[Northwest Cajun]

Hi guys
I just posted my hunting story in the hunting area so now the info on my loads. My buddy was using factory rem 180 in his 300 WM. He gut shot the elk at about 150 yds. It went through and through,It did however, leave a good enough blood trail to follow. I later shot it at about 50 yds thru very thick woods with my 45-70. After the shot all I saw was feet in the air. It knocked it off it's feet! My load is 50.5gr RE#7 and Rem 405's for about 1700-1800 FPS out my my marlin Guide Gun. When we were skinning the elk I found the remains of the 405 just under the skin on the far side. The lead was next to the jacket but seperated. The lead weighed in at 330gr and the jacket was 45gr for a total of 375gr. I was very impressed with the performance of those"cheap bullets" on my first sucessful hunt.

Cajun

[kentucky bucky]

Every deer I've shot with those "cheap" bullets has been killed twice enough. I also load for my 1895 Marlin @ about 1750fps and have often wondered about performance in larger animals in case I win on of the Kentucky elk draws. Thanks for the info. The only thing that bugs me about them is that they deform on the soft nose of the bullet really easy. How do you think it affects accuracy?

[Northwest Cajun]

Ky Bucky,
I dont think the nose matters that much. It's almost the same profile as wadcutter pistol bullets and they use those for target matches.I can hit a 8" steel plate out to 200 yds with my rifle. I also have a 2.75X scout scope which helps. Like I stated earler the jacket was found next to the core seperated, but the core weighed 330gr which is twice as heavy as most other hunting bullets.

:D

Cajun

[Pumpkinheaver]

I've used the 350 hornady at 1950 fps for the last several years in my guidegun this year I switched to the 405 remington at around 1700fps. I havn't had a chance to smack anything with the load yet but hopefully soon.

[Gordon]

Try the 400 grain Speer! I use it with RL -7 for 1750 out of Guide gun 1800fps in 22" 1895. These bullets don't separate like the softer Rem which was really designed for 1400fps. And they are cheap too. ;)

[kentucky bucky]

I love the way those big ole bullets smack the target. (and the deer hide) One of my biggest deer (wall hanger 9pt), I shot at a slow run quartering away from me going up hill. You guessed it, I misjudged the lead and hit him in the neck. That 405 Rem. went through the softest part of his neck like butter, but the wide flat nose grabbed everything in it's path, ripping out his jugular vein. he bled out in 30 yards running up the hill. The blood trail looked like a semi truck hit him. If it would have been a spitzer type bullet in a small caliber, I do believe he would have waved his flag at me as he disappeared up the hill.

[mete]

From all the comments I have heard about using the 45-70 on elk sized animals the favorites seem to be the 350 Hornady and the 400 speer driven somewhere around 1750- 1850 fps.