45-70

[white eagle]

what is the lightest boolit you would use in this
cartridge ?
I am using some 325 gr's. but was thinking they may be to light
Thoughts on this ...........[smilie=s:
for hunting deer sized game maybe elk

[wilddog45]

325's work great. If you can get some Ranch Dog 350's, that is my favorite boolit for the 45-70.

[44man]

I use a 317 gr in my BFR but have gone to 420 gr. All good.
I have to 540 gr for my BPCR but the 500 gov't shoots great.
I ran out of Felix so just cooked another batch. Did I tell you dog hair loves Felix? :bigsmyl2:

[Frank]

What gun? Heavier is always better, unless you need velocity and expansion.

[white eagle]

its for a 1895 gbl
at the moment I am using
53.0 gr of 2015

[Larry Gibson]

"Use" for what?

I "use" a lot of 210 and 275 gr cast bullets (Rapine 460210 & 460250) in all my 45-70s (4) for plinking, small game and target practice. I wouldn't hesitate to use the 275 gr on deer out to 200 yards or the 210 gr out to 75 yards if it was necessary. I push the 210 at 950 fps and the 275 at 1050 fps. I've tried a lot of RB (147 gr) loads also and found them somewhat satisfactory out to 50 yards for plinking. The actual light weight cast bullet does so much better (regarless of caliber) that I seldom use any RBs any more.

Larry Gibson

[josper]

The 350 is a good compromise ,speed and expansion.The 405 range offers better penetration,IMO

[Wally]

I have a Marlin 1895... I used a 405 grain for years then tried the RCBS 325 U...was every bit as accurate and you save a lot of lead. Less recoil and easier on the rifle.

[MtGun44]

For deer, whatever. For elk, start at 405 and go up.

Bill

[rbertalotto]

I have a number of 45-70 rifles.........

I have a shotgun conversion to a Double Rifle in 45-70 that shoots 325g bullets out to 50yds accurately. This is about the limit I shoot this rifle anyways. Anything heavier and the rifle takes your fillings out!

My 1895 Marlin will not shoot anything under 400g with any accuracy. With 425g Ranch Dog boolits, it has accuracy like a Benchrest rifle!

My 1885 Winchester HighWall and my 1874 Sharps both need 525grain+ boolits. Anything lighter are very disappointing.

[shdwlkr]

White Eagle
the old gould 292 grain hp is the lightest original I know of that was used in the 45-70

[superior]

.459 diameter roundballs if you're close enough.

[pdawg_shooter]

My lightest is 430gr. It is also my heaviest.

[onesonek]

I have yet to shoot an Elk with my .45-70 and cast. But my thoughts are to go with 405's if not the 425's I have here. And with those, 1600 fps I should get enough penetration to shoot through an Elk lengthwise, or close to it if needed. Any faster isn't needed for my style of hunting with such a rig.
The 325's you speak of might do just fine on the perfect broadside shot, however I wonder about the less desirable angle and heavy bone hit if necessary with the lighter weights. Personally I tend to plan for the worst just in case, and want assured penetration and exit's.

[largom]

I shoot a 405gr. in all of my 45-70's because it is accurate in them. I always let the gun tell me what boolit it wants to shoot accurate. Weight of the boolit is inmaterial if it does'nt go where I aim.

Larry

[shdwlkr]

If I was shooting elk or moose with the 45-70 I would use my 425 or 460 grain bullets so much easier to only have to shoot once then again and again and again like some jword bullet shooters do. Oh that right with jword bullets you only have to be in the same county as the game animal because they are soooooooooo good.
Besides everyone knows lead bullets don't work and you need Remchester in 490 super mag to stop an elk and for moose you need at least a 50 barrett to get it done.

[Larry Gibson]

For elk the RCBS 300 gr GC'd bullet at 1800+ fps (safe at trapdoor level with right loads) will do fine. Cast of soft malleable alloy the expansion and penetration are all that is required on all but Texas heart shots. However, I favor the Lee C457-500-FN for elk cast of the same softer malleable alloy.

Larry Gibson

[shdwlkr]

Larry
Now I have to ask a question, what is a texas heart shot? yes I know I am showing my ignorance but we all have to once in a while.

[Le Loup Solitaire]

I have a couple of Lyman single cavs from very long ago; #457124 RN and they were always written up as casting at 405 grains. In fact with WW they have always cast at around 385 grains. That's not a whole lot far away from 325 grains. I have generally loaded and fired them out of 3 different rifles, none of which is a trapdoor, at around 1300fps. Accuracy has been good and the recoil has been tolerable. I once asked in a letter to the NRA technical staff what a recommended load would be and I got back, "53 grains of IMR 3031". The MV for that combo is somewhere between 1700 and 1800 fps....certainly enough to successfully hunt anything in the western hemisphere regardless of size. I once loaded and tried 3 rounds of that loading in my 86Win that has a full octagon 26"barrel and a curved buttplate; it was definitely not "comfortable fun". I never shot 500 grainers, but even at around 1600fps the recoil generated by those would be challenging to say the least. They could be quite accurate of course, but a bit of wear and tear on the bod...especially an aging one in the course of an hour or two. LLS