This years, and my 3rd - 45/70 cast boolit elk

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Sorry to say I didn't get another deer to add to the growing pile of 45/70 deer, but the early antlerless elk season did see my 3rd elk hit the ground.

I'm still just as impressed with the results today as I was after the first critter!

Did spend some time trying to put a cast bullet from my RUGER 77/44 into a deer, but never had the opportunity to give it a go. The final time out saw me again pack'in the RUGER 45/70.

I consider the cast bullet .44 load to be about a 100yd deer rifle with a 275gr cast Wide Flat Nose at about 1700fps, while the 45/70 with the 465gr Wide Flat Nose (WFN) at 1650fps is proven beyond that range.

This years elk was 161yds, and the Leupold CDS (Custom Dial System) put it right where it should be with the dial set at 150yds.

Maybe next year will be the .44s turn, but mean while love that 45/70!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[Smoke4320]

Congrads on a successful season .. Sounds like the freezer will be overflowing

[Rick R]

Congratulations! That looks like a pile of venison.

I've got a Marlin in .44 that must smell bad. Any time i take it out the deer leave the country.
Good luck next year with your 77/44.

[35 shooter]

Good eating there for sure. Nice shot with a fine rifle and cal.

[shoot-n-lead]

Good job...ya got some good eatin' there.

[big bore 99]

Congrats. Lookin' good!

[white eagle]

congrats Coot
some fine eatin for sure steaks,tenderloin,backstraps yum yum
I am always impressed when I use my 45/70 on big game it
just lays em down plain and simple
enjoy and take care

[brown bass hunter]

Nice shooting, looks like you won't have a long drag

[35Whelen]

Well done Crusty..........

I ended up finding a 77/44 this year and am thrilled to have found one especially here in Canada. I also have the Ruger No.1 in 45/70. As I just started casting for them last year none has tasted a hunt yet. I read your posts every time I see them, and learn something new each time. Well done on the elk....a full freezer for the winter months is hard to beat. Congratulations

[jmden]

Congratulations! That's awesome.

[smoked turkey]

Great job CDOC. I always enjoy your Ruger No.1 45-70 hunting stories. I have an all weather stainless that has only taken a measly whitetail buck, but it did a good job on that. I agree the old 45-70 is one fine caliber. Great looking elk too BTW. Looks like she is very fat and will make some mighty fine eating.

[kobeinu]

Congrats CDOC.

[tdoyka]

congrats!!!!!

[Brad Cayton]

Congratulations! 3 elk in the freezer, that's something!

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Yep she was REALLY FAT. I think I have another image that shows how fat.

The fellow that is cutting the critter in half is the reason this Ol'Coot can hunt for these big critters during the hot Aug weather. When Doug is home and available, I can hunt. If not, well I hunt another day.

Walk in in the dark and unless something is down I'm out of the woods and home by 8:30 - 9 am or before.

Doug and his wife operate a reforestation tree growing business and part of the operation is a big cooler. So, if some one gets a critter Doug turns on the compressor and then we can hang the meat in the cooler until it gets cut.

Doug and Pat get half of the critter, but as said, I couldn't do it with out Doug's help considering the size of the critter and the temps.

Rebuilt this trailer just for use behind the 4Wheeler, but it is also usable behind the pickup. It is narrow enough and low enough (with the tail gates down) to pull under road blockage gates put up to keep pickups and cars out of logged areas. Most are OK to go around with 4 wheelers so it is OK to go in and the trailer makes it possible to get a critter out.

The front is made strong enough so I can use a snatch block and hook the 4wheeler wench to it and pull a critter onto the trailer deck.

This was the first critter hauled out with the trailer.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[DougGuy]

Nice!! I need to get some Elk in the freezer just to try it..

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

ELK meat is premo!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hard to beat ELK!

CDOC

[DanWalker]

Congrats on making meat with the 45/70. I have that same rifle. Would you mind sharing load specifics, and what mold was used?
Thanks.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Dan,

The 465gr bullet is from a 4 cavity mold made by "BABore", Bruce over on the Cast Boolets forum. Sadly something changed in his life and he, while still present on that forum, no longer makes his FINE molds.

Personally having ordered a number of molds from Accurate Molds, I go to him and even if needed send a sample bullet if needed. However, Tom likely lists a bullet that is very close in design to the one I use.

LBT makes good molds, but because of the sprue plate and the sprue plate hold down I MUCH prefer the Accurate Molds product.

Tom has always been VERY good to deal with.

I'll attach an Image of a before and after of my 465gr.

The load is 47.5gr of H335. A load suggested by Bruce. I have tested above and below his recommended load, as well as testing other powders but keep coming back to that load. It gives right at 1650fps from my 22" barrel

The bullet is cast of a 50/50 - Wheel Weights/lead and water quenched as they drop from the hot mold.

Bruce also suggested sizing in a push through sizing die to .460 (for my rifle) ASAP after casting then at some later and convenient time going back with a .461 die in a sizer/luber for lubing. I have seated the gas checks at both stages and one seems to work as well as the other.

Bruce also said to allow the bullets to "age" a minimum of 7 days (with 14 being better) before use.

He also said that he had tested bullets before the 7 days and the tester said they were good to go but his rifle told a different story.

The bullet shown is lubed with LBT (Lead Bullet Technology) soft blue, but I soon went to the White Label "BAC" which I felt gave better results.

Bruce had a home brew that he recommended, but I prefer to buy a premade product.

The "after" bullet was taken from my first cast bullet/45/70 elk and I never expected to find one of these. The shot was a quartering shot which took out the HEAVY upper front leg bone, a rib, went through lungs, a BIG and FULL paunch guts and lodged just ahead of the off side hind. Remaining weight is 327.9gr. I suspect the nose was lost with the impact of the front leg after which it still penetrated about 30" +/-.

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[AlaskaScott]

Congratulations!