Here is what a 45-70 at about 30 yards will do to a whitetail deer. I believe my hunting buddy was using a 400 grain Buffalo Bore cartridge in his Marlin 1895. I'm attempting to post entry and exit wound pics; it was a full penetration. The hunting knife is pointing to the exit wound.
45-70 wound pics
- Thread starter super cub
- Start date
entry pic
Maybe this is it: the entry wound from the 45-70, just for comparison to my previous post of an exit wound. If I failed to mention it, the deer dropped immediately. This has been the case with all my buddy's other kills with this rifle. The deer have been large bucks, standing at rest.
Maybe this is it: the entry wound from the 45-70, just for comparison to my previous post of an exit wound. If I failed to mention it, the deer dropped immediately. This has been the case with all my buddy's other kills with this rifle. The deer have been large bucks, standing at rest.
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Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
"...dropped immediately." From looking at that exit wound, I'd expect so!
, Art
, ArtI recently took a fairly large mule deer with a 45-70 and was very surprised by the large amount of meat damage. It was not what I had expected from a fairly low velocity cartridge.
I was using 350 soft point round nose at a velocity of @ 1800 fps.
The shot was at about 40 meters. The particular bullet is rated in the mfg's manual for up to 2800 fps.
The bullet entered just behind the right shoulder, plowed through both lungs but above the heart and then smashed through the far shoulder. The bullet was recovered just under the skin fairly high on the left shoulder. The bullet core had completely separated from the jacket though they both were recovered from the same spot. The deer ran about 25m's after being hit.
Most of the left shoulder meat was "jellified" and the trauma was visible in some places from the neck to mid body.
Maybe I just got a defective bullet.
I was using 350 soft point round nose at a velocity of @ 1800 fps.
The shot was at about 40 meters. The particular bullet is rated in the mfg's manual for up to 2800 fps.
The bullet entered just behind the right shoulder, plowed through both lungs but above the heart and then smashed through the far shoulder. The bullet was recovered just under the skin fairly high on the left shoulder. The bullet core had completely separated from the jacket though they both were recovered from the same spot. The deer ran about 25m's after being hit.
Most of the left shoulder meat was "jellified" and the trauma was visible in some places from the neck to mid body.
Maybe I just got a defective bullet.
Glad you put that knife tip in the picture or I'd have never seen that little old pinhole 
!
I've used a bolt action .25-06 for the last 10 years out in west Texas, but recently I've been considering a Marlin 1895 in .45-70 for hunting the woods up in east Texas at my new lease. Never thought I'd say this, but it might just be too much gun. Thinking about .30-30 or .44 magnum now.
! I've used a bolt action .25-06 for the last 10 years out in west Texas, but recently I've been considering a Marlin 1895 in .45-70 for hunting the woods up in east Texas at my new lease. Never thought I'd say this, but it might just be too much gun. Thinking about .30-30 or .44 magnum now.
Elmer Keith would'a told ya' there's no such thing as "too much gun"!
For more years than I care to relate, I believed in the small bullet going fast was the ultimate answer. Recently, bought my first 45-70 in a Marlin 1895LTD and plan on taking it after mule deer next week. Guess age and sentimental yearnings have caught up with me - now I believe a heavy bullet at moderate velocity and reasonable range is the answer!
To tell the truth, I've lately been coveting the new Winchester Model 95 in its .405 caliber with spitzer bullets. Maybe I can sneak it in without the wife noticing!!!!
For more years than I care to relate, I believed in the small bullet going fast was the ultimate answer. Recently, bought my first 45-70 in a Marlin 1895LTD and plan on taking it after mule deer next week. Guess age and sentimental yearnings have caught up with me - now I believe a heavy bullet at moderate velocity and reasonable range is the answer!
To tell the truth, I've lately been coveting the new Winchester Model 95 in its .405 caliber with spitzer bullets. Maybe I can sneak it in without the wife noticing!!!!
Big Bores
It makes me happy when I read of another big bore convert. I to was once a velocity fan, until I started hunting dangerous game and realized how devasting a big bullet at modest velocity can be.
I wonder if eroyd was using a Hornady 350gr roundnose. I have not been impressed with their bullets ability to hold together. I have however, had good performance with Speers 350gr HotCore in my .458.
There are also some excellent .45 cal. hard cast bullets that are great for deer. They reduce meat damage to a minimum.
Trying different calibers and firearms is sure fun.
It makes me happy
when I read of another big bore convert. I to was once a velocity fan, until I started hunting dangerous game and realized how devasting a big bullet at modest velocity can be. I wonder if eroyd was using a Hornady 350gr roundnose. I have not been impressed with their bullets ability to hold together. I have however, had good performance with Speers 350gr HotCore in my .458.
There are also some excellent .45 cal. hard cast bullets that are great for deer. They reduce meat damage to a minimum.
Trying different calibers and firearms is sure fun.
Good guess, it was a Hornady but I didn't want to mention any names for my 45-70 experience is only based on that one kill.
My reasoning for converting to the big bore was similar to others I guess. I've up until now used a hi-velocity 300 Wby. and have found that even with premium bullets there is horrific damage done to meat when game is shot at short range. Especially if any bone is hit. I took one moose a few seasons back at about 20 yards and after skinning found an entry hole the size of a grapefruit and the exit even larger. I had hoped, and was under the impression that the 45 would plow through making a deep, slightly plus cal. wound without all that "shock" trauma.
I'm going to try a 405 grain Remington bullet and maybe even experiment with cast.
My reasoning for converting to the big bore was similar to others I guess. I've up until now used a hi-velocity 300 Wby. and have found that even with premium bullets there is horrific damage done to meat when game is shot at short range. Especially if any bone is hit. I took one moose a few seasons back at about 20 yards and after skinning found an entry hole the size of a grapefruit and the exit even larger. I had hoped, and was under the impression that the 45 would plow through making a deep, slightly plus cal. wound without all that "shock" trauma.
I'm going to try a 405 grain Remington bullet and maybe even experiment with cast.
ReadyOnTheRight
New member
Nice pics and a great hunting story. I'm a big bore pistol guy so I'll probably try a big bore rifle someday.
Are you sure the deer didn't go airborne for a while?
Are you sure the deer didn't go airborne for a while?
Geeez -
Sorry to hear you were using Hornady 350 RN's - that's the bullet I've got loaded up for my 1895LDT for next week! At 2160 MV, it's printing 5 shots into 1.25" group, 2.5" hi at 100 yds. Hope to anchor a muley buck somewhere between muzzle and 150 yds.
This still isn't as bad as the last Coues Whitetail I shot a couple years ago with my 7 mm Dakota. Blew it off its feet at over 250 yds with a 175 gr Remington Core-Loc. Off shoulder was kept on the carcass by the skin only. Already had one deer from another hunt in the freezer, so donated this one to the ranch's vaquero's to supplement their larder. They really didn't mind the mangled shoulder as they were gonna make tacos and enchillidas out of it, anyway.
Sorry to hear you were using Hornady 350 RN's - that's the bullet I've got loaded up for my 1895LDT for next week! At 2160 MV, it's printing 5 shots into 1.25" group, 2.5" hi at 100 yds. Hope to anchor a muley buck somewhere between muzzle and 150 yds.
This still isn't as bad as the last Coues Whitetail I shot a couple years ago with my 7 mm Dakota. Blew it off its feet at over 250 yds with a 175 gr Remington Core-Loc. Off shoulder was kept on the carcass by the skin only. Already had one deer from another hunt in the freezer, so donated this one to the ranch's vaquero's to supplement their larder. They really didn't mind the mangled shoulder as they were gonna make tacos and enchillidas out of it, anyway.
Hornady bullets
Concerning Hornady bullets. This is my personal experience and is not intended to be a condemnation of Hornady, as others may have had different experiences. I have found that the lead turns powdery and the jacket comes apart when they hit a hard object, like heavy bone. The interlocking ring in Hornadys' bullets don't seem to do anything. I have never recovered one that had the traditional mushroom shape like I get with Core-Lokt or premium bullets. In my opinion Speer makes a better non-premium bullet in their HotCore series. I have had good success with them on black bear. However, I use only premium bullets on more dangerous game(In Alaska and Africa).
I also recommend hard cast lead bullets for black bear and deer. I'm not sure, but I think Buffalo Bore offers them in 45-70. You might check that out.
Anyway, file all this in the "for what it's worth" box. Good hunting to you.
Concerning Hornady bullets. This is my personal experience and is not intended to be a condemnation of Hornady, as others may have had different experiences. I have found that the lead turns powdery and the jacket comes apart when they hit a hard object, like heavy bone. The interlocking ring in Hornadys' bullets don't seem to do anything. I have never recovered one that had the traditional mushroom shape like I get with Core-Lokt or premium bullets. In my opinion Speer makes a better non-premium bullet in their HotCore series. I have had good success with them on black bear. However, I use only premium bullets on more dangerous game(In Alaska and Africa).
I also recommend hard cast lead bullets for black bear and deer. I'm not sure, but I think Buffalo Bore offers them in 45-70. You might check that out.
Anyway, file all this in the "for what it's worth" box.
Good hunting to you.Recovered 350 gr.
Just thought I'd add a picture of the bullet I recovered from a deer. I hate to think what could of happened if I'd of shot a large moose (my intended prey) in a boney section. Besides, I can't stop playing with my new camera.
It's not my intention to put down these bullets. This is just one bullet from one animal in one senario. My previous experience with Hornady bullets is pretty good. There 308 180gr spire pt. flat base has served me well in 30 06 velocities.
Just thought I'd add a picture of the bullet I recovered from a deer. I hate to think what could of happened if I'd of shot a large moose (my intended prey) in a boney section. Besides, I can't stop playing with my new camera.
It's not my intention to put down these bullets. This is just one bullet from one animal in one senario. My previous experience with Hornady bullets is pretty good. There 308 180gr spire pt. flat base has served me well in 30 06 velocities.
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I, too, have always had good luck with the Hornady bullets in the past. Any of their flat base bullets in .264, .284 and .308 have performed flawlessly for me. That's why I just naturally chose the 350 RN for the .458 caliber. Well, hopefully, I'll have a chance to find out for myself how they perform on mule deer next week. Wish me luck!