45-70 320gr cast gas checked muzzle velocity for deer.

[starbuck]

I'm going to load up some 45-70 for deer season with 320gr cast gas checked bullets from gtbullets. I have imr 3031 and 4198. Quick load seems to think both can make it to 1700fps with with conservative pressures. Can anyone tell me what a realistic velocity is for gas checked lead bullets? 1700fps would be nice but I really don't need it. I'd like to have a solid 100y gun, 150y would be icing on the cake. My plan as of now is to use 4198 and shoot for 1300, 1400, 1500, 1600, and 1700 fps then see what happens. Any advise?

 

[Right Side Up]

What gun are you using?

 

[tdb59]

Anything over 1000 fps will kill a deer with that bullet........IF you make a hit.



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[starbuck]

I'm using an 18.5" marlin guide gun. I can hit the deer if its stupid enough. This is a federal power shock I found in the shoulder last year. Its listed as 300gr. at 1880 fps. Probably not that fast out of an 18.5" barrel. It did not make anything explode like people warn about. I bought a lee loader so I can hammer out my ammo and these ash trays will look nice lined up in the shell holder. Its really less violent than the 12gauge partition golds I usually use.

 

[K. Funk]

I was pushing 405gr hard cast (no gas check) at 1700 with 3031(50 gr??) in the Guide Gun. My shoulder is still in the next county over. I use 4198 for 300 gr cast in the Italian Rolling Block, about 34 gr I think. I have seen Remington green box at about 1250 fps kill a black bear. I would pick a bullet and load for accuracy, not necessarily for velocity. My experience with the Guide Gun is that it shoots well in the normal range of reasonable velocity . You want to be above anemic levels such as 1250, but you don't need to punish yourself with loads that jar your fillings loose.

krf

 

[tdb59]

........... You want to be above anemic levels such as 1250, but you don't need to punish yourself with loads that jar your fillings loose.

krf

If 1250 is anemic with a 320 grain slug, those must be Elk just masquerading as deer.


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[Right Side Up]

Starbuck ,have you slugged your barrel/ And what size are the cast boolits you bought?

 

[starbuck]

They are listed at .459 with a .460 option. I'm pretty sure I requested .459 but I could measure them. I have not slugged my barrel.

 

[Right Side Up]

It would be a good idea to slug it before you load ammo with boolits that are too small to engage the rifling correctly. Typically I'll run at least .001" over groove diameter and many times .002" over. Even with a gas check.

 

[starbuck]

This is my goal.

 

[yovinny]

This is whats ment by 'blown up' bullets.
These are factory hornady 45-70 ftx ammo out of a standard 1895 marlin, shots 60-100yds.

In both cases, the core went to tiny pieces and peppered the internals like a #9 shotgun shell at point blank range.

 

[easttex]

Anything over 1000 fps will kill a deer with that bullet........IF you make a hit.



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Try all those velocities and run with whichever load gives the most accurate and consistent results. A slower load that's accurate is far better than a fast one that won't quite hit what you aim at. The last thing you want is to have to track a gut shot deer.

 

[starbuck]

I'm going to shoot some this weekend, we'll see if I return with all my fingers. So if you guys have never pounded your ammunition together with a hammer, I highly recommend it. Its a very rewarding activity.

 

[starbuck]

39gr of 4198 worked out pretty good. It was pretty dead on at 25 and 50y. 100y left a little to be desired but I can still hold it minute of pie plate so I'm calling it a win for this season.

 

[starbuck]

During the majority of my life we were restricted to shotguns for deer season. We primarily used two guns, a break action, thompson center? And a bolt action 12 guage with 3-3/4" winchester partition gold saboted slugs. Those guns were devastating. I don't know how many deer we shot with them. To tell you the truth though they came apart a little too much. The copper jacket would splinter and I did spit a piece of one out one year when steve rinella convinced me he had a good heart recipe.

I think this guide gun with cast loads is very comparable as far as accuracy goes. It has a little less energy but thats not such a bad thing, plus the WPG's were about $4/shell. They have a 385gr .50 cal slug going somewhere around 1700fps. This is the second deer I've taken with this gun. I'd probably go with a different model if I was starting from scratch but I got this gun for next to nothing so I couldn't pass it up. For 100y and under, its hard to beat as far as economy goes and it won't break the bank if I want to try to stretch out past 100y in the future.

 

[MACV]

My favorite 45-70 load is a Hornady 350 grain soft point at 1950 FPS. I use 3031. Not sure of the load but I have it written down in my reloading data. I’m thinking 55 grains. Very good in the brush. It does kick a bit.

 

[FUUN063]

I think I have a gas check bullet mold for the 45-70. Get a luber/sizer and make your own bullets. Size them according to your bore and you're good to go.

Leland