Factory 45-70 hunting loads

[ajvigs]

What do you guys think is a good factory offered hunting load for the 45-70? Targeted species is going to be mainly Florida hogs, but I wouldn't hesitate to also use it on deer.

 

[FOTIS]

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/110744 ... -box-of-20

 

[Guy Miner]

The Hunting Shack, also known as "HSM" offers several excellent .45/70 loads:

300 gr Speer @ 2000 fps
350 gr Swift A-Frame @ 2050 fps
400 gr Speer @ 1800 fps
405 gr cast @ 1300 fps (cowboy action shooting)
430 gr cast @ 1781 fps

I have not shot those loads, but have experience with a lot of other HSM ammo. It's always lived up to the accuracy & performance standards claimed. I'd have no reservation about using their ammo for hogs, deer, elk, bear, moose or even T-Rex in the case of that 430 gr hard cast load...

Guy

 

[JD338]

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/110744/winchester-supreme-ammunition-45-70-government-300-grain-ballistic-silvertip-box-of-20

+1
I have shot a few deer with this. bullet from a 45-70 and a 50 cal .muzzleoader.
On game performance is excellent.

JD338

 

[Oldtrader3]

Winchester Supreme 300 grain Ballistic Tip Silvertip Winchester. My rifle got over 1800 fps with those factory loads

 

[ajvigs]

The Winchester silvertip is actually the first load I looked at, followed by the HSM loads.

I also saw this:
http://www.midwayusa.com/product/734531 ... -box-of-20

 

[1Shot]

With the 45-70 any factory round will kill hogs and deer fine if you put the bullet in the vitals. I have killed a number of deer with a Lyman #457193 flat nose 405 gr cast bullet and 70 grs FFG black powder out of my Sharps rifle. It will drill a 45 cal hole clean through them from any direction and keep on trucking. Any of the 300 gr HP factory loads that run around 1800 fps are wicked.

 

[Guy Miner]

flat nose 405 gr cast bullet and 70 grs FFG black powder

Gee, where did you get the idea for that load? :grin: I'll bet it does work really well too.

 

[SJB358]

AJ, if I were running a factory load, I'd really look at the Federal Blue Box 300 grain FN. It's the Speer 300 grain UniCor. Very tough bullet, very accurate in a few different rifles and probably about the least expensive besides the HSM ammo. For shooting hogs, I think you'd be better served by that bullet. The 300 grain BST is probably my second choice.

Really, just about any of the factory loaded 300's are going to hunt well. They aren't running too fast and should act really good in animals.

The 430 cast bullets would work well if you could line up 3 or 4 hogs per shot. That'll lower your cost per shot a bunch!

 

[FOTIS]

Take your pick

http://www.midwayusa.com/find?sortby=1& ... onid=16176

 

[ajvigs]

I went to Bass Pro today, all they had for 45-70 was Winchester 300 grn JHP and Remington 405 grn JSP...

I am going to order both the Federal blue-box and Wincheser BST off of Midway.

 

[gerry]

The 300 gr Speer Uni Cor is a very good bullet for the 45-70 you will be pleased with it.

 

[FOTIS]

I agree the unicors are great bullets.

 

[1Shot]

Yep the heavy cast slugs even at black powder velocities 1100 to 1400 fps depending on weight of bullet will do some penetrating. With my above mentioned load of 70 grs FFG and the bullet actually weighed 418 grs from my mix just keeps on trucking. I shot a big doe at 111 yards that was almost facing me. Aiming at center of chest by the time I fired and the bullet got there she decided to put her head down. Bullet struck her between the eyes on the forehead and made saw dust of the spine down the neck. Bullet deflected a little and came out behind the left shoulder angled down and hit the left back leg just above the knee and shot it completely off. Bullet then hit the hard packed logging road and went along looking like a mole under the ground for about 5 yards. The bullet came out of the ground and went through the base of a 4 inch tree and came out and I lost where it went from there. The bullet left the muzzle at around 1375 fps. Needless to say the doe was DRT.

 

[ajvigs]

If anyone finds the Federal blue-box 45-70 at a good price, let me know because I am having a hard time finding it. Did procure some Fusion loads but really want the blue-box

 

[Oldtrader3]

MidwayUSA is out of stock at $39./box.

 

[ajvigs]

What is the ideal 45-70 bullet weight? 300, 350, or 400 grain? I contacted HSM to see if they can get me any of the 400 grain Speer load, and am looking around for the Federal bluebox.

 

[SJB358]

No such thing as ideal AJ. If I were cornered, a 300 PT, 350 Swift or a 400 grain hardcast would be my choice.

 

[Guy Miner]

That 350 gr Swift is really impressive! Good accuracy, excellent weight retention, terrific expansion and good penetration. The 350 gr flat nose Hornady is almost as good at much less expense.

I really like the 350's because they can be pushed up over 2,000 fps from a lever action .45/70 and the Swift is constructed very, very well.

I also like the 400+ grain hard cast bullets...

Check out the .458 bullet tests on this forum. Some good info.

Guy

 

[Oldtrader3]

The Federal Fusion and Blue box are out of stock now at Midway.