45-70. How fast is fast enough?

[Jeffery8mm]

I am going to use a Lee 405gr boolit for short range hunting with the Handi 45-70. 125 yds will be a max distance with most shot at 75 yds.
I have a load with Unique that will propel that boolit to the 1150+ range. I assume this will more than do the job on 125lbs +- of deer?!?! I have just about settled on the Unique load as my do all load here. I have no personal need for 1800 fps out of the 45-70. Just looking for the OK from some experienced uses out there!!
Thanks
JEff

[Shooter6br]

I keep my 45-70 at 1250 or so with 350 grain Ranchdog.

[btroj]

That will work. Deer will not notice lack of velocity. Put the bullet sheer it belongs and all will be fine.
Another thing,in a handirifle I don't know if you want a lot faster than that. A light rifle like that will bite you hard of you push it too fast. Ouch.

[Alan]

I have fired a 405 @ 1800 out of an H&R Shikari - once. A friend had been shooting them out of his '95 Marlin, and the load was safe - but top end - for a Springfield. I went back to the 300's at 1300 or so in a hurry.

[Phat Man Mike]

405 GR. CAST LFP Hodgdon H4895 @ 40.0 grains of powder

is what I've been loading mine at and they shoot a good tight group and isn't killing my shoulder either:holysheep

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

Well, I am an Ol'Coot and an old hunter/caster but new to this cast boolit hunting thing, so am personally still trying to sort it all out.

I did take my first cast boolit deer this Fall, and with the 355gr LBT/WFN boolit leaving the muzzle of my #1s - 45/70 at about 2290fps, the results were truely awesome.

My groups are not yet where I want them, but even working up from lower loads I have yet to reach that point.

The barrel is beautiful and smooth, leading is not a problem, so I suspect that the correct powder and load, coupled with the proper powder will give me the desired results.

Considering I am having no problems with shooting the 355gr in the 2200 -2500fps range, I would be delighted to stay in that velocity range, Providing I can come up with groups which ring my bell.

So, although many critters have been harvested with the 45/70 and loads in the 1200fps range, I think "how fast is enough" will be something decided in a case by case bases.

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[nanuk]

the old stories of the great buffalo herds being killed off with large diameter (.45-50) boolits 400-500 grain have convinced me that even 1000fps will take deer easily.

for moose, I think 400 grain bullet, at 1200fps may not stop inside one unless you were shooting at him on end. and then, a heavier one might just decide to keep going

But then, as the Ol' Coot sez, a 355gr boolit slamming a WT deer from a 2500MV would be "Freight Train" flattening!

and the extra point blank range simple cannot be overlooked.

[aaalaska]

Guess that is up to the individual , but my son shot a moose with a 300 gr at about 1250 from my TC,it ran about 30 yds. The last black bear I shot was small ,but the 350 gr at 1500 nearly destroyed the front half.
Alex

[NickSS]

A 405 gr slug from a 45-70 at 11 to 12 hudred FPS will go clean through your average deer and kill it fairly fast. The Same bullet at 1800 fps will still go through the deer and perhaps kill it a little quicker and damage more meat. Its your choice but I personally do not liked to get kicked harder than necessary to do the job. Actually I have found that an RCBS 45-325 F does just fine for deer and elk when pushed with 27 gr of AA 5744. I use bullets cast from 30-1 alloy for hunting.

[Crusty Deary Ol'Coot]

I too have no desire to get kicked a lot, but my #1 is doing fine with the 355gr loads in the 2200 - 2500fps range.

Having hunted for years with a rifle that allows for a center of kill zone hold out to 300 + yards, and although I realize many if not most critters are taken at ranges much closer then that, I like the idea of having a 45/70 that allows for a center of kill zone hold out to something over 200yds.

So, until I find through my tests, that I am better off with a lower velocity, better groups etc., I am inclinded to stay in the 2000fps or higher velocity range.

aaaaaalaska, What type of boolit were you using that caused the heavy distruction on the black bear???????

Jacketed or cast????

Keep em coming!

Crusty Deary Ol'Coot

[GunnyJohn]

I have a rather unique handi rifle...sort of that i shoot a 420grn'r acww using 28.5 grns of AA5744. It has no recoil pad, just a piece of plastic, felt recoil about like a 30-30. Took a mulie with it this year at about 60-75 yds (he was leaving the country), very minimal meat damage.
The book says it's moving around 1375 fps.

[TCLouis]

The issue will be the trajectory.
My RD 378 grain boolit at 1105 starts dropping pretty good at 100 (50 yard zero) and likely more than I would guess at 125 yards.

Figure the drop or best zero point and shoot away.

Go here to figure some estimates of drop and/or drift

http://www.hornady.com/ballistics-resource/ballistics-calculator

BUT You may like this one better, could not find it when I posted

http://www.handloads.com/calc/

[btroj]

A 45-70 is not flat shooting no matter how fast you push it. Look at a ballistic table and you quick.y realize that you can hold on to about 125 then you need to hold over some. I have come to terms with this and get closer. I just can't see trying to get slightly flatter shooting by increasing recoil a bunch.
To me 1500 to 1700 is plenty fast. A big flat nosed bullet is going to pit a world of hurt on anything it hits. Period.

[leftiye]

Barring leading and etc., I'd have to say, ask yer shoulder.

[mattbowen]

I loaded my handi the weekend with 405hbfp with 15.9gr. of Trail Boss and when I sighted it in (I am using iron sights) I can hit a 32oz Gatorade bottle at 100yds. and there is very little recoil. I figure that if I hit a deer in the neck at 100yrds with that bullet it wont be getting up any time soon. I did load a couple of rounds with AA2230 and used .8 grains above the starting load and only fired two rounds and thought I was behind a 105 Howitzer and I know the bullet had to have melted in the barrel because I sure didn't hit the target at 50yds.. I will be hunting next week so I will see how well these rounds will do at this Velocity and bullet weight.

[Tazman1602]

Dude 31 grains of one of the 4198's puts you at around 1290fps and hits like a hammer. Don't have any experience with Unique and this round but 4198's or even RE7 will work well.

Consider that millions of buffalo were killed at around 1100fps and that load will drop any white tail in it's tracks if you hit it right.

Art

[pls1911]

Reloader 7 is FABULOUS in the 45-70. Easy to load, with normally good results.
1. Pick your favorite bullet gas checked, 405 or less, reasonably hard and sized .459 or 460.
2. prep cartridge & primer
3. Charge case 40 grains RL-7 (or 25 grains 2400)
4. Seat bullet, crimp
5. Shoot.
6. Grin...
I think you'll like the results.
If you're inclined, half grain dacron tuft may be used, but not necessary