Home Forums Lever Action Central Big Bore Levers 400 grain Speer in the 45/70

Your very welcome. Good luck and safe shooting.

I wanted to try the Speer's after months of searching for the Remington's, the Speer's are in short supply too.

http://www.midwayusa.com/Product/16...rnment-458-diameter-405-grain-soft-point
I purchased 2000 a while back,(couple months) for my 458 cal rifles they showed up within a week

Not in stock, and I check Midway on a regular basis.

I ran the speer 400 gr. bullet in my 1895ss for a bit. The only game I kilt with it was a fat blue grouse, wich it was vary easy to pick its head off with the accuracy the bullet had threw the lever gun.

The F.I.L did kill an elk with the big 400 gr though. Was a dandy 6x6 scoring 325 b&c. The bullet entered the bull below the tail at about 40'ish yards, yes that kind of shot makes some faint and or curse you, them folks just have not hunted elk to there full extent. But 400 grainer plowed on threw part of the pelvis, some gut matter and opened up the liver and was found again the diaphragm core and jacket just starting to go separate ways but still together.

The big bull dropped, flapped around very shortly and was dead when the F.I.L got to him. The load was a stiff one, breaking the 2000 fps mark threw the chrono with H-322 powder fed 210 primer, starline cases. Rifle a mauser re-barreled to 45-70.

I normally run hornady 350 gr flats or rounds threw my 1895 anymore though. Less kick, easier to find.

At about 1600 fps they'll go clean through a deer broad-side. Some expansion was suggested by the wound channel and exit, but not excessive.

In my guide gun (long since sold) my accuracy load was 52 grains of H4895, WW brass, and Fed 210 primers. Groups ran between 0.65 and 0.7 inches, reliably and repeatably, center to center at 100 yards for 3 shots.

What else do you need to know?

Well

We (my son or I )have used the 400g Speer in a 450M on:

1 Bison Bull (1 ton)
1 Red deer Hinds (My son)
6 Hogs (between 50 and 200 pounds)(My son)
1 Texas Oryx

It is a real killer

I would like a little harder bullet but not willing to pay a bunch more.

If it won't kill a White tail... you are doing something wrong

Snake

In my "primitive whitetail season" .45-70, a BPCR with VX-3 3.5-10x40 CDS, I use the 250 TSX at 2,550 fps with Vv 120, a Barnes 1895 level load. This rifle has a 30" Badger barrel and with the CDS, I can pop a pie plate all day long at 300 yds.

I shot a small hog last year. It entered the rib cage and as it exited, it pulled stuff thru the exit wound. When I dressed pig, the exit rib cage was all fractured, like a window. Devistating.

DF

My buddy only hunts with a Marlin 1895 45 70 with the Speer bullets you mention plenty accurate and good penetration. He loads it with H4198 pretty close to 1700 fps.