BFR 45-70 Heavy Lead Recommendations ?

[brasshog]

Hi everyone. I did a search but it didn't turn up much so I'll post a question here. If it's been listed elsewhere please point me in the right direction. I have a 10" BFR 45-70 that I will be carrying as a primary hunting gun this winter in the swamps looking for large hogs. They tend to be in the 300lb range here and encounters are of the close quarters variety...say fifty yards or less but more frequently withing twenty feet by the time you get a clear "no brush" shot. I'm looking for a heavy weight bullet and descent meplat along with a load that will shoot through with minimum meat loss out to 100 yards (they do come out of the swamp lol). I have a PB 405gr Lyman 457193 mold but figured that something in the 500+ range was better due to the short barrel and burn rates (trying not to have a lot of unburnt powder). Our black bears are small and rare but I'd like the same load for protection (aka moose/elk/bear/angry wife) in northern woods should I ever be so lucky to make it there. Please list a mold number and if your comfortable a load please. I have some 3031,4198, and H322 on hand atm but will buy whatever I need. As this is my first year hunting with the 45-70 (BFR & High Wall 1885) I figured that I'd tap into the vast amount of knowledge here. Thanks.

[white eagle]

Brass
I have no idea what to advise you on the BFR
however I can without hesitation recommend this boolit and mold maker
http://www.accuratemolds.com/bullet_detail.php?bullet=46-420C-D.png,
I have used this design on big game and the results were stellar
also used a charge of 3031 but used it in a Ruger #1
it would do well for what you have intended

[44man]

The very best powder for the BFR is SR 4759. 3031 will not all burn. You will want some expansion because the BFR is surprisingly fast. 4198 gave me pressure excursions to 1800 fps and stuck brass with cast. 322 did not work either. Sadly, you will have trouble finding 4759.
It is a very hard gun to get right. Mine does to 1/2" at 100 and has shot 2-1/2" at 500 yards.
Just the very best gun I own but it is very sensitive to powders. Unique and 2400 sucked.
I shoot a 317 gr boolit at 1630 FPS but it is too hard for deer, pokes a hole so I need to cast a soft nose. I used a soft 420 gr HP once and blew a deer to mush.
The monster gun is amazing but you really will have trouble with powders.
I shoot over 7 boolits from mine but all use 4759. Best ever and I use some Dacron over the powder. I also use a LP mag primer. Fed 155.

[44man]

If you find the powder, I have loads for you.

[brasshog]

Thanks for the responses. I have a 45-70 rifle load (475gr using 3031) that is working great. The only one that I have that I'm using atm for the BFR is a Hornady 350gr jword that is getting five inches at 50 yards from the bench. I did try two rounds of the 475gr using the 3031 and it did leave alot of unburnt powder with undesireable accuracy.

[44man]

3031 is fantastic in a rifle. Best ever with low recoil.
But try Varget in the BFR. It is some crazy powder.

[Whiterabbit]

I can second that the hardest part for me and my BFR was finding a powder it likes, not the boolit. I won't comment any more on powder, but I can HANDILY recommend the 460-425 grain ranch dog boolit. Finding a mold may be hard, but it's not exactly an innovative design. It's just huge driving band with lots of meplat and a gas check to make things much easier to load develop.

I do not recommend 500+ simply because they tend to have small meplat, for BPCR shooters.

However, if you want an easily available mold that casts a GREAT boolit that is cheap and gets you shooting, get the LEE RNFPGC. That's a really great, great shooting boolit. Only downsides is small meplat and 2-cav mold only.

It is my absolute go-to for the BFR (my 6 cavity 425 grain ranch dog mold). I am not half the shooter that 44man is, but I can now say I can do 4" at 100 yards with relative ease. And if I don't pull that 5th shot I'd be doing 3" groups or maybe less on good days.

At 50 yards the groups are MUCH better than half of that.

[Swede44mag]

What is BFR?

[Whiterabbit]

the funnest revolver that less then 1000 dollars can buy.

[brasshog]

This is a BFR swede..146896 . The are made by Magnum Research Industries (aka Desert Eagle company). I was searching today and found the 430gr, 500gr, and 550gr Hammerhead molds. They look like what I had in mind..

146900

146901

146902

[GoodOlBoy]

Hate to mention this, I really do, but a 405 grain bullet in a 45-70 will take anything from rabbit, to elk, to moose, bear, rabid log truck..... a 300 boar ain't gonna get a word in edgewise with a 405gr 45-70.

Just an FYI.

God Bless

GoodOlBoy

[brasshog]

I agree goodolboy. I just want something slightly heavier out of preference and not "need". That 430 Hammerhead is really appealing atm though.

[Whiterabbit]

get the 500. no gas check, lots of loob groove, shoot to <1500 fps and the recoil is reaosnable and the power will knock the steels off the stand. Frankly, put it at 1200 and it is still better than a 454 casull and will bowl over any steel.

[johnson1942]

what is the twist on the rifleing of that 10 inch barrel? that will determine what can be shot in it accurately.

[johnson1942]

i looked it up, 1/14 twist, which is very fast for a 45/70. you could shoot as heavy a bullet as you can load in the case and fit in the cylinder. recoil will be your problem. the heavier the bullet the more recoil your going to have. i suspect it is comfortable with a 300 grain bullet but not with much heavier and the bpcr bullets may be way too much recoil. let us know how it turns out. get a marlin 45/70 trapper lever action. that would be more what you need for what your going to hunt.

[brasshog]

I have a Browning high wall in 45-70 that shoots great but kicks like a mule with the curved butt plate. I have a 325gr FTX load @ 2000fps and a 475gr Whitworth boolit @ 1200fps that work well. The 350gr Hornady JRN at 1900+fps (rifle velocity) kicks like hell but it really isn't too bad for me except from the bench which is at my limit. It's already claimed one fractured wrist from a buddy of mine. The 475gr load at 1200fps (rifle velocity) isn't bad to me from the bfr so I guess that I can try something heavier. It's just undersized (bumping up in the rifle) and very inaccurate out of the pistol. I want to use the bfr due to health reasons. This is my first year back to hunting after my open heart surgery and carrying a 9 1/2 lb rifle all day won't quite work for me. I've always enjoyed pistol hunting and the lighter revolver may be my ticket this year.

[taco650]

brasshog, Whiterabbit & 44man,

Will you please stop with all this talk about and showing pictures of BFR revolvers?!!! You're making me want one! Now stop it!




LOL! Just kidding! :kidding::kidding::kidding:

[35Whelen]

Have to agree with White Eagle on his bullet choice. I have the same mould from Accurate. They are a duplicate of the Hammer heads by Garrett and they plough straight through and deep. The meplat on them makes the round look like a coke can. Cheaper than Ballisti cast moulds too, and his brass mould is just plane sweet to cast with. Here is a very good read regarding penetration tests

http://www.garrettcartridges.com/4570.html


The 420C Accurate mold that White Eagle suggested has the same nose profile as Garretts 540 grainers.........and hits like the hammer of Thor. A 300 lb boar will never know the difference of 80 grains less boolit weight. These rounds simply plough through our moose up here, and they go anywhere from 1200-1800lbs

[44man]

I have 3 BFR's and all have proper twist rates for the calibers. They really did the homework.
The range of boolit weights that can be shot is staggering.
Most revolvers are too slow and need lighter boolits shot faster, mostly because heavy boolits do not fit the small cylinders.

[Whiterabbit]

brasshog, Whiterabbit & 44man,

Will you please stop with all this talk about and showing pictures of BFR revolvers?!!! You're making me want one! Now stop it!




LOL! Just kidding! :kidding::kidding::kidding:

I'll just leave these here.

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=146929&d=1439911874

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=146930&d=1439911895

http://castboolits.gunloads.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=125707&d=1419923889
(100 yards)

[Ramjet-SS]

Yea I like my BFR well machined tight and close tolerance. Accurate and recoil frankly is not that big of deal. Carry it in a Pistol Packaging Bandialero Holster and you are ready to go shoot something.

[g5m]

That does look like a lot of fun. But, with the stuff that comes with age it would likely not sit well.

[DW475]

I have several different 45-70 rifles but now i'm thinking i need to add one of those BFRs to the collection!

[pls1911]

I'm hurting just reading this thread.... you're looking for a hot and heavy BFR Load?? Geeezzzz.
I have a TC with a 16" ported barrel that's one little clover leaf accurate, up to point my crippled hand retires after 3 shots...and that with moderate 300 grain loads at 1600 fps...
Dang, you guys are tough!!

[Ramjet-SS]

These BFR revolvers handle recoil very well and of course it subjective but over the years I have beat up my rpwrists pretty bad but the BFR has good mass and soaks it up pretty well.

[Markbo]

There isnt a hog that walks that a well paced 300-350gr boolit wont go plumb through at moderate velocity. Moving up to 500+ gr and 1600+ fps is all about the shooter, not the ballistics. Dont get me wrong...if you enjoy shooting those more power to you! I have a BFR in .475L so I understand. But they are not needed in any way, shape or form to kill a hog.

[Lloyd Smale]

ive done some killing with the 500 rcbs rfgc. Its an accurate bullet and ive at everything ive poked on into.