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45-70 loads for TC Contender

shooter45
Just purchased a new barrel for my TC Contender in 45-70 cal. Anyone have experiance in shooting this big load in the Contender?
I also would like information on some soft loading data for this caliber. I have to be truthful, I am a little hesitant on pulling the trigger!
Thanks in advance.
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Comments

10 comments

Date Votes
  • LBussy
    I had one (same make, same round) that was sold after one shot. That is a BEAST of a gun! IIRC it was ~405 gr bullet @ 40 grains of powder.

    I'm not a small guy, and I'm not new to firearms (was in the military at the time and at the range every week) but that thing is a hand howitzer.
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  • dcs shooters
    I load mine to trap door specs. I have a super 14 bbl. that has been magna-ported. I tried some loads I did for my Marlin and they were just too hard on my wrist-elbow and arm.
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  • rufe-snow
    Unless you can work up some light hand loads with fast burning powder, (tough in a large capacity case like the 45-70), you just pissed your money away.

    Years ago at a range I saw a guy trying to shoot a TC in 45-70. It was a hoot, he had a heavy Bronze weight clamped to the bottom underside of the barrel. Recoil was so bad it still all most came out of his hands. From my perspective it didn't look like it was any fun to shoot. YMMV.
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  • Mort4570
    We learned very quickl to skip the 405 grain slugs and go with 300's or 350's.
    Use trapdoor loads and it's a hoot to shoot.Especially at steel !! CLANG !!!!!!!!!!!!
    Every one that we let shoot it diidn't want to give it back,it's that much fun !
    I used Varget because it metered well in my dillon,but there are lots of good powders and loads for that caliber,,including black powder of course.
    The weight of that big barrel hanging out there is gonna dampen recoil quite nicely.
    ENJOY
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  • grizzclaw
    Like has been already stated, go with the 300gr, and lighter loadings. If you have the barrel with the break you are a step ahead. They are alot of fun to shoot and easy to load for. Buy one of TC's loading books, they are pretty much right on with their information.
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  • gruntled
    I have the 16" barrel with the muzzle tamer. I use trapdoor loads because I also have a trapdoor carbine & a Ruger #3.
    I would not want to run the #3 loads through either the Thompson or the trapdoor by accident so I use jacketed bullets for the #3 and
    405 gr lead for the other two.
    I have shot factory loads in the Thompson & they are NO problem. The recoil is not at all bad.
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  • tsr1965
    I havew an 1885, and 1886 that are both made by Miroku. I shoot a load that is just shy of mimmicking the original BP load. It is 30 grains of IMR-4198, and a Missouri Bullets #1 Buffalo Bullet, of 405 grain. They are very low pressure rounds, running around 1300-1400 FPS.

    Best
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  • gene4570
    I love these guns !!! Mine is a custom shop 16" with muzzle tamer. I load Hornady 300 gr HP , IMR 4198 (41 grains) , CCI 200 primers. Very managable and a hoot to shoot. Enjoy!!![:)]
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  • dfletcher
    I started out with a 12" Contender barrel then switched to the 14" with brake. If you want to get comfortable with it, buy some Trapdoor factory stuff and blast away, it's pretty tame.

    There are three basic levels of 45/70 loads - Trapdoor, Marlin 1895 and Ruger No1/Siamese Mauser. T/C advises keeping loads at Trapdoor level. I have used Marlin 1895 level for years and the only bad thing that's happened is the recoil has made my right arm 4" longer than my left. [;)]

    Just kidding, but I think in general if you send 300 grain bullets downrange about 1,800 fps and 405s about 1,500 then you're in the strong recoil arena, but not hurtful. Hodgden lists (in their load magazine) loads specifically for the 14" Contender in 45/70. The high end, using H4198 and H322 I believe, show a 300 grain JHP @ 2,100 fps. I've used it and it beats the heck out of you. I have 405s and 375s, some pretty hot stuff, but this one is a bear. And I use the T/C walnut grip with the rubber backing, but still it's something else to shoot.

    So the recoil on the T/C in 45/70 is pretty strong, and it can be tough with heavy reloads, but on average it's not a killer.
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  • elubsme
    I use 13 grains of Unique with any cast bullet, 350 gr, 410 gr, and 465 grain are my moulds. I size .459 using RCBS lube. The Lyman 45 Colt bullet 452424 at 262 grains passed through the same .459 sizing die is also pretty good with 15 grains of unique. This is from a 23" carbine barrel with a vintage Weaver V-8 'scope[;)] Eddie
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