CSA .40-70 Straight success finally...kind of

[throck3]

throck3

Now let me ask, was it the .060" wad that made the difference? or was it the extra .030" you compressed the powder using that wad?

Ken, my apologies for not getting back any sooner. I tend to attack something and then burn myself out on it for awhile. I also like to shoot a Savage M12 in 6.5 Creedmore. It will shoot half inch groups all day long and is quite fun to shoot, and that is what I have been focusing my attention upon. That and helping my son remodel a house he recently bought.

I have gotten the .40-70 back out and followed Don's advice of more powder. I loaded up 25 rounds of 70 grains of 2f Olde Eysford, and the 375 gr. Brooks bullets. Not having taken good notes the last time out, I was a little inattentive on my barrel rest point, and let it slip back a little too far. (The shooting tables at the range I use are a little short for these long rifles, but no excuses.) Once I realized I was suffering from a little barrel whip, I pushed my rest point out to about five inches from the muzzle. My group immediately shrunk to less than an inch. I have fifty more loaded to see if I can duplicate the result.

[Martini2]

Hope you get the 40-70 Straight perking again soon. I just performed maintenance on my '74. Albeit a replica, the action block is pulled and firing pin removed for cleaning. Mine has the two piece type I.E. a transfer bar and separate pin with return spring. While cleaning the firing pin cavity a few bits of brass were removed. This accounts from not placing hammer at 1/2 cock before dropping the block. In this case my replacement firing pin was lengthened to make sure it stays in the firing pin hole in breach block. Pin was fit so it does not remain proud of the block face when retracted with no contact with hammer. But a bit of crud build up and there may be drag marks on case head to show if hammer is left down after firing. Keeping the firing pin channel clean may keep your '74 ticking.

[throck3]

My firing pin wasn't the problem. Sometimes they simply break. It was easily replaced and I kept an extra as a spare. And yes, be real careful about putting that hammer on half-cock before lowering the breach block. You can easily shear the tip of your firing pin. I'm pretty sure my issue was a combination of the need for more powder and correct placement of the front rest. After I fixed that, I shot six consecutive shots into and inch or less.

[Old Jim]

throck3

Now let me ask, was it the .060" wad that made the difference? or was it the extra .030" you compressed the powder using that wad?

Kurt always asks the important questions !

Jim

[Kurt]

Jim I have found working up ladder loads adding twenty five thousand or thirty thousand wad thickness with out changing the compression plug shrinks the groups as much as it does adding the powder.
Kurt

[Old Jim]

So much free advice posted here, so little time to shoot, sigh !!!!!!!!!!!!!


Jim