Barnes .458 spire point for single shot 45-70

[bstenson]

Does anyone have any experience using Barnes 300 grain spire points bullets in 45-70. I shoot a Browning High wall and was thinking I could work up a relativly flatter shooting load with the better ballistic coeffient of the spire point bullet. I was thinking of starting the load with 52 grains of reloader 7 and working up to as high as 56. My shoulder won't take much more than that.

[daddywpb]

Have never used a spire point in 45/70, but if they ever get around to releasing the Lever Revolution bullets as componenets, I'll give it a try.

[ron haralson]

I've had extremely good luck with a 425gr Saeco spire point cast of 20:1 lead &tin.Have never considered buying jacketed bullets for 45 - 70, but the bullet shape shouldn't cause any accuracy problems.

[glshop20]

If your rifle barrel is rifled for jacketed bullets and the twist is appropriate it should not be a problem.  I hane a Ruger No,1 and it is definitely designed to shoot jacketed as is my H&R Buffalo Classic.  I would probably start a little lower on the powder and chronograph the shots. 

[TCTRAV]

Personally I've shot both the Barnes Original SSP's and the Barnes XFB.  I have a TC Encore with the 18" Katahdin barrel that I use for the Iowa pistol season.  It has a Harris bipod that I use and is it accurate.  Obviously, I don't shoot offhand with this monster!  Right now my load is 42 gr. of IMR 4198 behind the all copper XFB.  I use Starline brass with Winchester WLR primers.  At 100 yds off the bench I can keep all my shots inside a 3" circle pretty easily.  I haven't tinkered with the orininals a lot but I am sure I will eventually because the X bullets are pretty expensive.  In my opinion if you can find a good load using spitzers, you might as well use them if you're shooting a single shot.  With your strong action I'm sure you could get some "fairly" flat shooting loads.  Hope this helps.

Have a good one.

Trav

[bstenson]

Right now I 'm shooting the 350 grain Hornady round nose with 52 grains of reloader 7. I just put a Leupold 3x9x40 on imy high wall  and am going to zero it tomorrow. You are right those Barnes x bullets are very expensive and I know they are way more bullet than a deer requires. Most of my shots are well under a hundred yards. I am just cureous about how much the shape of the bullet makes in the trajectory of the bullet. I am sure as a practical matter inside a hundred yards the difference may be in fractions of an inch.

[bstenson]

After zeroing with the scope today, I was shooting groups with all holes touhing at 100 yards. It seems silly to change up a good shooting load. The only thing I may try to do is use a lighter bullet to acheive less recoil.