Range Report Win. 1886 and 500 Grain Bullet

[Cimarron Red]

I've been shooting Miroku 1886's, both Winchester and Browning, for about 12 years now, and the bullets that have shot best in my guns are the RCBS 300 and 405 grain gas check designs. These bullets are the same, just that the heavier bullet is, of course, longer. RCBS also makes the same design in 500 grain. I've often wondered how these would shoot, and how stiff the recoil would be. So I bought the mould about two months ago. I had to return it to RCBS, but that's a lengthy tale that I'll spare you. The mould is casting fine now, so I loaded some up with several different charges. My favorite powder for mild loads in the .45-70 is 26 grains of SR-4759. Both the 300 and 405 grain bullets shoot very well with this same charge.

For the 500 grain (it actually weighs 540 grains lubed and checked) I loaded 25 and 26 grains of 4759 and the same weight of AA-5744. I also loaded the same weight charges of 5744 under the 300 grain bullet as I wanted to see if it would do better than 4759. None of these loads shot all that well, except for the 26 grain load of 4759. This group measures approximately 5/8" center to center.

The target pictured below was shot at 50 meters. All groups are five shots. There are two groups, both unremarkable, that printed some hits off this target and on to the target below. I had adjusted the sights too low in this instance. Recoil with the 500 grainers is stout enough to get the attention of any shooter.





I'm not likely to shoot this bullet often, but I wanted to have a load that will hold up at long range as some of the buffalo gong shoots call for shooting lever guns at up to 800 yards. It will be interesting to see how this bullet does at very long range.

[tman]

Thank you for the report. I've always wanted to, but never tried 500gr. bullets in my 86 SRC.

[Ysabel Kid]

Thank you for the report. I've always wanted to, but never tried 500gr. bullets in my 86 SRC.

+1 - and now I know where to start!

[Cimarron Red]

As I mentioned the recoil is stout, but during my range session, I saved several rounds to shoot off-hand. And when I shot off my hind legs, the recoil was far more manageable.

I've shot thousands of heavy .45-70 bullets in BPCR silhouette rifles, but these guns weigh 11 plus pounds. The Browning 1885 rifle that I've shot the most weighs just under the NRA limit of 12 lb., 2 oz. But the 86 is considerable lighter at 9 1/2 lb.and this makes the recoil 'memorable.' I have dealt with the crescent butt by carving a hardwood filler and slipping on a recoil pad.

tman, your SRC weighs about 8 lb. Be careful!

[Technical Director]

Nice clover leaf you got there, CR . There's a couple of my range buddies that also shoot 500 grain 45-70's out of their Sharps rifles with tang sights too. At 100 yards it makes a nice "thump" into the backstop. At 200 yards, there's a nice pause after they shoot before it "thumps' into the back stop. You almost have time for a cup of coffee before it hits. Per them, it seems to be a very nice stable bullet for long range shooting too.

[KirkD]

Last week I tried a 500 grain SAECO plain base bullet in my original 1886 45-70. I only loaded up five rounds and fired them at 100 yards. Four went into a 1 & 3/4" group but a fifth went high. I'm not sure why this was. I used 24 grains of 5744 for 1,173 fps. Here is the target ...

[Huntermb]

Geez nice group Kirk. I may have to give those a try in my old 86

[Cimarron Red]

Thanks, T.D.

Nice group, KirkD. Will your Saeco bullet feed from the magazine?

[Nath]

Thanks for sharing, very interesting.

500+grainers, they ain't gonna want to stop!

Nath.

[KirkD]

Will your Saeco bullet feed from the magazine?

It will if I keep to the O.A.L. of the 45-90 cartridge, or the O.A.L. of the original 500 grain 45-70 bullet. However, to do this, I'd have to crimp just over the front driving band, which will only work if I use black powder.

[Cimarron Red]

Thanks, KirkD. I suspected that was the case. I have the 881 mould, but, truth to tell, I've not had much luck in the accuracy department with plain-base bullets in the Miroku 1886's (excepting the RCBS 325 grain.) And I should have the leade re-cut to a more shallow angle. I believe this would improve things quite a bit. God, what would I do without shooting!