so my dad got me a 45-70... (what ammo for white tail)

D

Deja vu

New member
I have recently come to a point in my life where I can start hunting more. I requested some time off for next years extended family hunt. at these hunts there is typically 4-8 people and the area we hunt is usually pretty crowded with other hunting parties.

In the past I have typically hunted deer with my marlin 357 or more recently with a 30-06 but I am still a fan of the lever actions... My father knows this and bought me a 45-70 (Marlin Model 1895SBL)

I know the 45-70 is more than enough for deer but the problem is I want some ammo that will knock the deer down. The last time I hunted this area I shot the deer with my 30-06 and the shot was off a little (still hit it cause we followed the blood trail) and the deer ran about 250 yard into the Forrest, by the time I got there another party was tagging it... usually its not this bad but it does happen.

I want to avoid this situation next time and I know that the 45-70 is a good caliber to do that. I just want some ammo that in the words of my father "has some authority to it" I am leaning toward some thing that expands because of the (im assuming) higher knock down power for deer.


p.s. This is not for bear so I think any ammo for the 45-70 will have more than enough penetration, I am looking for "knock down power"
 
Last edited:
45-70 ammo

Any of the factory rounds with a 300 gr hollowpoint will do the job if you aim for the shoulder, break those and they don't get far.They will expand and still drive thru a deer.My other sugestion would be a spine or head shot,but you have to hit the central nervis system or they will still run.Most people don't try for those because its not an easy shot.
 
Much of 'knock down power' is bullet placement . I like to take lung shots because it cost less in lost meat and helps bleed out the animal .
For most cartridges I use that means the deer goes about 50 yds . For my 45-70 I started with factory 300 grain bullets . I wasn't happy with the typical ammo as it is too soft and I want an exit hole so I went to Winchester's Partition [Nosler Partition bullet] .Then I got expansion and penetration. You'll like the 45-70 especially when your buddies see the hole and ask "what are you using , a cannon ? " The 300 at 1850 works very well on deer with less recoil than the 405. Enjoy !!:D
 
Check out Buffalo Bore Ammunition Co. You can order this product from Cabella's.

http://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=35

If you don't reload your own Buffalo Bore is the most potent factory ammo made for your rifle. When the 45/70 is loaded for use in modern firearms you can hunt dinosaurs with it.Buffalo Bore ammo pushes a 430 grain bullet at 1925 fps with 3500 ft/lbs of energy behind it.

The problem with most other factory loads for the 45/70 is that they assume their cartriges may be fired in antique rifles and there are lots of old rifles still around chambered in 45/70 so for liability reasons they load them down to black powder pressures.
 
Last edited:
Check out Buffalo Bore Ammunition Co. You can order this product from Cabella's.

http://www.buffalobore.com/index.php?l=product_list&c=35

If you don't reload your own Buffalo Bore is the most potent factory ammo made for your rifle. When the 45/70 is loaded for use in modern firearms you can hunt dinosaurs with it.Buffalo Bore ammo pushes a 430 grain bullet at 1925 fps with 3500 ft/lbs of energy behind it.

The problem with most other factory loads for the 45/70 is that they assume their cartriges may be fired in antique rifles and there are lots of old rifles still around chambered in 45/70 so for liability reasons they load them down to black powder pressures
 
Any 45-70 load will have plenty of knockdown power, alot of people will say it's overkill for whitetails (not me though I hunt with a .450). I agree with mete, you should concentrate on where you hit the deer. All the deer that I have lung shot have died within sight of where I shot them. See if you can find some 3-d graphics online with whitetail anatomy and make sure you are hitting them in the right spot.
 
What they are telling you is dead on.

I have a double barrel 45-70 that is regulated for the 300 grain bullet at factory velocitys.......even though it will handle much greater pressures as it's on a Ruger Red Label action.

I've used the 300 grain hollow point on hogs, a couple of them rather large, and it does a good job.

You might also look at the Lever Revolution from Hornady.....even though I hve not tried it.
 
I use the Leverevolution rounds in my .450 (325 grain) and they do a good job on whitetails. I'm sure they would get the job done in the 45-70.
 
Check out Buffalo Bore Ammunition Co
Click to expand...

Buffalo Bore makes some nasty ammo that certainly has some authority behind it. Buy the hottest that can safely fire in your gun and you are all set to knock any deer off it's feet. Well, assuming you can actually place the shot where you want it, otherwise, a bad shot with Buffalo Bore is still a bad shot.

Personally I'd stick with 300gr Winchesters and practice shooting. Hot loads unto themselves aren't magical. I shot a doe a couple of years ago at under 50 yards with my 45-70 and she ran 100 yards and died. It was a good shot that hit both lungs and left a great blood trail on both sides of her path.

You just never know how they'll react but the biggest part of it is shot placement.
 
I typically buy a box of ammo every pay day (every other week). So if every other box is a box of 45-70 that is a lot of practice before hunting season.
 
Buy the cheapest stuff you can find and shoot a lot of it off-hand.

I may be out of line here as I am not a very good shot, even though I've been at it for over 40 years, but fact is that many of the not so good shots taken on game are the result of we hunters doing almost all our practice off the bench.

And I'll add this too.......that you should practice in uncomfortable positions and in ones where you are not perfectly square to the target.

I don't think I've shot but a couple of the last 50 or so hogs and deer at over about 40 yards, most at less than 25 yards, many measured in feet.

This is not because I am some great stalker but rather because I HATE to look for wounded game.......and sense I know I'm not a good shot I keep them close or don't take them.
 
The 45/70 does not have knock down power as you describe. If you want to see that deer crumple right where you shot him then you need to shoot more and get better, period.

You do not knock a deer off his feet, you kill him where it stands with good placement.
 
Last one I shot with a 45-70 jumped straight up in the air then took about five steps and dropped like a rock. It was a lung shot with a factory loaded Remington 405grn soft point.(green box) The bullet did pass all the way through him though. That's the only factory ammo I've been able to find in my area. Now I am reloading for it, but with that same remington 405grn bullets.
 
As stated many times, learn to shoot better and to control those nerves. You don't even need a 06 for whitetail when the shot is placed right. Conversely you could hit it with a 375 H&H and it still run if its wrong. Having a big bullet or a magnum rifle doesn't compensate for the fundamentals of good shooting.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top