I stumble upon references to danger with the above combination. The mostly vague stories center on "everyone knows it is dangerous to use 2400 in the .45-70" Well, I for one don't know it. I have been loading and shooting mild (25 gr. with 350 gr cast) loads. Do I really need to worry about properly loaded rounds detonating with this caliber/powder combo? I hope not, 2400 is one of the "keeper" powders for me. What do you think?
Thanks
Andy

IIRC, Mike Venturnio wrote about someone blowing up a .45-70 with a (very?) light load of 2400 in Shooting Times years ago. He writes for Handloader Magazine now and perhaps you could contact him. He has lots of experience with Cowboy level loads.

Alliant's data shows you're in the right place and they should know what doesn't work as well as what does work. They've got an 800 number.

http://www.alliantpowder.com/

Bye
Jack

I stumble upon references to danger with the above combination. The mostly vague stories center on "everyone knows it is dangerous to use 2400 in the .45-70" Well, I for one don't know it. I have been loading and shooting mild (25 gr. with 350 gr cast) loads. Do I really need to worry about properly loaded rounds detonating with this caliber/powder combo? I hope not, 2400 is one of the "keeper" powders for me. What do you think?
Thanks
Andy
Andy,
I also have used 2400 in my 45-70 and plan to use it some more in the future. I think the danger of using the 2400 in the 45-70 case is the possibility of a double charge. That is a large case and I think it would be possible to get a double charge in such a large case and miss it. I think 50 grains of 2400 in that case would be devastating to a gun and maybe the shooter.
Cary

I use 2400 with a 405 grain cast bullet, and I am using the Alliant data. I am pleased with the load, its accuracy and the velocity I am getting. I concur, that it is possible to put a double charge in a case, which could be dangerous. However, since I don't load .45-70 in volume like 9mm pistol, it is very easy to check the powder levels in each case.
Use it within the data. Great powder.

This seems to come up every couple weeks with these high density powders. There are some easy things to prevent a mishap, 1. Use a powder checker die, 2. Visually check each case, 3. Don't use that powder.

As long as you are using current published data, you should be fine. I really like 2400 powder in my .357 and .44 Mag revolvers and rifle.

I've found loads for 357 mag, 30-30, and 45-70 that I am using the 2400 for. At this point it looks like I will be buying quite a bit more of it to satisfy my shooting needs.:)

Cary

I used 2400 for about 20 years, in a light (trapdoor level) cast bullet load...but don't use it today.

Only one problem. After years of use, had one round go "pifffff" and lodge a bullet in the bore about 1" ahead of the chamber. Stuck behind the bullet was a mass of 2400 that was semi-melted into a somehwat translucent "glob"...oddest looking mess, about as hard as fingernails. Had to dig the powder mass out, then drive the bullet out.

So rahter than a high pressure event, had a low pressure one...but took it as a warning that that load just didn't want to burn right, and switched to another powder.

I just shot 50 rounds of low-med powered 45-70 loads composed of 30.0 gr of 2400 and a 300 grain "fire lapping" jacketed bullet, and no kabooms here. No signs of high pressure, either. I always heard that it was the slower powders that were dangerous to underload, and 2400 is not a slow powder in the 45-70 world. Of course, I'm still not sure WHY it's dangerous to underload a slow powder -- is it because they cause squibs and subsequent booms if the bullet doesn't make it out of the barrel, or does it actually do the "detonation" thing even on the first round shot? Who knows.

Of course, I shook all my finished rounds to make sure I could hear there wasn't a double charge in any of them, and I'm pretty sure I weighed the finished rounds back when I loaded them up a year ago. I usually weigh all handloads afterwards, just to make sure I didn't miss or double a powder charge.

When I was a reloading noob 20 years ago, I forgot a load of powder once and it sure was embarrassing out on the range to be jamming a bullet out of my Blackhawk's barrel with a cleaning rod. Fortunately I've never doubled a load that I know of.

"Fortunately I've never doubled a load that I know of."
If you doubled a load, you'd know it. I did once with a .45ACP round, loaded on a progressive press. Fortunately, I was loading light target loads - less than four grains of Bullseye. I don't know, of course, how much of the second four grains got into the case but it was a memorable trigger pull.
Also fortunately, neither the gun nor I was damaged. Learned a lesson from that.
As to the use of 2400, it is a go to powder for me. It is a one of the "slow" pistols propellants that does not have a "do not reduce more than 10% from maximum" caution, as do H110 and Win296.
Pete

I have yet to try 2400 in my 45-70 but that will happen here in an hour or 2. I've only used SR4759 to this point. I've used 2400 in 44 and 357 mag loads for years and prefer it to H110 and WW296.

If it's the "double charge scare", that can be remedied with a quick look and the tromping a bullet in before some idjit gets another cahnce to put more powder in the case!!

I have used 2400 behind a 158 grain gas-checked bullet in the 35 Whelen as a "plinker" with no ill effect. (I can hear it now "A plinker load in a 35 Whelen?!!?") Not very accurate at 100 yards but it'll kill a grouse or snowshoe hare at 10 pretty well!!!

RJ

Marshall Stanton, board owner and experieced reloader, dotes on 2400 in his cast loadings, giving me such advice when purchasing his 405 gr CGC bullets for my Spfld Trapdoor carbine. Could only find it in 8# jugs in my area, so decided to use up a bunch of little used AA#9, 5744 and IMR3031 until the smaller containers of 2400 become available around here.

"Alliant 2400 Dangerous in the .45-70?"

It sure is if you use too much of it! Possibly so if you use too little. You know, it's a lot like any other powder, it's not the powder that's "dangerous", it's the user. Don't over charge or half charge and you will be fine. With any powder.

Andy
Don't worry about it.Follow all safety rules,and practice common sense when using any gunpowder.
I do believe that the current stuff,sold by Alliant,is more potent then the powder that Herculese made,years ago.Maybe I'm wrong about this.
Frank

I'll second that thought Kragman71. I had some Hercules 2400 and used that all up then went and got some Alliant 2400 and had to start all over with my "Inga" load for my 44 mag RH. I was using 21 grains of Hurcules 2400 and and droppped clear down to 16 grain to get a 1150 fps load with a 429421.

As for Alliant 2400 in the 45-70? My 45-70 is an 1895 Marlin so this load SHOULD NOT BE USED IN A TRAPDOOR SPRINGFIELD!!! 29 grains (worked up to there from 25) is a very potent load behind a 358124!!! I'm not sure what the FPS is at this time, but it seems to show no signs of pressure and is pretty accurate. More testing will be required I think.

RJ

I like using the 2400 for plinking loads in the .45-70 for a pretty lazy reason. One of my Lee dippers dumps the correct amount (checked with a scale) so I don't have to mess around with a scale, measure, etc to load up 20 or so. Plus the dipper is small enough I don't need a funnel, just invert the case over the level dipper, then flip so case is down, no muss, no fuss, impossible to double charge.
Andy