45/70 hunters, what are you using?

[Mountaintrekker]

Just wondering who using a 45/70 as their primary big game rifle. Moose, bear and bou. What rifles and loads and what is your zero? 200Yds? I'm favoring my jm stamped guide gun and 405gr cast loads lately and thinking of taking it on a couple upcoming hunts next year.

Mountaintrekker

 

[bkmail]

200 yard zero and leverution ammo. Keep it handy in the airboat.
BK

 

[AK Bearcat]

For the most part I am using some 430 GC hard cast bullets and have a 100 zero for my guide gun. So far after two bison and one moose it has done well. I hope to be using it for a black bear, but things just have not worked out. For 'fun' plinking, I go down to either some 405 or 300 cast bullets, with a mild load of powder.

 

[Kay9Cop]

I'm anti-cast, so I use all jacketed bullets. I have a reduced recoil load for small game, a 325 FTX load for longer shots, and a 350 Swift A Frame load for bear.

 

[ASUS-DAG]

Oh the 45-70 with a 405gr. Cast bullet. Classic! I’ve got the Marlin SBL and have lots of fun with it. I just loaded 220 rounds of 405gr cast out ofWW and a half grain shy of a max load. After loading, I stepped outside and put 14 rounds into my 550 steel at25yds. I was still sore 2 days later and now have 14 dimples in my steel. I did not think that would happen.
Now I want have a little more fun and go old school and loadthat 405gr bullet with some black powder. Come spring time, I’m looking forward to find a black bear after thesmoke clears.
Hornady makes a good round for loading the 45-70. As forzeroing. 200yds seem abet far. That rifle shoots straight out to about a100yds before dropping, so I just set my front post ¾ high in the rear ghost ringto hit at 200yds. I’m not saying you can’thit anything past that, but not sure you would want to. I wonder what kind of damage a 405gr castbullet would do at, say 300 or 400yds. I’minterested in knowing now. Anybody hereever made a long shot on big game with a 45-70 before? Although, I only have an 18” barrel. A longer barrel would definitely do a betterjob at longer ranges.
Any who. Great gun. Easy to load, Easy to shot. Lots of fun.

 

[limon32]

What kind of groups are realistic at 100 and 200 yards with a modern .45-70 off a rest?


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[jdb3]

Mine, I've used this load since the early 1980's, is 50gr of IMR 3031 with the 400gr Speer bullet. About 16-1700fps and an honest 11/32" group at 100 yards. Most times it is well below 1" if I can hold it steady. Kills deer and caribou right well! Jim

 

[204tcak]

Marlin 1895 w/hornady leverlution slugs. I shoot game under 100 yds with it along with other big game rounds.

 

[shayno]

Haven't shot any critters with my js stamped guide gun, but I only shoot the 405 grain hard cast. Its fun to shoot. And I love the looks of that gun. I had a full length mag tube put on.

 

[Kay9Cop]

What kind of groups are realistic at 100 and 200 yards with a modern .45-70 off a rest?


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The 45-70 can be very accurate. My chopped down XLR can hit the magic 1". The problem is the poor BC of most bullets. A 10 mph wind can throw you off by over 12" at 200 yards. For that reason I only use it for bear defense at close range and not hunting any more.

 

[limon32]

45/70 hunters, what are you using?

The 45-70 can be very accurate. My chopped down XLR can hit the magic 1". The problem is the poor BC of most bullets. A 10 mph wind can throw you off by over 12" at 200 yards. For that reason I only use it for bear defense at close range and not hunting any more.

Thanks for the info!

I've been wondering about using one on predators in close quarters, so 1" @ 100 is perfect. I wouldn't be so nervous about calling in the fall that way!


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[BrownBear]

I'm kinda t'other way when it comes to 45-70. I load a 405 grain cast with Lyman #2 alloy (basically softer than WW) to a little under 1200 fps. About half my rounds are loaded with real black powder, and the others are loaded with 4198. They're sighted in at 100 yards from my Sharps, but with the traditional tang peep I can stretch that to around 150 yards without problems. An absolute hoot to shoot, and no shoulder wear whatsoever.

If I want more oomph and tears in my eyes, I switch to my Sharps officer model with a 36" barrel chambered in 50-140. Launching a 600 grain paper-patched bullet at 1150 fps, it doesn't have any more range, but it sure has lots more whomp. At both ends.

 

[tzieli22]

Mine, I've used this load since the early 1980's, is 50gr of IMR 3031 with the 400gr Speer bullet. About 16-1700fps and an honest 11/32" group at 100 yards. Most times it is well below 1" if I can hold it steady. Kills deer and caribou right well! Jim

Hands down the best over-all round for me and most everyone I know. Kills moose, bears, and more moose and bears very well. I like shooting cast as well. Have had very nice results with Garrett's plus the 405 reloads.