45/70 hunting bullet?

What is your rifle?
What are you planning to shoot with it?

For a Trap-door Springfield, it might be a 405 grain lead RN.

For a modern Marlin lever-action, it might be a 300, 350, or 405 JFP or JHP bullet.

For a Ruger #1 single-shot it might be a 500 JRN.

In short, we need more info to really answer your question.

rc

In my Marlin Guide gun and Browning 1885, the Hornady 300 Gr. is a bang/flop round for whitetail's! Never had to shoot one twice!! You do need to use loads that are suitable for your particular action type and strength. Can't stress that enough!!!!!

I would think in a levergun a lighter bullet might be fine for hogs as long as the hogs aren't too big. Nothing wrong with a 300gr Cast bullet in your Marlin say with a charge of H4895...

I have a Ruger #1. I have used 300 gr JHP for both hogs and deer. Always got an exit and very close to DRT's or SHORT trailing job with LOTS of blood.

Jacketed soft nose anything from 300 to 405g out of a Marlin. Awesome.

I chose to cast a 400 grain bullet. I am still developing the load though. I am shooting a Marlin 1895 with a 22" barrel.

shoot 300 gr hp in mt 78 browning with a heavy dose of imr 3031

lyman 457124 plain base round nose about 400 gr. lubed in H&R single shot. Have fun and bangaway.

ArchAngelCD said:

I would think in a levergun a lighter bullet might be fine for hogs as long as the hogs aren't too big. Nothing wrong with a 300gr Cast bullet in your Marlin say with a charge of H4895...

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There ain't nothin' light about a 300gr 45-70 projectile.

Plenty of people hunt hogs with 7.62x39 or even smaller (local ordinances apply, legal disclaimer etc etc).

-StaTiK-

jack44 said:

Whats the typical hunting bullet for my rifle? 300 or 405?

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ArchAngelCD said:

I would think in a levergun a lighter bullet might be fine for hogs as long as the hogs aren't too big. Nothing wrong with a 300gr Cast bullet in your Marlin say with a charge of H4895...

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StaTiK said:

There ain't nothin' light about a 300gr 45-70 projectile.

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That's not what I said, I said the 300gr bullet is lighter, not light. The OP asked about both the 300gr and 405gr bullet so that would make the 300gr bullet the lighter bullet.

Winchester used to load both a 300 gr hp. and a 405 soft point. The 405 was rated for deer only. When they brought out the 300 gr. it was faster and rated for elk. Now hornady has a leverevolution shell that weighs 325 gr. and is faster than the 300 grain by 100 +fps. It is selling like hotcakes. Components now available. Have fun and bangaway.

45-70 hunting bullets.

I used a ruger # one action for strength,bullet weight & type depends on game being hunted,350 gr. jacketed ,flat nose,with 80 grs,3031 was awesome on prairie dogs,reduced loades were fun too,been a while,but,I think the ruger old army bullet was a 457 dia. 250gr,with polyester filler ,so no flash over,35 to 45 grs.3031 was a fun plinking load.

ArchAngelCD said:

That's not what I said, I said the 300gr bullet is lighter, not light. The OP asked about both the 300gr and 405gr bullet so that would make the 300gr bullet the lighter bullet.

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So you did! My mistake!

I would still caveat by saying that 300gr is a lot of bullet and would do a number on large hogs too.

-StaTiK-

I have a friend here at a LGS who took a buffalo with a 300 grain bullet. It was a cast bullet but non the less 300 grains. That's still a lot of bullet that is capable of doing some serous damage to anything on this continent.

Been loading for this caliber for well over four decades. Have shot many rounds of different sizes and styles. Have now settled upon a 300 gr. cast RNFP at a paltry 1350 FPS and with the super accruacy from the load used, I kill hogs weekly at my jobsite. I have yet to see one get up and walk away.

I'm now limited to a Marlin 1895G and it does not like longer bullets. So I worked slowly with others until the 300 cast showed great results on paper as far as x rings. Then off to the field and I now drop hogs every Friday at work. (It's a perk that goes with the job I have. I don't mind a bit! )

The Taylor KO is an interesting formula. That, along with common sense, goes a long way in bullet selection. Yes, a heavier bullet will carry more punch downrange, but then again, are you shooting more than 100 yds at game with your 45-70? And are you prepaired for working on trajectory computations in your head at greater distances? There is much to consider with this caliber than on the surface. I have hunted, compeated, and tinkered with this caliber for years and I still am learning things about it. Believe me, if someone says he knows it all, I'd laugh and move on. Trust your instincts and do your homework. Go slow and record your findings in a ledger. I have several and they do help, as man's memory can play tricks easily.

Hope that assists in your quest for the size of choice. Wade

My oh my, I should think so! My 300 gr's are 1162 ft.lbs at the muzzle and only about 840 at 100 yds. They take 300# hogs down with single shots to the 'boiler room' all day long. You should do well with your efforts, and have many good hunts with this fine old cartridge!

Wade

I've used from a 405gr @ 2,000fps down to 200gr @ 1500fps (.452" SWC from m/l with .50/.45 sabot on deer. Most have been DRT but several have run 25-40yds pumping blood from 2 .45cal holes..... TWO short wide blood trails.
My favorite from my 1895GG is the RCBS 300grFNGC (318gr w/ lube and gc from my mould) over 43.0g of IMR4198. It runs 1,870fps and shoot to 2moa at 100yds.
Never seen one not completely penetrate any thing I've shot with it. Ditto same bullet @ 1,600 fps over 30.0gr of #2400... A very inexpensive and pleasant load to shoot....