Home Forums Lever Action Central Big Bore Levers .45 bullet suggestion for elk?

I'm going to work up an elk load for my Marlin 1895 in .45-70 (pre-safety, microgroove, 22"). Ranges will be limited to 125-150 yards at most. My preference is for a 300-350 grain bullet.

Based on experience with terminal performance...can anybody suggest which specific bullet I should try? This fall I had a hunting experience with some bullets that did NOT perform well...so I'm less concerned with benchrest accuracy, and more concerned with anchoring an elk.

I've seen Hornady's 350 gr bullet work ok on elk. Remingtons 405 gr bulk bullet should work pretty well, but if its premium preformance you want take a look at Northforks bullet for the 45-70, they aren't cheap but they do give both accuracy and performance on game.

With the exception of the 300 grain Nosler Partition Protected Point, the 300 grain .458" bullets are either inadequate or marginal for elk. Any of these should do:
300 grain Nosler Partition Protected Point
350 grain Hornady FN
350 grain Speer HotCor
350 grain Hawk
350 grain Swift A-Frame
350 grain Northfork
350 grain Kodiak Super Premium Bonded Core

Would a jacketed bullet be better than a standard 350g hard cast?

Depends on how hard the hard cast is. I don't really like anything harder than wheel weights for hunting with. Expansion is still important.

Ranch, I used the Speer 405 gr Semi jacketed flat point(I think it was Speer) in my Browning 86 for elk. I loaded with 3031 powder. I had no trouble keeping them in 3 inches at 100 yds with reciever sights.
I killed two bulls with it. One was down the brisket straight on, at about 15 yds and the elk flipped over backwards and went about 25 yds. Never recoverd the bullet, but it was way back some where

The other one was a straight pass though, in the lungs at about 20 yds. He turned and came down the trail I was on. Another one straight down the brisket and he dropped less than 5 ft from me. He probaly didn't need the 2nd one, but the timber was so thick, I couldn't get off the trail

I sold the 86. At 13 lbs fully loaded , it was too much to drag around the timber, and my saddle was always cocked over to one side no matter how much weight I put on the other side.

Saddlesore I may not be remembering right, but a few years back Rick Jamison wrote quite an article on some whomped up loads in the 45-70 for elk, I believe he came up with the 405 gr bullet coming out on top balliscally.
If I were to decide to mess with the 45-70 again I'ld probably load alot of the rem bulk 405 gr bullets for jacketed, as they do tend to get into the low price range from time to time.
I'm getting kind of curious about how these 500gr pointy lead bullets I'm shooting in the sharps now might behave on elk.

I know how the 500 grainers behaved on my shoulder!!

I will parrot the guy who used the 405 Rem. I've used it and it mushrooms to a perfect 1", nearly 100% retention, with a shoulder shot. Accuracy was good with the short barreled guide gun.

Some people who have never used them think the 405 grain Remingtons will just bounce off elk. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/shocked.gif" alt="" />

The 300 Barnes XFN works just great on Elk and out penetrates every bullet you mentioned other than the Little 300 Nosler Partition.I shot my Elk with a 300 Barnes XFN last year in 45-70.

How many Elk "Jackfish" have you shot with "Any" caliber to give your opinion? I know and know you know I know. <img src="/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grin.gif" alt="" />

Jayco

Give it a rest, Jayco - jackfish has shot moose with the Rem 405 and I haven't seen an elk yet that is as big as a moose. And you know how many bison Dr. A. shot with the Rem 405, all with excellent results.

My own choice it the 350g North Fork. It worked wonderfully on the one elk I've tried it on, a 6x6 bull broadside at 213 lasered yards. He just stood there for a few seconds but before I could get a second shot off he just tipped over. The quartering away buck mulie I shot left the most massive blood trail I've ever seen - looked like someone had walked through the snow sloshing blood out of a bucket. Didn't need the blood trail, though, as the buck only went a few yards before collapsing.

The 405 Rem should do o.k. but they do expand pretty quickly at 1900+ ft/sec. Might be better kept to 1750ft/sec or so.

Killed a caribou last week with this bullet at 1900ft/sec from my 450 Marlin..fantastic entrance hole...huge. Bullet stopped in the shoulder about 30" of penetration later. Cpre separation but as the core still weighed 350 grains I don't think this is a real problem.

Have used the 300gr Nosler Partition. They are the most accurate in my Marlin and work just fine on elk.