45-70 Govt. Effectiveness on game animals between 1150 and 1350fps.

[Savvy Jack]

Use the softest lead you can. Even though the boolit is large in diameter, mushrooming helps. You are not looking to go in one side and out the other.

Soft lead expands like a hollowpoint. If it hits fast and expands a lot, you will blow the deer to smithereens up close!!!

Heck, I used a 240gr Hornady SWC-HP from a 44-40 at 1,425fps @ 65 yards and was a bit overkill.

[centershot]

Use the softest lead you can. Even though the boolit is large in diameter, mushrooming helps. You are not looking to go in one side and out the other.

I have to disagree with that statement. I always want complete penetration, two holes to leak blood. Whatever the quarry, they'll not go far and will leave a generous blood trail to follow. My experience with thirty years of hunting with a 12 ga. slug gun confirms this.

[GregLaROCHE]

Soft lead expands like a hollowpoint. If it hits fast and expands a lot, you will blow the deer to smithereens up close!!!

Heck, I used a 240gr Hornady SWC-HP from a 44-40 at 1,425fps @ 65 yards and was a bit overkill.

He’s looking for low velocity rounds. The Boolits that shot all the Buffalo didn’t expand like hollow points. He will also be hunting elk too.

[Savvy Jack]

Use the softest lead you can. Even though the boolit is large in diameter, mushrooming helps. You are not looking to go in one side and out the other.

Pure lead is as soft s you can get

He’s looking for low velocity rounds. The Boolits that shot all the Buffalo didn’t expand like hollow points. He will also be hunting elk too.

Soft lead as was used by the cavalry did't expand?

[Savvy Jack]

He’s looking for low velocity rounds. The Boolits that shot all the Buffalo didn’t expand like hollow points. He will also be hunting elk too.

https://www.africahunting.com/thread...8/#post-505009

I was very heavy into cast bullets 20-25 years ago using them in .30, .358, and .45s. They are accurate and I never had a failure when using them on game either. I've only ever recovered 2 and these were from elk and cast from very soft lead, about 5 BHN. Below are the pics from left to right: bullet before patching, patched bullet, .45/70 loaded round, bullets taken from elk that were against the skin on off side. 7x57joe

I have never recovered bullets hardened to 10-12 BHN and .45 were the only size I patched.

Attachment 288808

[memtb]

[QUOTE=centershot;5262799]I have to disagree with that statement. I always want complete penetration, two holes to leak blood. Whatever the quarry, they'll not go far and will leave a generous blood trail to follow. My experience with thirty years of hunting with a 12 ga. slug gun confirms this.[/QUOTE


I wholeheartedly agree! I like two holes to leak from, and the deeper or farther the penetration....the more vital animal components you’re subject to damage! I want an exit, no matter the animal size or the shot angle! memtb

[Dthunter]

Thanks for all the input guys!

I have worked up one load that shoots very well in both my marlin Guide gun and the T/C Katadin barreled pro hunter.

Both rifles seem to shot the 26.0 grains of Dominion 4198 within 1.2” or better at 100! Super pleased with that! SD for those loads were 3.7 and 7fps! Crazy low! Really surprised me!

Both loads have the boolets seated to “barley” enguage the lands when the action is closed, so no function issues there.

Hunting season for the centerfires opened up this morning! Wohoo! Hopefully I can get my son out with me on the weekend to get ourselves a deer or two, and maybe an elk! Yummm!

[Edward]

I use an NOE mold casting a 350 gr-460-FP over 25-26 grains 2400 /.5 dacron and get 13-1400 FPS leaves 2 holes at most any angle to
(175+yds) PB/GC ed/or powder coated

[sharps4590]

Never saw the need for hollow points or could tolerate the excessive destruction they cause. Soft lead, a decent meplat and full penetration has dropped everything I've killed with my 45-70's and 45-90 if not in their tracks, with a couple feet. Except for one hog I shot at a dead run at between 25 and 30 yards. His nose hit the ground and his momentum and hind legs carried him forward about 20 feet. He was dead by the time we got to him....probably when his nose hit the ground.

[Ramjet-SS]

Velocities are fine hard cast or soft both will do the job with a WFN style boolit. Load to accuracy and what your gun likes. I shoot a 460 hammer WFN it will run a deer end to end length wise. At 1200 FPS.

[Geezer in NH]

Every thing I have shot with a 45/70 has died. No matter the bullet jacketed or cast. No matter the angle of shot. They all died

All have been shot under 125 yards.

[TCLouis]

Dthunter

What kind of velocity are you getting with the GG, ?? boolit and 26 grains of 4198?

Never mind, I have reloaded since the 60s and until two weeks ago have never possessed any 4198 so did not even notice loads for it.
According to Lyman manual it looks like 45 fps/grain for 4198 for a good estimation.
Now that I have some I may take a break from 4759, 5744, 3031, 8700.
Had a bunch of 3031, someone gave me the 5744 as well as the 4198 and 8700.

I will put the 4198 in some cases for Wednesdays testing.

[smkummer]

8700? I have some military surplus of this, is there a trapdoor load for it? Sorry if I am getting off track.

[TCLouis]

Older Accurate manuals have load for 8700 in the 45 and 70.
Something on the order of 10,000 psi as I remember
Kind of like Black Powder.
Certainly those kinds of velocities or slower.

[RidgerunnerAk]

I too like the through and through shots on caribou and moose using my vintage 1886 and 1895 .45-90's with cast boolits in the 300gr range. Just one shot through the lungs to get them to bleed out with very little damage to the meat, even out at 250yds is all it takes. They rarely go far if anywhere and I rarely recover boolits unless they happen to hit a major bone. Went caribou hunting with a friend three yrs back and he shot 3 caribou in one spot and blew half the backstrap out of a one at 125yds with a .243. The meat damage on all three was horrendous. What a mess. The meat tasted like liver it was so bloody. There's no need whatsoever to overload the large caliber cast bullets. They punch a nice hole at just about any velocity you can accurately lob them in at.

[starnbar]

27 June 1874 second battle of Adobe Walls Texas a group of buffalo hunters were attacked by Kiowas, Cheyenne's, Comanches the defenders held off the attack and a astounding shot with a rifle was made by a man by the name of William Dixon who shot a Kiowa off a horse at the range of 7/8s of a mile.