[Skookumrob]

It looks like I am going to be joining the roll yer own brotherhood. Looking for advice as I cant afford to try a ton of powders or a variaty of bullets to find a sweet load for my 1895 GG. I am looking for the holey grail of bullets... one I can use for deer, elk, and moose, and a powder choice and charge to match. I am lookin for a big hole and pass through penetration. I would also like a nice target load that doesnt break the bank. Any advice would be great

 

[me]

Yes I seen you got bite ;D Good for you 405gr. will be fun and get er done. Don't mix brands of brass and work up them loads. I will let these guys suggest powder and bullets. 300 maybe to light so I went 350 for Elk bear deer and 500 to break things till I can buy heavy ones ;D

 

[Levergunz]

Beartooth has some very good bullets and I dont think you could go wrong with a 405gr bullet.Powders...well there are many that work
well.I have used H322,RL7,IMR4895 and IMR3031.Powders are easy to get in the USA,not sure about UP North.Lately I've used IMR3031 the most and the 45-70 can go from mild to wild.I keep them a bit on the light side and I'm certain they have plenty of
power for the game I hunt.I use Remington brass 45-47 gr IMR3031,405 gr bullet,Remington Mag rifle primer.I dont need the Magnum primer,but I have so many in stock.Good luck!

 

[moofy07]

In my own experience, if you are limiting yourself to just one powder and bullet, then I would suggesr the Remington 405gr with 52grs of Hodgden H322 (AR2219 Oz powder), Starline cases and Federal 210 large rifle primers. This will give you about 1825 fps. It is a mid range load and is siutable to just about everything you have over there. I also suggest you start at 50grs of H322 and work up keeping safety and watching for the pressure signs along the way.
Hope this helps.

 

[keyston44]

My favorite 45-70 loads use a Lee 457-405-F that I cast. The light load is 13gr of Unique in Starline brass at a velocity of 1165fps. My heavy load is the same bullet and brass but with 49gr of H322 for 1870fps. All shot out of my Guide Gun.
If you are going to use a cast bullet, no matter who makes it, make sure it is about .002 over your bore diameter.

Key

 

[preacher]

I have used Reloder 7 with the 425 Beartooth bullet, and H4198 with the Hornady 350RN. I use Winchester brass and the CCI BR2 primer usually. I had a Ballard rifled 1895 that shot 26gr AA2400 and the Remington 405 around 1600fps, very accurate. Here in Utah, the Hornady 350RN is a favorite bullet for everything in the 45-70.

 

[Skookumrob]

Alot of people seem to dig on the hornaday 350RN, I know that I can get it here too. You guys heve some big elk down that way too dont you preacher? Thunder fx lives just down the road from me up here on the tundra and assures me they are a good load for our critters.

 

[Skookumrob]

Boy levergunz how much fun is that quigly gun??? I have a 54 hawkin which can load up to 120 grains bp. That makes for an exciting ride I.d imagine. I have never loaded it so heavily for bullets just balls which are a blast. A big bullet however at 110 grains sounds like fun. I saw an australian documentary one time called quigly down under in which the same rifle was used to great effect up to 15 or 20 miles away ;D

 

[preacher]

Yes sir, Utah has some big elk now, it's taken awhile for the herd to build up, butit's hindered our mule deer herds. We have the "small" shiras moose, and some buffalo.

 

[mebe007]

Utah is where I want to go for my first elk hunt

 

[Skookumrob]

You ever get to hunt those buff down there preacher? Curious to hear what you use for gear. Native guys I know up this way have taken them with 30/30, 303 british, 270 win and 3006. I think 303 brits are still one of the most popular guns up here and there are tons of 30/30's used for big game.None of those native guys have even heard of a 45/70 I bet.

 

[moofy07]

besides the 350gr Hornady RN you can also get the 350gr. FN for tube mags. One great and reasonably priced bullet.

 

[padodge]

I use 44 grs. IMR 4198, Hornady 350 gr FN, CCI 200 with either Remington or Starline brass. I get 1800 fps from my guide gun and when I had a scope mounted I had several 3 round groups where the holes touched each other at 100 yards. Will drop a deer in it's tracks.

 

[jrchurch254a]

325 gr FNGC from Beartooth bullets, ahead of 50 grains of RL-7. My 1895 CB launches these bullets with great consistancy.

 

[preacher]

I can shoot a penned buffalo anytime I have the money, several places out here have them. I "might" shoota yearling for meat/fun some day. Our "wild" buffalo are down in the Henry Mountains, draw hunt only. They are "wilder" than March Hares, and the area is very rugged. Not for me,ha!
I have shot all of my game here with 240W, 6mm/284; 6.5/284; 30.06; 300 winmag; 338 winmag; 220 Swift; 45 Colt ( Marlin of course); .375 H&H (for grins);25.06; .270; 280 Ackley Improved; 50 caliber muzzleloader with a Green Mountain 1/28" twist w/500gr conicals ( another hoot) and same rifle with a 240XTP in a TC sabot. I have used other calibers in other states and countries.
While I have always had a 45-70 of either a Browning or Marlin hanging around, I've never seemed to get a shot at anything with it, same with my last 444 and the Winchester 375Win. Lots of neat "walks in the woods", but no game,ha. I have only recently returned primarly to leverguns, about last 3 years. I have some 'catching up" to do. Between past surgeries and ministry demands, I've missed a few seasons. I could still say "I'm in my prime", but I may sound (and maybe look like) like Doc Holiday in Tombstone saying it,ha. I'm not in bad health, just bolted together and fighting the mid-drift "bulge", I'm still a contender! I focus more on antlerless for elk, but it's only due to the time of year I can get at them, both from scheduling/events and logictically.

 

[Dr. A]

13gr. of Unique with Starline brass, WLR primers, and a 405gr. cast boolit plain based.---practice load
25gr. of 2400 same set up above with a more serious intent. THis will take my gun to 1480 to 1500fps and good hunting, though short trajectory. Also a very good practice load.
52gr. of H322 with same set up, but a 405gr. jacketed bullet (Remington), or a gas checked 405gr. boolit
49gr. of H4198 with same setup, but 350gr. Hornady of either variety. (RN) in my case.

The latter two are not fun to shoot with large numbers in one day. They are good hunting rounds in my experience. Most here seem to like the expensive bullets, but I've not needed them for elk or bison, and certainly not deer.

50gr. H4198, starline, WLR, and a 300gr. JHP of your choice. Too fast for close in, and just right for impact of avg 100 to 150 yards, the way I hunt in the forest edge.

 

[preacher]

My short (17 3/4" bbl) Micro Groove rifle shoots the 300 Remington HP into 2" over 48gr of H4198, anything faster and they go wild. WW brass, CCI BR2 primer.

 

[pls1911]

Ranch Dog 350 grain gas checked lead bullet, 40-45 grains Reloader 7.
Cast soft, heat treated HARD (25+ BHN)
Accurate bullet which holds together VERY well.
Brings down anything with a high shoulder shot,
and I mean dead in it's tracks, falls in it's own shadow.

RCBS 400 grain works as well, but is a little more punishing to shoot.
Both these bullets work well in Guide Guns, Cowboys, Rolling Blocks, and Sharps.

Another deighn I have used as a first shot loader through the port as a close range (<75 yards) pounder is an NEI 448 grain flat nose
that looks like a soupcan or GIANT wadcutter.
It has a phenominal slap factor and enough weight to keep on going and going and going....

 

[ChasinTail]

I worked up a great modern 45/70 load using 49.2 gr. Accurate AA1680, Federal GM210M Primer, Starline Brass behind a 300gr. TSX-FN Barnes Bullets. At 100 Yards open sights I am shooting 2” circles at an average velocity of 2186fps out of an 18 1/2” barrel. I am a 6’ tall and 195# and this load is not bad on the shoulder but is wicked on the ears.

Most of my shots are less than 100yrds, so I zeroed it at 50yrds and at 100yrds get just a little over 1” drop, and 5.5” at 150yrds.

I have only owned my 45/70 for a few months, so I have not been hunting with it yet. However I have been using 300gr. Barnes Expander MZ in my muzzleloader for 2 seasons with exceptional results, using 100gr. of Pyrodex Pellets, with an average velocity of 1680fps. Every deer dropped within 30 yards, most in their tracks. I also feel better about eating meat taken with 100% copper bullets.

Needless to say, I am getting excited to try out my 45/70 this year whitetail hunting. With this kind of mass and being reasonable fast for this large of caliber, I would feel confident taking any game in North America.

 

[Skookumrob]

As I basically know nothing about reloading and I am cheap, I have been saving honaday le brass. I have been told it is too short for loading other bullets. Yesterday I bought 2 boxes of federal 300 in the blue box. I know I can reload these so hopefully ya'all got loads for this brass with hornaday 350 rn or fn bullets. I did buy a reload manual too but havent even flipped through it yet (been a busy day). Was wondering how much of a pressure difference you get from different brands of brass and how do you know if the brass is ok with the printed powder/bullet load? Pardon me in advance if, when I open that manual tonight I find the answers to my questions on the first page. I am just excited about it and completely ignorant at this point, thats all