I'm using the same bullet for my bear loads. I have mine loaded up with Rel. 7 pushing in the 1800's fps. out of a Guide gun. I haven't had the opportunity to shoot anything yet. I tried to but, it just didn't work out. I'm going to try another bear hunt this fall to see how theses bullets work. From what I have read these bullets are suppose to be great on game animals. I don't see why they wouldn't be.

 

If the RN is anything like the Hornady 350 FP I use I think you’ll like them.


Mine are going 1922fps via H4895 from my GG.

 

I’ve shot deer with them over Reloaders 7. Knocked them down and they never moved.

 

I don't have any game experience with them but I've recovered plenty of both the FP and RN from the backstop at my private shooting range. The RN seems to be a tougher bullet and less inclined to expand as much as the FP does.

From what I've read the RN has been around for many years and was intended for use in the .458 Win mag among other cartridges. The FP came along about the time of the .450 Marlin. Both are very good bullets, the RN may not expand as much, but starting out at .458" that's already a big hole.

 

Dang Guy! I didn't know you had another 1895! Got that one past me!

I can't hardly think of many bullets you can load in the 45-70 that won't work well for hunting the majority of animals we hunt...

Might be time to jug one of them suckers!:burnout:

 

I don't use them personally. I use cast bullets I make myself, but I've read good reviews on them so I don't see why they wouldn't work well for what you want. Be sure and let us know how well they work for you .

 

I've shot a few of them in my 95. I like Hornady bullets and the only reason I'm not using 350gr in my deer loads is that I can run the
300gr JHP faster. The only thing it is used for is deer. The truth is about any 458 bullet is enough for deer. I have killed most of the deer I have shot with 45/70s with cast 405gr and 330gr out of original single shots at moderate velocities. The 350gr RN may be a better choice for stuff bigger than deer. I shoot Hornady bullets in more cals than Sierra & Speer combined.

 

The 350 Hornady FN have become my favorite 45/70 load for all around hunting (deer, bear, hog) I have considered the RN but like the performance and accuracy of the FN. I put it over 58 grains of Varget in a 24" barrel (Custom) 1895SBL and get right around 1900 fps with <25,000 psi pressure. Although I rarely consider shots more than 100 maybe 150 for any game the drop at 200 is 12" which is very manageable. I have been testing more and more mid-weight bullets over Varget and as long as they are 350 to 405 I have found a soft shooting reasonable velocity load using the Varget. I still load H4198 for other 45/70 bullets but my gun loves Varget in the mid-range (350, 400 and 405)...

 

The 350 flat nose was designed for use in the 1895 rifles. The round nose was designed a fair amout stouter for use in the 458 socom and a couple other rounds. For best performance in our rifles go with the fp, but the rn works well also! Happy shooting.

rlm1 Randy

 

Shot a nice doe with the 350gr flat point at a similar velocity, M700. Quartering toward me. Flipped over onto her back and was done right there. Wrecked the near shoulder and left a fist size exit just in front of the diaphram on the off side. Turned everything in between into soup. I wouln't hesitate to use that load on anything that walks this continent.

 

i shoot 300 gr fp hornady at close to 2000 fps in a ruger #3 and a winchester 85 and its a good killer. i try for a standing broadside double lung shot, no eatable meat wasted and tracking(if any) a blind man could follow.

 

those are some pretty stout loads - I shoot 350gr cast bullets and - for awhile loaded 54gr 3031 but scaled it back to 47.5 this load will stem to stern a deer - I would trust it for anything in this 1/2 of the world

 

Ya, interesting about the loads. According to Hodgdon, my load is the starting load for lever action loads. According to Hornady, it's a bit over their maximum for the Marlin 1895.

Beats me.

I might end up dropping a grain or two. Haven't checked it over a chronograph, Hodgdon claims about 2,000 fps for the load. Or, since it's shooting well, I might leave it alone, and do 90% of my shooting with this rifle, with a mild, cast bullet load. Get the big holes without the big boom.

Guy

 

"Buckeye Beanfield Rifle"

I like that.

Guy

 

I've killed Deer and Hogs with the Hornady350 RN loaded to about 1800 fps.

 

Guy later tonight i will dig out my reloading info .to see what i loaded my 350 rn at and what they did true my graph .

 

Guy, i loaded my 350rn with 45gr. Of H-4198
Shot true my graph at 1790, and shot great at 100 yds.
This was the deer target i used. Didn't soup it up any more
Because it shot plenty good enuff for me.
I have the 1895 GS
4 shots in a life size deer tragets heart