45-70 Whitetail Load
- Thread starter Tex S
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Get a copy of Lyman's Cast Bullet Handbook for a range of ideas. This should be pretty easy, though. It will not be so much a matter of what 45-70 load will take a whitetail as wondering if there is one that won't. I would use a flat meplat cast bullet like a hardcast WFN shape, and load it with IMR 4198 unless you had long ranges or a desire to hit harder. 300-405 grain bullets will do fine. Loads for 4198 and other powders are on the Hodgdon web site.
Thanks, Nick. I probably should’ve mentioned that I do not have the capability to cast my own lead bullets. I would need to purchase them from somewhere. Do you know of a good vendor that carries a wide selection?
It seems most 45–70 bullets are geared more towards lever guns, as they all seem to have flat noses. Since my rifle is a single shot I could load a spire point. Not really sure it makes a difference, though. I have also seen some hollow point offerings, but it looks like I would need to cast them myself as I have not seen any vendors offering them.
Would I need a hollow point bullet for expansion, or would a flat nose expand?
It seems most 45–70 bullets are geared more towards lever guns, as they all seem to have flat noses. Since my rifle is a single shot I could load a spire point. Not really sure it makes a difference, though. I have also seen some hollow point offerings, but it looks like I would need to cast them myself as I have not seen any vendors offering them.
Would I need a hollow point bullet for expansion, or would a flat nose expand?
Matts bullets makes an excellent bullet. https://www.mattsbullets.com/
Flat nose bullets, particularly wide flat nose, punch well above their weight, and in 357 and 44 can create larger would chsnnels thsn hollow points while causing less meat damage. Friend of mine uses wide flat nose 44 specials in his henry lever gun. Cuts a 1.5in permanent wound cavity in one side and out the other of deer. In our testing in ballistics gel, it makes a bigger cavity than the hornady xtp.
Flat nose bullets, particularly wide flat nose, punch well above their weight, and in 357 and 44 can create larger would chsnnels thsn hollow points while causing less meat damage. Friend of mine uses wide flat nose 44 specials in his henry lever gun. Cuts a 1.5in permanent wound cavity in one side and out the other of deer. In our testing in ballistics gel, it makes a bigger cavity than the hornady xtp.
What Shadow9 says... wide flat nose.
Also, don't feel the need for speed over that of standard Trapdoor loads for Texas Whitetail ranges/iron sights:
https://thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6758119&postcount=28
Also, don't feel the need for speed over that of standard Trapdoor loads for Texas Whitetail ranges/iron sights:
https://thefiringline.com/forums/showpost.php?p=6758119&postcount=28
For cast bullets, try Rimrock, and Buffalo Arms.
Buffalo Arms used to have some bullets set up for single shots, including some pointed.
I have not used a .45-70 on Whitetails, but did use it on Mule Deer. I used Oregon Trails 405gr, and my load used by my hunting partners were very effective on our hunts.
Buffalo Arms used to have some bullets set up for single shots, including some pointed.
I have not used a .45-70 on Whitetails, but did use it on Mule Deer. I used Oregon Trails 405gr, and my load used by my hunting partners were very effective on our hunts.
Jim Watson
New member
"The .45-70 when loaded with the Gould Express bullet (330 gr HP) and 85 grains of Hazaard's Ducking Powder, shoots practically as flat as a .45-90 and with greater accuracy."
A friend loads them for his .45-90 and .450 BPE with excellent accuracy from the Winchester, but only so-so regulation in the double.
A friend loads them for his .45-90 and .450 BPE with excellent accuracy from the Winchester, but only so-so regulation in the double.
black mamba
New member
Any WFN cast bullet of at least 300 grains will penetrate through and through from just about any angle, almost regardless of velocity. The hotter you load it, the flatter the trajectory, but anything striking a vital zone at over 700 fps will be deadly.
oldbear1950
New member
There are actually lots to choose from, if you want the lower price scale, Acme and Missouri bullets are pretty good. Up in price are MATTS and other custom bullets.
I have never used any of the cast rifle bullets, I still have 3 boxes of Hornady bullets I Purchased years ago when stationed in Kodiak, Alaska, and never loaded them. So Until I run out of those, will then make a decision on which to buy.
I have never used any of the cast rifle bullets, I still have 3 boxes of Hornady bullets I Purchased years ago when stationed in Kodiak, Alaska, and never loaded them. So Until I run out of those, will then make a decision on which to buy.
The old joke is
"it doesn't NEED to expand, its already .45 caliber!"
And there is some truth to that....
Almost every .45-70 load will put a "half inch" hole completely through the vitals of a whitetail at any range you can hit them.
Higher speeds do flatten the trajectory SOME, but its really rather irrelevant, a few inches, and if you can learn the drop for one, you can learn the drop for any, what is more important is your ability to accurately judge the range, THEN apply the proper compensation for drop for what ever load you're shooting.
"it doesn't NEED to expand, its already .45 caliber!"
And there is some truth to that....
Almost every .45-70 load will put a "half inch" hole completely through the vitals of a whitetail at any range you can hit them.
Higher speeds do flatten the trajectory SOME, but its really rather irrelevant, a few inches, and if you can learn the drop for one, you can learn the drop for any, what is more important is your ability to accurately judge the range, THEN apply the proper compensation for drop for what ever load you're shooting.
Looking back through my notes on this rifle I found a load that I developed about 10 years ago. 12gr of Trail Boss with a 405gr LaserCast LRNFP. It gave exactly 1000 fps at the muzzle.
I slapped 2 small whitetail doe with this load and was not able to recover either one.
Maybe not enough velocity? Lazercast bullet too hard?
I slapped 2 small whitetail doe with this load and was not able to recover either one.
Maybe not enough velocity? Lazercast bullet too hard?
What Unclenick said EXCEPT use H4198 - it's just a better powder IMO. Very temp stable and the short stick works better in my powder dispensers.
When I first started loading the 45-70 I used IMR3031. The rounds would go boom in the cold mornings and BOOM in the warm afternoons. I bought a chronograph and found that I was getting 100fps temperature variation - which when pushing a 405gr bullet at 1800fps is very noticeable.
When I first started loading the 45-70 I used IMR3031. The rounds would go boom in the cold mornings and BOOM in the warm afternoons. I bought a chronograph and found that I was getting 100fps temperature variation - which when pushing a 405gr bullet at 1800fps is very noticeable.
Not able to recover either, meaning you didn't get either deer or you got the deer and couldn't recover the bullets??
Lazer cast (Oregon Trail) bullets I've used are very hard. They are NOT going to expand, no matter what speed you push them to in .45-70s.
Am 400gr slug at 1,000fps is enough to take deer and many other and larger animals, IF the bullet goes to the right spot. If you lost those two small does, my guess would be you didn't actually hit them where you thought you did.
.451" bullets topping out about 250gr is not a good comparison to 400gr .458" bullets. I'm sure the .450Bushmaster factory 250gr slugs are made for the speed of the round, but by using a .451" diameter, reloaders can use .45 cal pistol bullets, and many of those are not suitable for the much higher velocity delivered by the .450 Bushmaster from an AR carbine.
And, just out of curiosity, if the recoil of the 400gr .45-70 @1500 fps was too much, why not just drop down to regular factory load levels (approx 1300fps)??
I would try something like this. It is a little more money than some others because it is gas checked, but that gas check will let you run it faster without issues.
