45-70 Cast, Jacketed SP or HP Bullets for Hunting?

[bushrats]

What do you use in your 45-70 for deer and black bear hunting?

 

[MCMXI]

I use a 300gr Barnes TSX FN bullet which is superbly accurate out of my Marlin 1895 SBL. I have 600 ~ 700 405gr JSP Remington bullets but use those for "plinking" these days along with a bunch of lead bullets.

Here's a 5-shot group at 100 yards using Barnes VOR-TX ammunition.

 

[ArchAngelCD]

In reality I think all 3 will take Bear cleanly. I have never used anything but a 405gr Cast bullet in the 45-70...

 

[bushrats]

I use a 300gr Barnes TSX FN bullet which is superbly accurate out of my Marlin 1895 SBL. I have 600 ~ 700 405gr JSP Remington bullets but use those for "plinking" these days along with a bunch of lead bullets.

Here's a 5-shot group at 100 yards using Barnes VOR-TX ammunition.

http://thr.mcmxi.org/rifles/marlin/1895sbl/range_targets/10_13_13/marlin_1895sbl_300gr_barnes.jpg

That is great shooting at 100 yards!

 

[AJumbo]

I killed my first elk with the Remington "trapdoor" 405 gr. jacketed softpoint, fired from a Sharps carbine repro. One shot, quartering away, through the heart and into the off shoulder. He went down immediately and was dead before I could cover the 85 yard distance from where I fired to where he lay. Provided that the bullet bullet will hold together at higher velocity, no reason it shouldn't make for some fine reloads. I think any 400 gr. bullet should cleanly take almost anything on this continent, really.

 

[mr.fatstacks]

Glad you asked this, I'm going out on my first deer hunt with a Marlin SBL in 10 days when I get home for work. Interested to see what the experienced people have to say.

 

[damienph]

405gr .45-70 Gov't

I prefer 405 gr JSPs for hunting (mine are Remington CoreLoks) I have a Marlin 1895G Guide gun and a Wesson & Harrington Buffalo Classic and have taken whitetail deer with both.

 

[StrawHat]

Cast bullets are great because you alter the alloy to accomplish what you want to do.

For Ohio white tailed deer, I would use the 330 grain cast HP bullet from the Lyman 457122 mold, commonly referred to as the Gould bullet. I would use a softer alloy to promote expansion. If I were to go after bear, I would prefer something heavier, perhaps the 405 grain hollow base bullet from Lee. A stiffer alloy for deeper penetration. For bigger game, an even heavier cast bullet. For this, I would use an even tougher alloy.

 

[Thompsoncustom]

I remember reading over at the cast boolit forum about a guy running a 525gr almost pure lead cast boolit. Expansion was almost a inch don't remember what penetration was but I'm sure it was plenty

 

[mgkdrgn]

What do you use in your 45-70 for deer and black bear hunting?

I mean, if it is 45-70 does it really matter?

 

[Sun Tzu warrior]

Being in the deep south where thickets are really thickets, I've quit using my .270 win.
I now use my 45/70 exclusively for deer hunting. I use Speer 350 gr. hot core flat nose jacketed bullets, pushed by a charge of 50.8 grains of H4895. It will shoot thru a 6 inch sweet gum tree and kill the deer standing behind it, they run off, but for only about 20 yards! Never tried it on bear, but they are protected in my state.
STW

 

[d2wing]

Unless you pushing well over SAAMI loads, cast lead would be my choice. They expand well and perform pretty well for deer size game.

 

[critter]

I use 300 gr JHP (most were by Remington, both factory and reloads). I have been very happy with the results on both deer and hogs.

Mostly, you can't go wrong if you whack them with that big, old, fat slug of most any type and weight. It may expand, but if it doesn't, it's already bigger than most bullets after they expand.

Shoot what shoots good in your gun and put meat on the ground.

 

[cpt-t]

bushrats: I have been shooting a 1895 Marlin CB for a long time now. And I am getting old and recoil shy. I use a hard cast LRNFP 405gr bullet, 35grs of IMR3031 and a Win LRP, for 1250 to 1350 FPS I think, really never checked it. And that is the only reload I use now for Hunting, CAS, or just Plinking. I can knock steel targets down a 200yds without any real problems, and I have had full pentration on any Deer or Hog I have shot with it wheither be side to side, or end to end. Very comfortable to shoot all day at a CAS and a dream to Hunt with. Now I have never had any experience with any Bears, never had any where I grew up or at least I never saw one. But don`t really think that I would have any real problems with an Elk or a Bear (( Black or Brown )) with my old Marlin 45-70 and the 9 rounds it carries. But I really doubt I will ever get the chance to fine out. I will turn 71 years old this month and my legs just won`t let me take thoes kinda of long walks anymore, and the rest of my body is following close behind. Good luck to You on all Your Hunts and Adventures.
ken

 

[Dr.Rob]

I would use a jsp. Black bear isn't a cape buffalo.

 

[tark]

I once shot a large wild boar with a 45-70 loaded with a 500 grain cast bullet. It entered the hog's briskit, missed the heart by a fraction of an inch, traveled the length of the hog and exited the rear end. The hog grunted, and walked away. I had to track him down and kill him with a better shot placement.

And the lesson to be learned?

A 500 grain bullet probably isn't necessary for an animal of that size, and USE SOMETHING THAT WILL RELIABLY EXPAND! An autopsy on the hog revealed that the 500 grain slug exhibited absolutely zero expansion. All of that energy dumped into a hillside.

Those 300 grain bullets sound about right.

 

[StrawHat]

tark, sounds like you should have used a 50-70!

But you are correct, proper bullet placement and/or an expanding bullet or one with a large meplat is needed to stop or drop game quickly.

 

[GooseGestapo]

Cast.

I've killed deer with 400gr bullets. No need.
I now use a RCBS 300gr FNGC (casts to 320gr w/gc and lube) at ~1,600fps.
It's very, very accurate and inexpensive.

If a .454Casull revolver is enough for large bears, the Lever rifle is even more so.

TARK ; you meant NECROPSY. Only a PIG could do an "autopsy" on a PIG.
or do you know something we don't (your wife/girl friends opinion doesn't count).

You needed a "softer" and faster slug. That 500gr bullet will penetrate two Cape Buffalo.
shot placement, shot placement, shot placment.....

 

[tark]

Shot placement....Yeah, you're quite right Goose. I probably would have been fine with that 500 grain bullet if it would have been a little softer alloy and had a flat nose.

 

[Thompsoncustom]

I would like to see someone try a pure lead 500 grain slug pushed to say 1200 or 1400fps either paper patched or Powder coated would probably be the only way it could be done.

With paper patching you could go as fast as the pressure would allow.

 

[dodge]

I use the Hornady 350 gr FN out of my Marlin guide gun. The only deer I shot with it I hit the backbone so I don't have an answer for whether it expands or how it holds up for penetration. It's very accurate out of this gun and with a whitetail and that size of a bullet I don't worry about expansion.

 

[dickydalton]

The only deer I shot with my guide gun was with a Remington 405 Core Loct. They go about 1380 fps at the muzzle. The deer was at a measured 170 yards and waited right there for me.
I mostly shoot 405 grain cast these days. I also have loaded some BP loads that I haven't been able to try out yet.