Single Shot 45-70 Bullets??

[Harley469]

I know this is a ML forum, but I only belong to this forum and some bow hunting forums so I'll start here with my question. I own a Henry 45-70 and have been reloading for a few years or it using Hornady 325gr FTX bullets. They have certainly done the job on the handful of deer that have been shot with it, but this past season I loaned it to my friend to use and it didn't demonstrate the kind of performance I would like. He collected a real nice buck with it (the first deer he has harvested in his entire life coincidentally), but the bullet did not have a complete pass through, grenading inside the deer. This problem has really plagued me the past two seasons with my smokeless ML and now my 45-70. I am in the process of switching my SML to either a Barnes 295gr all copper bullet or a 300gr bonded Fury- they appear to have the same POI at 100 yards. I need to do further testing at greater distances. My question here is do you think the same type of bullet will benefit me with my 45-70 as well? Here in IL we can only use a single shot, so a spire point bullet is totally acceptable since I won't be adding any to the tubular magazine. In fact, I'm even thinking about getting a Ruger No 1 in 45-70. I don't know if the accuracy will be all that much better with the Ruger than the Henry 22" Octagon barrel. The Ruger No 1 would also be 22", so I don't know if it's worth the money to switch from using the Henry to the Ruger (for another discussion). What are your thoughts on a .458 bullet that will give me great accuracy, exceptional terminal performance, along with a complete pass through? I'll probably join a couple other 45-70-related forums and pose the same question, but I'm sure some of you here will have some advice for me. Thanks.

 

[eekjellander]

I know this is a ML forum, but I only belong to this forum and some bow hunting forums so I'll start here with my question. I own a Henry 45-70 and have been reloading for a few years or it using Hornady 325gr FTX bullets. They have certainly done the job on the handful of deer that have been shot with it, but this past season I loaned it to my friend to use and it didn't demonstrate the kind of performance I would like. He collected a real nice buck with it (the first deer he has harvested in his entire life coincidentally), but the bullet did not have a complete pass through, grenading inside the deer. This problem has really plagued me the past two seasons with my smokeless ML and now my 45-70. I am in the process of switching my SML to either a Barnes 295gr all copper bullet or a 300gr bonded Fury- they appear to have the same POI at 100 yards. I need to do further testing at greater distances. My question here is do you think the same type of bullet will benefit me with my 45-70 as well? Here in IL we can only use a single shot, so a spire point bullet is totally acceptable since I won't be adding any to the tubular magazine. In fact, I'm even thinking about getting a Ruger No 1 in 45-70. I don't know if the accuracy will be all that much better with the Ruger than the Henry 22" Octagon barrel. The Ruger No 1 would also be 22", so I don't know if it's worth the money to switch from using the Henry to the Ruger (for another discussion). What are your thoughts on a .458 bullet that will give me great accuracy, exceptional terminal performance, along with a complete pass through? I'll probably join a couple other 45-70-related forums and pose the same question, but I'm sure some of you here will have some advice for me. Thanks.

My go to rifle for yrs was a Handi Rifle in 45/70 I cast 350 gr 460 sized to 459 ,sadly sold that one to help pay for a Shilen 19 twist hand lapped barrel fitted to a Howa 1500 SML (lab gun ) from a really talented person in sabot/sml/shooter and adviser on how to do stuff on smokeless shooting on this forum . If you could find one on the Grey Beard forum buy it . Aside from your needs ,they can swap barrels with a SB2 receiver and handis are known for accuracy . If you lived closer I have 100+ rds built and no gun to shoot!/Ed

 

[ingramjets]

My go to rifle for yrs was a Handi Rifle in 45/70 I cast 350 gr 460 sized to 459 ,sadly sold that one to help pay for a Shilen 19 twist hand lapped barrel fitted to a Howa 1500 SML (lab gun ) from a really talented person in sabot/sml/shooter and adviser on how to do stuff on smokeless shooting on this forum . If you could find one on the Grey Beard forum buy it . Aside from your needs ,they can swap barrels with a SB2 receiver and handis are known for accuracy . If you lived closer I have 100+ rds built and no gun to shoot!/Ed

what kind of recoil you get with that load?

 

[ingramjets]

I know this is a ML forum, but I only belong to this forum and some bow hunting forums so I'll start here with my question. I own a Henry 45-70 and have been reloading for a few years or it using Hornady 325gr FTX bullets. They have certainly done the job on the handful of deer that have been shot with it, but this past season I loaned it to my friend to use and it didn't demonstrate the kind of performance I would like. He collected a real nice buck with it (the first deer he has harvested in his entire life coincidentally), but the bullet did not have a complete pass through, grenading inside the deer. This problem has really plagued me the past two seasons with my smokeless ML and now my 45-70. I am in the process of switching my SML to either a Barnes 295gr all copper bullet or a 300gr bonded Fury- they appear to have the same POI at 100 yards. I need to do further testing at greater distances. My question here is do you think the same type of bullet will benefit me with my 45-70 as well? Here in IL we can only use a single shot, so a spire point bullet is totally acceptable since I won't be adding any to the tubular magazine. In fact, I'm even thinking about getting a Ruger No 1 in 45-70. I don't know if the accuracy will be all that much better with the Ruger than the Henry 22" Octagon barrel. The Ruger No 1 would also be 22", so I don't know if it's worth the money to switch from using the Henry to the Ruger (for another discussion). What are your thoughts on a .458 bullet that will give me great accuracy, exceptional terminal performance, along with a complete pass through? I'll probably join a couple other 45-70-related forums and pose the same question, but I'm sure some of you here will have some advice for me. Thanks.

fury makes some specialty 45/70 to use in michigan . theyare shorter than standard rounds to comply with the sizing regs. i would like to know how they shoot?

 

[eekjellander]

what kind of recoil you get with that load?

One my grand daughter can shoot , 25.5 gr of 2400 under 1/2 grain of loose dacron (position sensitive) under that NOE 350 gr FN I described longest kill was 176 yds , Killed most all of my deer with that load ,like I said shame we weren't closer I have 100+ on the shelf /Thanks Ed

 

[Hatchet Jack]

I use the Hornady 325 Gr FTX ammo from my CVA 45-70 Scout single shot . I have shot 4 deer with that gun and ammo so far and the combo has been flawless for me. You might want to try the 250 grain Hornady MonoFlex ammo or bullet if you are worried about grenading and exit holes.
I bought a Marlin lever action 45-70 last year. I have been shooting the 250 gr MonoFlex ammo from it. My lever action likes it. Have not shot any deer with it yet.
Either one of those two bullets pushed at around 2000 fps will be excellent on deer.

 

[illinoishunter]

As a fellow Illinois guy I chose my muzzy over going straight wall. You only get one shot out of a straight wall here anyways. So projectile options are much more plentiful as you know.

But I've a hunting buddy with a new ruger something, super short barrel, that hunts45/70 that has asked if I can reload his brass. So I'm curious as to what this thread turns up.

 

[box_blaster]

Unless you're planning on the absolute hottest of loads the ruger no1 probably won't do anything your henry isn't already doing. I've done some looking around on africa hunting forums for lighter deer/pig bullets that wouldn't act like a vmax from my cz 458 lott. Copper monolithics came up, as mentioned here, along with speer's 300 "plinker" & the barnes originals being tougher choices. Hornady's 350 roundnose is also supposedly for north american large game. Good luck to you

 

[anonymouscowherd]

Was hoping the Henry you were talkin about was the single shot one in 45-70 One is on my "mostly want" list... but the muzzle loaders seem to be satisfying the big bore boom itch for the time being...

 

[bronko220002]

That's a bit disheartening to me because I've just recently got a Scout in 45-70 and it shoots 325 gr FTXs under MOA. The were recommended by a fellow member. Are you sure it wasn't just a fluke? One bullet does not prove anything. Many years ago I hunted deer with a 243 Win and 100 gr Hornady Interlock bullets. Every deer I shot with it was DRT sans one. I anchorded him with a 2nd shot. Turns out the bullet exploded on impact never entering the vitals.

 

[Harley469]

That's a bit disheartening to me because I've just recently got a Scout in 45-70 and it shoots 325 gr FTXs under MOA. The were recommended by a fellow member. Are you sure it wasn't just a fluke? One nullet does not prove anything. Many years ago I hunted deer with a 243 Win and 100 gr Hornady Interlock bullets. Every deer I shot with it was DRT sans one. I anchorded him with a 2nd shot. Turns out the bullet exploded on impact never entering the vitals.

I hate to move away from the 325gr Hornady FTX because it is pretty accurate, so I haven't tested many other bullets, other than some flat points from Sierra that didn't group as well. I do have some 300gr Barnes Original Spitzers that were my go to bullets out of my Savage ML II and my Remington Ultimate ML, so I will load some rounds with those. I did have one Barnes Original Spitzer grenade on me and it took about three hours to find that deer and it had only ran about 30yrds (no blood trail and was in thick woods). Various Barnes and Hornadys have treated me well over the years and those have been mostly what I reload everything with. I am going to check out Fury (which have shot very accurately out of my SML to 100yrds, further testing beyond needed). I am also going to check out Maker Bullets, which are produced in Georgia. I have read/seen good results from hunters using those bullets. I am supposed to get an order from Midway today which will have 40 Barnes TSX 300gr bullets that are not the flat nose variety. I will load those up and see how they perform. Again, the three components I am looking for are:
1) Accuracy
2) Terminal performance (without grenading inside the deer)
3) Pass through (for blood trailing purposes)

 

[box_blaster]

Hawk bullets looks to have a decent selection also but I've never used their product personally.

 

[LBAhunter]

I hate to move away from the 325gr Hornady FTX because it is pretty accurate, so I haven't tested many other bullets, other than some flat points from Sierra that didn't group as well. I do have some 300gr Barnes Original Spitzers that were my go to bullets out of my Savage ML II and my Remington Ultimate ML, so I will load some rounds with those. I did have one Barnes Original Spitzer grenade on me and it took about three hours to find that deer and it had only ran about 30yrds (no blood trail and was in thick woods). Various Barnes and Hornadys have treated me well over the years and those have been mostly what I reload everything with. I am going to check out Fury (which have shot very accurately out of my SML to 100yrds, further testing beyond needed). I am also going to check out Maker Bullets, which are produced in Georgia. I have read/seen good results from hunters using those bullets. I am supposed to get an order from Midway today which will have 40 Barnes TSX 300gr bullets that are not the flat nose variety. I will load those up and see how they perform. Again, the three components I am looking for are:
1) Accuracy
2) Terminal performance (without grenading inside the deer)
3) Pass through (for blood trailing purposes)

How fast was you pushing a Barnes Original 300gr for it to grenade?

 

[TransYank]

Solid copper Barnes will not come apart. Love em

 

[Harley469]

How fast was you pushing a Barnes Original 300gr for it to grenade?

150grs by volume of 777 out of my Remington Ultimate

 

[TransYank]

fury makes some specialty 45/70 to use in michigan . theyare shorter than standard rounds to comply with the sizing regs. i would like to know how they shoot?

His post states he is using a FTX 325 GR. That's what came apart.. Barnes punch through will not grenade.

 

[LBAhunter]

His post states he is using a FTX 325 GR. That's what came apart.. Barnes punch through will not grenade.

Read post #11.

 

[MrTom]

The Barnes originals I believe had a lead core. I have a tough time imagining a Barnes copper bullet gernading.

www.barnesbullets.com/barnes-originals-shop-all/

I think in recent years a lot has gone into bullet development, especially in bonding and that that process has helped eliminate a lot of bullet issues especially those bullets being used at higher velocities.

 

[TransYank]

OK we are talking about to different Barnes bullets. The Original bullet that came apart is not a solid. The TSX and for that matter the TTSX solid copper. I have used them for years to harvest bear and elk as well as deer in SML , 30/06 ,7mm Mag, 338 Win Mag. once in a while I'll find where a petal as broken off that is it. Will not grenade. Sorry for the confusion.