Low Penetrating Bullets for 45/70

My thoughts.
A big bullet going with that kinetic energy will go through and through with a mild load and minimal expansion. A hollow point handgun bullet swaged up before loading might work but might not penetrate well enough to do the job. A 308 with bullets that expand well at low velocities (30-30 bullet) would be a better choice. Balance would be initial penetration versus over penetration. Never actually tried this though so only random thoughts. I would try expansion tests before relying on anything though.

The Lyman 457122 mold casts a bullet that weighs about 300 grains and is hollow pointed. I have used it successfully from the 45-70 on white tailed deer but I load for penetration. I guess you could load it slower to limit penetration.

If you are hunting with hounds, why not a handgun?

Kevin

I wouldn't make a shot with anything behind a target I didn't want to destroy especially a moving target but this would be the least likely that I know of.

A 97 grain .458 HP

https://www.lehighbullets.com/product/458-300-458-cqb/

I think that loading a 45-70 or a .308 down to the point of expecting a hog over 40 lbs to be a reliable backstop, amounts to a load that is not suitable for the 50 yard shot. Any load that will not exit a broadside rib shot, will not likely penetrate to the vitals on a hog shot anywhere BUT the ribs. The only thing that would do what you want that I know of is pre-frag ammo, or something like a Glaser safety lug, which will likely result in a lot of wounded animals that may or may not eventually die. Varmint bullets might blow up on impact, or might not. Shotgun with larger shot, but smaller than 00 might work, might not. If close proximity of dogs is an issue, I don't know if shotgun is the answer.

I think your best bet is to use only appropriate loads for hogs, and live with the reality of safely hunting with dogs which is often a lot of passed up shots. The truthful answer it is that it is just not safe to take a shot with ANY ammo when your dogs are too close. Hunted rabbits many years with dogs, and passed a lot fo shots because a light load of #8 will easily kill a dog at close range. Different ammo is not the answer.

You're chasing unicorns. There are no guarantees that any bullet won't exit a 40 lb hog and still have enough energy to kill it. You aren't gonna find a 45-70 or 308 load that will do so consistently. Even on a 200 lb hog anything with enough energy to kill it stands a good chance of exiting.

Your best choices are going to be light for caliber bullets designed to expand rapidly and load them FAST, not slow. A 300-350 gr 45-70 bullet or a 125 gr 308 bullet loaded as fast as practical. Loading them slower limits expansion and increases penetration.

A 223 loaded with soft point bullets would be the round least likely to completely penetrate. Probably not a good choice on larger hogs though.

Been there. Forget the rifle.

Use a .22LR pistol if the pit bull is still on the ear and stick the pistol in the hogs ear. Avoid a relvover if possible since the gas escaping from the cylinder gap can hit the dog in the eyes or ears.

Use a .357 Magnum handgun if the dogs are far enough away so that the muzzle blast doesn't deafen them. A shoulder shot will bring all but the largest hogs down. Avoid the heavier bullets so you do not get full penetration.

Lastly, make sure your knife is long enough to get under the shoulder shield of a boar and into the heart.

Perhaps you can paper patch a .452 jacketed hp to work in your 45/70. I have a mold from Saeco that casts a 250 gr wadcutter that I've used unsigned in my 2 45/70 single shots. Out to 75 yds or so it's quite accurate and very low recoil.

Get/Cast/Load the Lyman "Collar Button" (1,100fps)/pure lead/Fast powder.


Marlin`95:


Guaranteed no to through & through.

Back when.... Old guys always have a story from back when.

The way I am, I want to shoot 'it'. I had an 1884 Trapdoor in 45-70 and loaded it to shoot, 3 or 4 times. As it was made with very soft steel and being a black powder weapon by design, I loaded it very, very light using smokeless powder. Don't remember how much or of what, doesn't matter.

When I fired this great old work horse, I could hear those bullets swishing in the air going end for end. They didn't reach the speeds needed to stabilize. And when they hit, they hit. The explosion of river bank was proof of it.

I think those bullets were something around 310 grains, best memberen on my part. I feel that they would penetrate deeper than you desired depth. That was back in 1973 or 74. And I can still remember it.

I don't think you are going to stay under your limit with a 45-70.