Home Forums Lever Action Central Big Bore Levers 45-70, Cast bullets, deer.

Posted up above but thought may get a bit of info here as well.

Like the title says, Which cast bullet for Whitetails in the 45-70??

Marlin 1895.

I know any of them will work if placed correctly.

Can't decide on weights from 300-425. Looking at something by Grizzly or Beartooth.

Won't be loaded hot either, no need.

Shots will be under 100 yards, potential for Porky too.

A load I prefer in my Guide gun.



Beartooth Piledriver Jr, sized .460"
47 grains H322
Starline brass
CCI 200 primer
OAL 2.550"

1679 fps

Alternates:
Same components except 40 grains H4198, a little slower, just over 1630 fps. Accurate.

Or, substitute a CastPerformance 420 grain WFN for the Piledriver Jr, get 1650 fps (H4198 load)

I'll pass on the advice I got from a county sheriff who served for decades in the western ND county where I lived for 30 years. He did most of his deer hunting in the Missouri River bottoms. For normal broadside shots, he used the Lyman (340gr?) hollow point cast bullet. He didn't recommend a cast solid unless the deer was a heavily antlered mule deer. The frontal shot passed end-through-end, tearing every organ along the way. He said you really have to need antlers on the wall to gut what was left of that deer, and then you'll be doing the job from the upwind side.

Lasercast 405 gr.

I shoot a 405gr GC round that has shot great out of 2 ruger #1's and a pair of marlin 45/70's

he must have been casting dead soft lead. every critter i have shot with a hard cast 405, i could eat right up to the hole.
i have been shooting the 45-70 in one flavor of rifle or another for 55 years now starting with a trapdoor. cast that pumpkin around 22 hardness and.go out and kill stuff.

Never actually stuck one in a deer, and then I got rid of the rifle, but I do believe that this would knock one to the ground....

Top bullet 450gr, bottom 500gr paper-patch, soft lead, IIRC a Montana Precision Swaging, velocity around 1300 fp, shot into damp sand, Marlin 1895 26" Bbl.....

I had velocity up to around 1600fp with 500grners and recoil, standing, was... um... er.... stout.




PS: RL-7 works great.............