Home Forums Lever Action Central Big Bore Levers 400 Speer in 45-70?

What is your opinion with the toughness of this slug?

I heard a couple of shooters at the Marlin board launch this one at 2000 fps and hunt elk.

What say you? BTW is that speed doable safely? I have a 26" 1895 CB.

I have killed a couple of elk with them and they DO the job quite well. Both were rag horn bulls. I have also killed a raghorn with thier 44, 240 gr bullets using my 44 mag Marlin 94.If the 44 will do it the 45-70 will definitely do it. I don't know about any 2000fps though. Maybe 1800. You need to check a good reloading manual for the three classes of loads for 45-70. The old trap doors, the levers and the Ruger #1's

I run them at around 1800ft/sec in my 450 Marlin.

I have spoken with the Speer folks several times about the .458 FNSN 400g bullets for my Bison hunt... NEXT Month!

I will let you know how they work out

There are several laodings that will get 2000 FPS. Brian Pierce's writing have mentioned this several times and says thay are pressure checked loads.

Another one to check out is the Speer 350g FP. I have not used it so take this for what it is worth. From what I have read the 350g was designed for the .458 at much higher velocity than the 45-70 can deliver so it will penetrate better than the 400g out of the 45-70. Realize I have no actual personal proof. Better speed should be attainable too.

By the way, I was able to get 2000 fps with my Browning 1886 22" barrel with a 400g bullets.

Your load?

I really don't see why they are being pushed so hard. 45 cal bullets of 400 grains will smoke a dinosaur if you only put out 1500. If you want range, they STILL work well, ya just need a good set of adjustable sights.

No

I'm pushing some 400 gr Barnes Originals along with 55 grains of Benchmark. I don't know how fast the bullet is going, but my shoulder goes back pretty quick.

Thank you guys

Fotis, I use those 405 grain Remington bullets and toss them out the barrel of my 45/70 Marlin 1895 rifle at 1550fps. Now this is plenty fast to suit my needs and will drop any friggin bull elk on the face of this earth.

I have never been able to get my hands on any of those SPEER bullets but I also shoot those 350 grain Hornady XTP bullets at 1700-fps and they stop big hogs in their tracks. I have pushed this bullet (350-Hornady at 1900-fps) but I would perfer to shoot a big bull elk with the 400 grainer for the sake of penetration.

If you can get hold of some of those Northfork or Barnes bullets, I have sure they would work very well and the weight could be cut back to 325 or 350 grains and still get excellent penetration.

Fotis, use either the Speer 400 or the Remington 405 with 50.0 grains of IMR3031 and a standard primer - you will be amazed at the accuracy out of a Marlin M1895, you will be three grains under MAX, your brass will last a long time, and you will get 1600 fps out of a 22" barrel.

Fotis--You may be amazed at the accuracy you get with 50 grains of 3031 and a 400 grain Speer out of a Marlin 1895, but I promise you that you WILL be amazed, make that stunned, at how hard it kicks.

A much better load is 38 grains of 3031 and the 400 grain Speer. It is REALLY accurate and will turn an elk upside down.

Always wondered why people wanted to try to turn a 45/70 into a .458 when it works fine as a 45/70...........

If 1600 fps with a 400 grain bullet shot in a 45/70 Marlin is .458 WIN MAG speed and/or power I have missed something. Looks to me that a 45/70 fits somewhere in between a 30/30 and a 458 WIN MAG, may as well load it to it's safe potential.

I was referring to posts above yours Odessa. Trying to push one over 2000 fps. Quick reply used is all, no offense.

Gotha Elkhunter - no offense taken (I admit I was sitting there scratching my head - however, that's not an unusual situation for me to be in!)

It was only a gee whiz question guys.

I have taken my 1895 Marlin in 45/70 to the MAX shooting a Hornady 300 grain jacketed (#4500) bullet at 2130fps. I have also shot Hornady's 350 (#4502-RN) grain bullet at a velocity of 1925fps, again MAX LOAD. This was using my Chrony at the bench! Now at 1400 to 1600fps, this will kill em dead as stone.
I use those 300 grain bullets and send them down range at 1350fps and it is fun to shoot.

I used to load the 400gr Speer in a Marlin 1895 at 1900fps - energy is 3200 ftlbs. Stout but not a 458 WM.

On two deer and two bears I found the bullet a bit soft at that velocity. Opened very wide and didn't track straight through the animals.

Hunt mostly longer distance areas now but if I have an occasion to use the 45-70 again I will not use the 400gr Speer. I have the 350 Hornady FP loaded at present.

I run some 400's at about 1,750 fps with 55 grains of H4895. Haven't decked anything with it, but it definitely gets my attention when I light one off. No desire to push them any faster.