Home Forums Lever Action Central Big Bore Levers experience with 350 Hornady's??

I am wondering if any of your had hunted with these bullets and if so what your thoughts were?

Thanks for your time

"GET TO THE HILL"

Dogz

You reminded me (again) that I should see if my neighbor still has the bullet we recovered from the "other side" of a whale. I should get a digital picture. That will say a lot more than my wordieness.

A couple of years ago I lost my gill net which was supposed to be catching salmon for my family. I found it over half a mile away twisted into uselessness with a seemingly dead beluga whale in it. Belugas are small whales but, even so, the good size specimens are substantial animals. This one was close to 16 feet long. After tying to whole mess, net and whale, to the gunwhale of the 19 foot skiff we proceeded to steer toward shore. The "dead' whale wasn't and so began a rodeo which resulted on the 90 HP motor being rendered ineffective in moving the boat in the desired direction. A quick call on the radio summoned a friend who brought along his 450 Marlin Guide Gun loaded with factory rounds. A one shot deal it wasn't. Our whale was plenty uncooperative in effecting its own execution and made itself about as easy to shoot as a wolverine in a tornado. Suffice it to say that we put three rounds into it from a distance of about one yard, the third finally into the head. The last bullet was recovered in fragments inside the very ruptured skull. I had expected more of a chunk to be honest. Several months later, in cutting off a portion of the muntaq, the skin, which we had frozen I came across a lump against the outer layer. In cutting into it I realized it was one of the bullets. It was completely intact and spread into a very nice solid mushroom. That one hadn't hit any substantial bones but it had cut through better than two feet of solid flesh and blubber as well as lung tissue and at relatively (for the design) high velocity. This is only a test of limited sample size but it gives me confidence in the projectile. It is neither dead soft nor too resistant to expansion. I will use it in my 45-70.

We're still working up loads for Cody's 45/70, although almost there. The Hornady FP350 gr has the nod so far. Maybe by this time next week he'll have a bear with it....
Yesterday we shot some 2.5 gallon jugs of water, though, with 350 grain lead bullets @ about 1500 fps. Highly gratifying! Amazing, in fact.... It just explodes those jugs.

Rimrock--let me know if you and Cody need any help--I am kind of a bruin nut.



My wife and I took a walk about tonight looking --plenty of white stuff yet.



Tommorrow night we hit the Madison for some fishing.



Adios



"GET TO THE HILL"



Dogz



do you have a scope on the boys gun?





ps I'd love to see the pic of that bullet from the big fish.......

The kid has always had a thing for open sights, & so his 1895SS is wearing a Williams peep & Firesight front. I'll be carrying my 300, but honestly, my motivation to shoot a bear is low, unless it's something unusual or great big ;-).
We're going on an overnighter backpack venture here in the Bridgers next weekend. Had private access into a canyon reported to host an exceptional bear (by the Powder Horn bear nutz, among others). Unfortunately, the access was through a pal of Cody's place, and those two were horsing around last weekend and the pal is now sporting a broken collarbone. Still friends, too....
So anyway, backpacking is out for Chris, & it looks like we're going to have to take the long way around. At least his electronic caller is still going.
Wanta come along?

Those 350 Hornadies are now going around 2040 fps, with a quite narrow velocity spread (2035-2055), and I'm calling it good.
Can't say the same for my light loads. 35 gr of RL7 is producing velocities all over the board, from 1100 to 1500 fps. What's up with that?
I'm glad I ran into Mark yesterday, as he gave me a heads-up that using electronic callers on bears may very well be illegal. It's only allowed on "predatory animals". Seems to me bears would qualify, but maybe not. Called FWP, & the receptionist didn't know. A warden is supposed to call me back....

I have shot a moose and a black bear with the 350 hornady flat point from a 45/70 at 2000fps. The bear (6foot) was about 50 to 70 yards away and I put three into the sholder area. All penetrated right through. I was supprised the bear would not drop so I kept shooting. He was dead on his feet but did not know it. The moose (550lbs meat and bone) was shot at 62 yards running towards me. I hit him slightly quarting on in the neck/sholder area. He dropped at mid- stride. I could not find the bullet and it did not exit. The spine was broken and the bullet made it into the body cavity but where the bullet stopped I do not know.

Rimrock: It sounds like you are getting inconsistent ignition. One of my pet loads with a 415 RCBS FNGC bullet is 37 grains plus a small tuft of dacron fiber to contain the powder.
Accuracy is excellent and velocities run an additional 150 fps than the same load without the dacron. Be sure you understand the proper methodology for using a filler of this type.

An alternate may be to increase the charge of Re 7 to provide better density of load as your load seems pretty light. If you want a low to moderate velocity load you may be better served with Accurate Arms 5744 powder which I have used quite a bit of with good results.

Rimrock--hwat are you using for a powder with your heavy loads?

Good to chat with you the other night,sorry I had to hustle on so quickly. The Madison was a calling....got about blew off of it but it was a super night anyway. The lady I was helping to learn how to fly fish caught here first trout on a dry (R Wolf of course)

My turkey hunt feel thru so I will be after the bruins abit starting tonight.

Let me know what the F/G says for sure about that call issue.

C-YOU on the hill

Dogz

I'm also using RL7 for the heavy loads. 50 grains <standard disclaimer, use at own risk, work up carefully, etc.>
Using filler on the light loads crossed my mind, and yes, I think they're probably too light. Strange to get that much variation, though. I'll up 'em a bit & see what happens.
Still no official word from FWP. Popular opinion seems to be that it's illegal. If I can get my work done in time, I'm going to swing by the FWP Commission hearing today, & I should be able to collar somebody there who knows for sure.

THX-let me know what they say...

Dogz

I'm heading out the door as I write,for bruins that is

Rimrock--has Cody let the air out of anything with that load yet?



THX



Dogz

Got a call back. Ixnay on the electronic callers & bears.
You can use 'em on coyotes. Not foxes, though. Nor lions.
Glad you gave me a heads-up.

Not foxes???what's up with that?

Chilly night on the hill......

"GET TO THE HILL"

Dogz

Foxes are classified as furbearers.

This is the one (350 Hornady FN) I referred to earlier which was taken from the beluga (three views):















I don't know what it weighed - I just brought my camera and snapped some shots.

Many thanks for sharing that pic-it appears to have what I want in a bullet.

"GET TO THE HILL"

Dogz