Speed of 340 lee in 45-70 Optima Elite using 15 grs of unique?

[Three Bears]

Have a Optima Elite 45-70 and am using a cast lee 340 gr. I loaded it with 15 grains of Unique and at 25 yards shot one ragged hole. Only had time for the 25yd distance and will try further out next time. Does anyone "know" about what speed these things are going and would this be enough for pig shooting out to 75 yds(thick woods)? Thanks

[rintinglen]

Not Knowing your barrel length, I can only guessitimate, but my 26 inch barrel marlin sends a 457-192 down range at a hair under 1300 FPS with 14.5 grains of Unique. I would think that a 340 grain boolit at 1200-1300 FPS would do real harm to any pig unfortunate enough to be standing in front of it. 1000+footpounds, big wide meplate, should equal meat on the table! That said, I use 47 grains of 3031 for just about 1700 fps. It thumps but has twice the energy that it does at the slower, 1200 fps speed.

[Catshooter]

I don't even know what an Optima Elite is.

But I can tell you that out of my H&R my 365 grain boolits over 15 grains of Universal Clays do about 1320 fps.

As far as pig suitability, guys hunt them with those little 44 Mag pistols so a real gun (.45 cal) should do just fine. Good luck!


Cat

[NickSS]

I have several 45-=70s and I believe the optima elite has a barrel length of around 22 to 24 inches. If so you will be getting between 1250 and 1350 FPS from your load. As the original 45-90 black powder load shot a 300 gr bullet at about 1350 to 1450 fps and was considered a wonderful deer and elk cartridge I would say that your load will kill pigs just fine. In fact I shot a wild boar that weighted 250 pounds three years ago with a lever action 45 colt rifle. The load put out a 250 gr flat point at about 1300 fps and Mr. Boar was down and out with one shot that broke the front right shoulder and came out behind the rear rib on the off side. So a 45-70 load you have would be more than enough with proper bullet placement.