questions on loads for 45-70

**coalman** · September 5th, 2009, 11:26 PM

was at range today with my 3 of my marlins. a 22 ,308mx, and 1895 in 45-70. 22 and 308 did real good finaly got the reloads worked out forr the 308. quetions i have are , one of the loads i usefor the 45-70 is 300 grain hollow point over 62 grains of h335. i have tried both the sierra bullet and the remington 300 grain hollow point . the sierra seems to hit fairly good but the remington is very wild . if i download to try to get the remington to group better how far down can i go and still have enough stuff left for deer ? i also shoot hornady 350 grain flatpoint, over 59.5 grains of h335. this load seems to be the best in my rifle. but i think that bullet might be a little much for deer. if i was in alaska i would use this load for everything up there but i don't think there is much need fora grizzly bear load here in the deer woods.the problem with the remington 300 grain might be that my rifle just dosen't like that bullet. i have bought the hornady leverevolutions for the 45-70 but at 30 to 35 $ a box just dosen't set wellwith me going to the range for the afternoon any thoughts or help are greatly apprreciated

**knight0334** · September 5th, 2009, 11:44 PM

About the 45-70..

You dont need much velocity for the heavy slugs of the 45-70 to be effective on deer. Even the 300gr JHP's wont open up at 30ft on a deer at 1800fps while taking out a shoulder bone, they just punch a .458" hole through and through - speaking from experience. Heavier slugs will punch through just the same and will be even less likely to flatten or flower on light skin and bodied deer.

All I use on deer with my 45-70's is Winchester Super-X 300gr JHP's at an advertised 1880fps, 1850-1920fps real world. ...accurate and deadly on anything in PA from woodchucks to deer to farm equipment.

Even at much lower velocities they'll just punch right through. The mass of the heavy slugs will keep them going. You'll only need the velocity to keep the bullet flying a flatter trajectory over longer distances(if you're not skilled at lobbing them). Handgun bullets of lessor weights, going lessor velocities kill deer just as dead.

Even if you have to down load the 300gr Remingtons to 1000-1200fps, you'll still have as much or even more power as any 44mag load(as wussy as factories load them today) from a pistol. ...just mind your range, keeping it under a 100yds at such low velocities.

If you're worried about lower velocities of the 45-70 slugs, just look at the velocities that they originally launch them with blackpowder - 1000-1400fps for 300-500gr slugs, and they killed bison grave yard dead at ranges from point blank to 1000yards and more.

Just load something that is accurate with those Remmy slugs, if you're between 1000-1200fps stay under 100yds. If you're between 1600-2000fps, you could go much further.

**knight0334** · September 5th, 2009, 11:50 PM

In addition, If you load a 300gr JHP at about 1850-1925fps muzzle velocity, zero at about 2.5" high at 50yrds which should put at dead 0" at 100yrds.

**coalman** · September 8th, 2009, 08:00 PM

thanks for the info knight. that helped me out a lot. already loaded up a box cut down by 2 grains to see from there hopefully can get to the range this sat. and see what happens. if nothing else will buy the sierras for hunting and use the remmys for playing at the range with. thanks again
dale

**dodge** · September 9th, 2009, 08:01 AM

For my guide gun I use 44 grs IMR 4198, Hornady 350 gr FN, Remington brass and CCI 200 primer for a velocity of 1800 fps. It really hammers a deer as in bang flop. It shoot the best out of my gun so far and is not really all that bad to shot. I've shot up to 20 rounds from the bench in one sitting. But when I do this I make sure that this rifle is the last one that I shot for the day.