkering with potentials. Some forums threads say extraction resistance but I've also read that by the time you see pressure signs you're already dangerous. Same goes for trying to read primers...lots of variables.
Does anyone have a good list of things to watch for when loading lever guns?
I'm thinking the 276 or 300gr Sledge Hammers (Hammer Bullets) in my Marlin SBL 45-70 will be my bullets to test. Hoping to get some 4198 or similar powder paired with fresh Starline brass and either Rem or Federal primers.
I've always tended to keep my lever gun loads pretty mild as they tended to be more of a novelty to shoot than a serious hunting option. I've read some threads to track velocity but these bullets don't have a lot of info out there except for 2 or 3 guys tinkering with potentials. Some forums threads say extraction resistance but I've also read that by the time you see pressure signs you're already dangerous. Same goes for trying to read primers...lots of variables.