Best Big Bore Cartridge

[Soundguy]

And? He asked for opinions on which... .. It's not like if he bought one he couldn't also buy another....

[GhostHawk]

I have a pair of .44mag H&R single shots and a .444marlin also in single shot Handi rifle.

All 3 rock. And if I ever really wanted to kill something big really really dead the .444 would be my choice.
With a 310 grain gas checked bullet over 10-13 grains of Red Dot. Cuts cloverleafs out as far as the shooter can hold it.

Mild to wild, pick your poison and load it.

[sutherpride59]

Well rifle is purchased and I'm awaiting it to be shipped. In the mean time I bought a lee 404grn mold. The mold should be here Tuesday and I'll get a little casting done. I have a mold in .454 that is a 260grn flat nose. I may try to beagle that one and get them to drop a little larger just to see how they do.

[cainttype]

This is a little late, but I’d consider the purpose of the gun in such a choice.
If medium game hunting was the goal, I’d also consider the single-shot versus semi-auto AND bolt action rifle types.
Both cartridges perform just fine with cast, and “NO” you don’t need a Tromix upper to do well in the AR platform. There are plenty options in barrels and uppers that are more than adequate.

The 450BM bolts are very popular in States where straightwall restrictions apply with case length limitations for good reason, it’s a hammer on hogs and deer.
I did see some finickiness in a couple ARs with cast (always use a gas check there) where molds I thought were a good match failed to perform to the level I demanded. Everything seemed to be good, until the bullets simply didn’t shoot well enough to meet expectations.
I eventually purchased NOE’s 452-277 and found instant success… I plan to eventually go back and try to sort out why the others balked.

The 45-70 is almost never a bad answer. It’s a classic for good reason, and can be an excellent performer with a wide variety of options.

[Hanzy4200]

As others mentioned, it's hard to beat a 12 ga slug gun. You're not going to get more horsepower unless you're ready to spend $3K. I'e done the big bore handguns, but have yet to venture into the rifles. Would like to find a beat up old double rifle. 400 Nitro maybe.

[lar45]

I eventually purchased NOE’s 452-277 and found instant success… I plan to eventually go back and try to sort out why the others balked.

Sorry for the thread drift, but cainttype, is this the plain based, gas checked, hollow point???
Also, could you PM me any load details?
I've got a Ruger AR in 450 Bushmaster that will shoot Hornady factory in a tight cloverleaf, but cast hasn't been very easy to get to shoot. I finally settled on the Speer .458 350 JSP sized down to .452" at 1800fps. Puts a hurtin on the hogs...


Looks like it could be a great heavy 45acp bullet also.

[reddog81]

So a 400 grain bullet doing 2,000 FPS out of a 26” barrel is a 1,000 yard round and a 300 grain bullet doing 2,000 FPS out of a 16” barrel is a 200 yard round at best. OK….

FWIW I’ve got everything from a 200 grain SWC to a 300 grain WFN to shoot well from an AR. 350 grain WFN works well in my Ruger bolt action.

[Soundguy]

As others mentioned, it's hard to beat a 12 ga slug gun. You're not going to get more horsepower unless you're ready to spend $3K. I'e done the big bore handguns, but have yet to venture into the rifles. Would like to find a beat up old double rifle. 400 Nitro maybe.

Get a 470 ne double... Fantastic to shoot..and..as a bonus.. When you pull one out at the rifle range and the other shooters there see the large stacked or sxs barrels and stop you and say " hey..no shotguns ", then you can smile and say... No it's ok..its a rifle... And then see their expressions...

[murf205]

Sorry for the thread drift, but cainttype, is this the plain based, gas checked, hollow point???
Also, could you PM me any load details?
I've got a Ruger AR in 450 Bushmaster that will shoot Hornady factory in a tight cloverleaf, but cast hasn't been very easy to get to shoot. I finally settled on the Speer .458 350 JSP sized down to .452" at 1800fps. Puts a hurtin on the hogs...


Looks like it could be a great heavy 45acp bullet also.

I had the same problem with cast in my son's 450 Bushmaster. It shoots Hornady flex tips great but I had a heck of a time with cast. Only 1 good session and I think it was luck. The 47/0 has about every mold known to man made for it and you will never regret that choice. Why they decided to use .452 groove diameter for that thing, Is a mystery to me. With the rebated base, the BM could have been a .458 just as easily.

[Noah Zark]

My LGS cannot keep a CVA 45-70 in stock; they fly off the rack. I know a couple of owners and they get excellent accuracy. If I didn't already own two 1874 Sharps, an 1875 Sharps, and an H&R Buffalo in 45-70 (not mentioning the six leverguns), I'd get a CVA.

Noah

[murf205]

My LGS cannot keep a CVA 45-70 in stock; they fly off the rack. I know a couple of owners and they get excellent accuracy. If I didn't already own two 1874 Sharps, an 1875 Sharps, and an H&R Buffalo in 45-70 (not mentioning the six leverguns), I'd get a CVA.

Noah

My LGS has the same problem keeping them in stock and word gets out pretty fast if they aren't good shooters, especially for the money. If they ever get one in stock, I am going to buy a 44 mag for a test mule. They are pretty light for a 45/70 but you can always load them down to trap door (or less) speeds and they will still penetrate into another zip code.

[sutherpride59]

Oh man I have loved the comments. Makes me feel a little better about buying the CVA 45-70. The 450 bush seems like a good round and all but man to load for a single shot break barrel just feels like a dream come true. It doesn't get any easier. It took longer than I expected to get some brass and cast some. I will have a range report next Friday if all works out. We will see how the Lee 404 does without gas check and seated out .02" off the lands over some H335. The lead pot is going now with some 14bhn alloy so we shall see how she does soon. Only funny thing is the rifling on this gun does look a bit shallow compared to my 30 cal guns. I'll shoot it before I call the company and complain. About the same depth as my 45acp so it might just be a 45 cal thing.

[Rapier]

I have a couple of 45-70 rifles and have been shooting them for a few decades. When I saw an edition of Forty Years With the 45-70, I bought it, primarily to fill a spot in my library. If you see the book for sale you might pick it up.
The 45-70 is an interesting cartridge, very easy on the shoulder, just a push, to downright abusive. In a 98 Mauser it can be loaded to the bottom of 458 Win Mag performance, which leaves no lack of power, in North America. It is difficult to even flatten a primer with R-7. The 300 JHP is very effective on thin skinned game, the 525 RCBS cast is a crushing bullet for big hogs and bear. Best put you dentures in your pocket.

[oldbear1950]

for what the 45-70 can do, a guy took a marlin 45-70 to africa, along with a boatload of GARRETT HARD CAST BOOLITS, AND SHOT ALL THE BIG 5. Took em all, no problem, in fact shot a big bull, and a cow standing on the off side, he did not see, killed em both stone dead. There used to be all the stuff he did on line using those GARRETT loads.

[oley55]

for what the 45-70 can do, a guy took a marlin 45-70 to africa, along with a boatload of GARRETT HARD CAST BOOLITS, AND SHOT ALL THE BIG 5. Took em all, no problem, in fact shot a big bull, and a cow standing on the off side, he did not see, killed em both stone dead. There used to be all the stuff he did on line using those GARRETT loads.

was this guy a rich Dentist from Pittsburgh?

[DocSavage]

45/70 can be loaded with bullets weighing from a 160 gr collar button to a 530 gr rnfp.
Noe makes a mold that will cast a collar button for light loads plan on getting one someday.

[murf205]

I have a couple of 45-70 rifles and have been shooting them for a few decades. When I saw an edition of Forty Years With the 45-70, I bought it, primarily to fill a spot in my library. If you see the book for sale you might pick it up.
The 45-70 is an interesting cartridge, very easy on the shoulder, just a push, to downright abusive. In a 98 Mauser it can be loaded to the bottom of 458 Win Mag performance, which leaves no lack of power, in North America. It is difficult to even flatten a primer with R-7. The 300 JHP is very effective on thin skinned game, the 525 RCBS cast is a crushing bullet for big hogs and bear. Best put you dentures in your pocket.

Yeah and a thick pad wouldn't hurt either if you really step on the gas!

[OFFSHORE]

I'm a Big Bore fanboy myself. . .love the .430 and .458 cast boolits in a medium/heavy weight class. You did good with your 45/70 choice, and as many have stated you can go from mild to wild with a stout actioned 45/70 rifle. I personally shoot a Ruger No.1 with 385gr. boolits and enjoy the hell out of it. I have friends that I load for that shoot 450 Bushies, 458 SOCOM's, 458 Win Mag and even a 45 Raptor. . .the O'le Man 45/70, to me, rules the roost. Just my $0.02, enjoy your new rifle.

[fredj338]

Certainly go 45-70. No need for gc up to 1800fps or so. If you go coated, over 2000. I have a Lyman hp mold, works great for expanding bullets cast soft & cast harder, wide enough nose to do damage.

[GregLaROCHE]

I’ve been shooting a 45/70 lever action for years. If I were to get another 45 cal, it would be 47/90 if not 45/110. I enjoy shooting BP.