.45-70 hunting loads

[redrider03]

What are your best hunting loads? I am looking for a hunting bullet for my .45-70 1886 replica, since Nosler has no choices, I am curious what you use. I am really interested in the 350 gr. A-Frame, it seems like that would be an awesome bullet for any big game animal in North America but that is just me. What do you guys think of 350 gr. bullets. Heavy enough to pack a big punch but light enough to obtain respectable velocity and energy. What do you guys think?

 

[FOTIS]

I have used the various 300 gr and 350 gr with good luck using H322. A good 350 gr ought to do you fine fro everything in NA.

Or if you can get the 300 NP.

 

[Woodycreek]

Nosler 300gr BT with 59.5gr of H4198 gets me 2460fps with a 24" barrel Marlin 1895.

 

[Guy Miner]

JD338 has used Noslers from his .45/70 on game, and Nosler still produces a 300 gr BT.

Like you, I was interested in the 350's because it seemed light enough to get high velocity, but big enough to handle pretty doggone big game. Tested both the Hornady FNSP and the Swift A-Frame, which is a very expensive bullet BTW. Never got around to testing the 350 North Fork, which also seemed like a good bullet. I was able to drive the 350's to 2040 - 2120 fps with no problems using H4198 and my 22" Marlin 1895.

Slamming them into one-gallon plastic water jugs produced satisfying results with good penetration and good expansion. The Swift is on the left in these photos and shed virtually no weight. The Hornady expanded more and shed some weight.

I hunted with the .45/70 off and on for a number of years, but only took one mule deer doe with it, using a 405 gr Remington handloaded to about 1650 fps. Not a bad bullet at all. It went through both shoulders and broke her back as well.

Enjoy that big boomer. It's a grand old cartridge!

Guy

 

[HeathSexton]

350 Hornady FP + 59.0grs H4895 in WW Brass = 1912fps from my 18.5" barreled 1895G, great accuracy too.

 

[JD338]

I am loading 59.0 grs H322 with the Nosler 300 gr BST in my 45-70 for a MV 2050 fps. Accuracy is .400" at 100 yds with my 1895 Guide gun.
The 350 gr Swift should do well for all NA game.

JD338

 

[SJB358]

I have two good loads that are kind of my fall backs for the 45-70. The first one is.

59gr H4198, WW cases, CCI BR2 primers and the 300gr PT. Shoots really well in my Guide Rifle and clocks about 2325FPS. It is a stout one and should easily clean the clock of any animal. Here is a bullet that went through an entire 12-14 Red Pine log. Weighs about 250gr's.

Since I only have about a 150 of the PT's, I wanted to come up with another, less expensive load that would do about the same thing and not break the bank. What I came up with was the 350gr Hornady FP, like Guy showed you.

I ran it with WW cases, CCI BR2's and H4198. I ended up with 2150 over my chrono.

That bullet was found under the bark on a big block of red oak. Some of the bullet is a little beat up from me digging it out. The core will come out of it, but honestly, at that point I don't see any harm in it. It is a very impressive bullet for the money.

Here was a 100 yard group I shot during load work up. Not a cloverleaf group, but it does shoot well and I believe it would be plenty accurate for anything out to 45-70 ranges.

I have a box of Swift's and NF 350's, but I just haven't found the need to mess with them yet. They are some very stout bullets and if I were to pick a bullet outside of the 300gr PT, today, I would likely pick up a few boxes of the Swifts and hunt very happily. Scotty

 

[1Shot]

This load helped kill off a good deal of the buffalo in NA from a 45-70 and It still will get the job done on anything in NA and most of the world. All the FFG black powder you can trickle through a 30" drop tube and fill a case to the point that with a 30 thousands thick fiber or card wad placed on top of the powder and a Lyman #457125 Style 500 to 520 gr cast bullet when seated will compress the powder down one tenth of and inch. It will do between 1100 and 1200 fps and will shoot through most any game animal from any direction out to around 1000 yards and will do it much more accurately than any smokeless powder load. The same loading method with the Lyman #457193 cast 405 to 420 gr will do around 1400 fps and works well on deer size game. With either load you can eat right up to the bullet hole. :mrgreen:

 

[Woodycreek]

I'm trying to get a 500 grainer going 1100-1150 with Varget.

 

[JD338]

One thing to keep in mind is with the heavy bullets in a 45-70, you don't need a lot of velocity to make them effecient game killers.

JD338

 

[redrider03]

One thing to keep in mind is with the heavy bullets in a 45-70, you don't need a lot of velocity to make them effecient game killers.

JD338

Exactly! Plus put a high quality bullet like a Partition or A-Frame and you got alot more game killing ability. I will keep my eyes open for the 300 gr. Partition but looks like I will have to go for the A-Frame. I know that they are very expensive, but I figured I would just use them for hunting and then shoot cast bullets for target

What do you guys think about Hornady brass? I bought some Leverolution bullets and the hornady brass was alittle shorter than the Rem brass I have been using, since I dont have brass prep tools I thought these might be good to get.

 

[SJB358]

I shoot WW cases, and they are TOUGH. Never used Hornady, but being shorter than other cases might cause an issue with crimping unless you have an LEE FCD. I would bet a bag of 50 cases of WW or RP would last awhile. 45-70's are not hard on brass and they seem to last a really long time. Scotty

 

[JD338]

The Hornady brass is shorter to accomodate the gummt tip 325 gr Hornady bullet. You can't load this bullet in standard R-P or W-W brass.
For this reason, I will not ues the Hornady 325 gr bullet or their brass.
I am pretty happy with R-P brass and the Nosler 300 gr BST bullets.

JD338

 

[onesonek]

I read this thread , but didnt have time to put my cents worth in,,,then it slipped my mind.
Fact is, there is hardly a bad bullet produced today. And most any will perform well, if applied reasonably and within their envelope. Although, the Nosler Partition is still my favorite big game bullet.
Some years back I used the.45-70 / 400 gr. Speer, out a 14" TC Contender,,,It was a hammer at those velocities, it simply flatten deer. But push it to what is possible, in say the Ruger #1, it expands so much, penetration is limited.
I sure like the way that Swift looks/acts, but for me at least, it is cost prohibitive, for all but maybe dangerous game. And the rest mentioned looks like that they would do, as well.
As for me in the .45-70 now, I think I will stay with the cast route. I believe these would cover most my needs, although if I had to settle on one, the 405 or 425 gr.(not pictured) would be my choice for most all North American big game. I would prefer the heavy weights for something like the Brown Bears of AK.

L>R 350, 405, 470, and 465gr.

Best part of all, even the 470's only cost 10-11 cents to make, and cheaper yet with scrounged lead.

 

[SJB358]

Great looking bullets Dave. Scotty

 

[onesonek]

Thanks Scotty,,,the one without the gascheck, is actually a cull as the mold wasn't quite up to temp. for good fillout on the bands. But I kept it back to check the age hardening of that particular alloy. I had some good ones from that pour, but sent them to a friend for him to try in his #1 .458 Win Mag..

 

[JD338]

Those HC lead bullets, even at low to moderate velocities will penetrate into tomorrow.

JD338

 

[SJB358]

Kinda vetting excited to give casting a try. It would be pretty cool hunting and taking animals with a bullet I made myself in a cartridge I loaded myself. Really brings it as close to being a mountain man as I can pull off right now! Scotty

 

[Woodycreek]

Kinda vetting excited to give casting a try. It would be pretty cool hunting and taking animals with a bullet I made myself in a cartridge I loaded myself. Really brings it as close to being a mountain man as I can pull off right now! Scotty

Don't forget the buckskins and fish!

 

[SJB358]

Kinda vetting excited to give casting a try. It would be pretty cool hunting and taking animals with a bullet I made myself in a cartridge I loaded myself. Really brings it as close to being a mountain man as I can pull off right now! Scotty

Don't forget the buckskins and fish!

Got em! I will make sure I have plenty for you as well! Scotty