Recommend me a .45-70 bullet

[jason280]

Any suggestions on a heavyweight, shoot through any pig alive .45 cal bullet to load in a NEF Handi .45-70 single shot? Not sure I am quite ready for Garret 540gr loads, but something hardcast in the 400+ grain realm that I can push around 1500-1750fps.

[Winger Ed.]

405s are a favorite.
However:
Past 1500 fps, you might have a hard time figuring out which end of your rifle is more dangerous than the other.

If I ever run out of .45-70s with 405FPs, and reload another big batch, I'll be getting a 350 gr. mold for them.

[44Blam]

I like the NOE 460-350 RF. I'm sending them around 1900 fps and it is a solid load and is very accurate.

[GregLaROCHE]

I’m a fan of big heavy boolits as long as the distance is not that great. I think I have all the Lee molds for 45/70, but use the 500 grain the most. I stopped hunting a few years ago, so I haven’t tried it out on any of the local hogs, but what it will do to a small tree is impressive. Otherwise, go with the 405 grain. It’s certainly the most popular for close range.

[Wansingct]

I use the 515gr Postell with pure lead but @ about 1200 fps. Penetration and expansion are both impressive. With bigger bores its not the speed that does it. IMO slower MV and softer bullets is better.

Edit to add i use mine in an H&R 45-70 and a Buffalo Classic reamed out to 45-90

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[Harter66]

First what is hard cast because the definition of anything but tin in the lead is hogwash because 50/50 WW/pure air cooled is about the same hardness as 16-1 lead tin E Keith used developing the 44 mag .

Next up a 265 gr RNFP at 1050 fps will run right through 3 ft of pig at powder burn ranges and about 2 feet through ribs and shields of a 150# example at 50 yd .

Even the 500 gr FP 45-500 RCBS will carry 1000 ftlb past 250 yd with an 1100 fps start .
So choose your freight train/sledge hammer .

With that after 8 different bullets loaded from "that's fun to WTH were you thinking" from 196 -535 , greased , and paper patched , I can say the 458193 plain base is the most alloy , powder , load level flexible bullet I've used . Its more or less an original version of the Marlin 45-70-405 design . It just works and does so from 1000 to 1800 fps MV in an 1875 action 1886 Trapdoor to a 2010 made 1895G Marlin .

I would think a load of 12-14 gr of Unique for about 1200 fps would be plenty for any hog under 900# with about any alloy . WW water cooled in a 405 at 900 fps impact probably won't pass through over 45 feet of hog and will almost certainly break 1 if not both shoulders .

[Kraschenbirn]

I'm not 'recoil sensitive' by any stretch of the imagination but I do find anything much stouter than the original 45-405-55 (approx. 1150 fps) load somewhat less than 'comfortable' when fired from my reproduction Trapdoor carbine and it's considerably heavier than your Handi-Rifle. Seriously, during the 1870s, there were an awful lot of buffalo (and any other North American big game animal you can name) dropped with the 1300 fps/405 gr. BP loads and I don't believe feral hogs have evolved too much tougher since those days.

Bill

[JonB_in_Glencoe]

I like NOE's copy of the Lyman 457393 RN GC
I'd think a 383gr RN with a healthy charge of powder would shoot through a pig?
Now, I'm not sure why you want to shoot through the pig?

[44MAG#1]

A good 500 grain flat point bullet
Or a good 400 to 420 grain flat point. My choice would be a 500 grain.
I have used a 515 grain in a Marlin lever gun and a Uberti 1874 Sharps and a Buffalo Classic.

[plainsman456]

I got a mold from N.O.E.and it had done a darn good job.

It weights a hair under 400 but hits like a heavyweight.

Have shot it in the 45-70 as well as the 458 SOCOM,easy to get it to shoot and it does not use a gas check.

[405grain]

I've been using the RCBS 45-405-FN for about 40 years. It drops at about 420 grains with my alloy, which is close to air cooled COWW. This is a nice gas checked design that does everything well. It has good accuracy and good hunting ability. Every deer that I've shot with it dropped right on the spot, and I believe that it would most likely penetrate clear through any pig. I'm using a replica 1874 Sharps so 1400 fps is a top end hunting load. Target and practice loads can be around 1200 fps for less recoil.

The O.P. is using a NEF Handi rifle, which is a very light weight rifle indeed. The recoil on this with a 400 + grain boolit might be a little punishing. For that particular firearm, and pig hunting, you might be better off with a 300 grain boolit. If you prefer a heavier projectile you might want to put a quality recoil pad on your stock. The key to a good hunting rifle is to make it easy on you, and hard on your game.

[badguybuster]

I can tell you from first hand experience that a 300 grain hard cast, powder coated projectile pushed by 14 grains of unique (light load) will completely pass through a 230lb hog at 65 yards.

[Bigslug]

You're going to get a lot of votes for the RCBS 405-FN-GC as a consistently accurate out of nearly anything option as a good balance of killing meplat vs. nose taper for aerodynamics.

If you want pure blunt force trauma, NOE has several 400-ish grain options with meplats in the .330"-.340" range.

I won't be the last to tell you this - you don't need to throw bullets like these super fast for them to perform. Bison nearly went extinct from .45's at velocities in the 1200-1400 fps range. If you're trying to flatten your trajectories, there are far less abusive cartridges to take you there than creeping up on "Ruger #1 Only" .45-70 loadings.

[Wansingct]

One of the reasons I use the Postell design for the heavies is to increase penetration with the momentum its carrying, but I go to a softer alloy to compensate for the lower MV so I still get solid expansion.

Deer only get flat or hollow points. Postells are only for targets and thick skinned/stubborn things.

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[Rick459]

Any suggestions on a heavyweight, shoot through any pig alive .45 cal bullet to load in a NEF Handi .45-70 single shot? Not sure I am quite ready for Garret 540gr loads, but something hardcast in the 400+ grain realm that I can push around 1500-1750fps.

what's your bore slug out too? I have some lubed and sized....458..bullets I could give you some to try. the weights range from 380-435 with large meplats
Rick

[Rick459]

......https://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20211005/237d0a187c42f653e88db0f28a3cb128.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20211005/665d7c08d039cf1b4d10e0a4d4c40a01.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20211005/a6f03094e14bf0688d041e2d31370249.jpghttps://uploads.tapatalk-cdn.com/20211005/7c26c471b9e1d190eabc2f3fafa35175.jpg

Sent from my SM-N960U using Tapatalk

[murf205]

289700 The best I have used in my 1895 Marlin CB is the 405 gr with a gas check from Accurate Molds. It is the 2 on the right and they are # 405A in the catalogue. Shoots great at any speed in my rifle, when I do my part.

[Old Caster]

I would go as light as possible because at these sizes, you will run out in a hurry.

[Hitnmiss]

Lots of great advice here. Something you might look at as well. Have a dead mule installed in your stock. When done correctly, it will help reduce recoil. Then you can play with the heavy boolits and enjoy them.

[Frosty Boolit]

A Lyman 405gr. with 13gr. of trail boss penetrated a 130lb doe lengthwise for me

[cwlongshot]

I like the NOE 460-350 RF. I'm sending them around 1900 fps and it is a solid load and is very accurate.

AGREED!!!

This is a copy of my favorite bullet the LEE 460-350RD and absolutely it offers the best balance of power and velocity in a 45/70 thats still comfortable enough to shoot.

You dont say if your a hand loader of caster but Ill assume both. Loaded 1600-2000 your call but no reason to punish yourself. The bullets will work for you.

CW

[StrawHat]

I have settled on the 457122, Gould bullet, for everything I hunt with a 45-70. Having said that, I rarely use that cartridge since I have found the 50-70 to be much more effective on game.

Kevin

[cwlongshot]

Thats a good choice. I like it as well I use it @ 1700 in my 450 Bushmaster bolt.

CW

[Bad Ass Wallace]

https://i.imgur.com/azoXSdK.jpg

(L to R)5435gn Paul Jones, 520gn CBE, 500gn Pedersoli, 495gn Lyman, 420gn Hensley & Gibbs

Some of my well usd 45/70 boolits

[Lloyd Smale]

rcbs 405 hands down my favorite 4570 bullets. The 500 rcbs is my favorite 458 bullet and also works well in 4570s

[Wilderness]

Any suggestions on a heavyweight, shoot through any pig alive .45 cal bullet to load in a NEF Handi .45-70 single shot? Not sure I am quite ready for Garret 540gr loads, but something hardcast in the 400+ grain realm that I can push around 1500-1750fps.

Jason: Why waste all that energy on the landscape? The most penetration you will need will be for a Texas Heart Shot on something big, or enough to break one shoulder on a big boar and penetrate the other, or perhaps to pull off a double on a couple of sows. Conversely, you will also need some expansion and destruction for a rib shot that does not hit anything solid.

I would suggest a gas check hollow point bullet. Or you can drill your hollows with the Forster hollow pointing tool. Load for as much velocity as you can tolerate and adjust alloy to get the required penetration/expansion. A hard cast hollow point at sufficient velocity will break its nose into shrapnel on entry and produce a cone of damage, but the base, which will end up looking like a wadcutter, will penetrate, seemingly forever.

I have found about 10% non-lead to be right for 1900 - 2200 fps in 9x56 MS, .32 Special and .30-30. Hollow points made of this alloy will penetrate further than jacketed bullets, and usually kill better as well on all but frontal chest shots. If your .45-70s are slower than this you will need a softer alloy. Sub 1500 fps I suspect it would be hard to beat the Lyman (Gould) 330 gn hollow point bullet. It worked pretty well in a mate's Marlin, but it didn't have the knockdown of my 9x56 or .30-30 loads. Nor did the .45-70 bleed the pigs right out - the first cut with a knife would still get a gusher. That extra bit of velocity does wonders for bullet performance and internal bleeding. Be prepared to shoot a few pigs and cut them up to see what happened, then adjust accordingly.

P.S. A friend swears by a 405 gn commercially cast bullet with 12 or 13 gns Unique.

[lightman]

My favorite is a 405 grain traditional looking bullet from an Accurate mold. Pretty much a copy of the RCBS 405 grain bullet. With a Hornady gas check and clip on wheel weight alloy it shoots well out of my Ruger #1.

I've played with the RCBS 500 grain bullet but see no advantage over the 405 grain one. It thumps on both ends!