Happy with 45/70

[Ranger J]

I can not get over how well my 1895 45/70 shoots.  I got to spend an hour and one half at the range last Sun and I took the 45/70, a Handi in the same caliber and a Stevens 200 in .308.  When I got there the 50-yard station was taken by two fellows that were uncasing a series of rat-a-tat-tat guns.  That was all right, as I wanted the 100-yard bench.  Soon after this about eight or so of their buddies blew in and proceeded to monopolize both the 50 yard and the 25 yard benches for the rest of my session.  About half of the bunch had evidently never shot a gun before so let's give them an AK-47----right!  Getting back to my session, I don't know if it was the circus going on off to my right or if I got a couple of different loadings mixed up or what, but the 200 was all over the place.  This gun is ordinarily real reliable and accurate.  I checked the scope mount, etc still don't know what went on.  Sure hope the scope hasn't gone south.  When I went to the 1895, loaded with Rem 300 HP over Re#7, I was really amazed at how well it grouped at 100 yards.  I am really happy with this gun.  I had a few 405 SPs that I also shot up and they shot at another spot but also in a nice group.  As time was running out on me I didn't get to shoot the Handi.  I usually shoot it with trapdoor loads and 300 gr. cast bullets.  It does OK but is not in the same ballpark as the 1895.
I took my 1895 44 mag to the gunsmith to cure its case of the Marlin Jams and to have a Limbsaver pad put on it.  To get good accuracy with it I have to shoot H110 and Hornady bullets and with the factory butplate they are a little hard on my shoulder.  Gunsmith says about two weeks on it.

RJ

[Stan in SC]

I also shoot the 300Gr. HP with REL7.I use 40 gr. of powder with good success in both my 45/70 Handi and in my Marlin 1895.What powder loading are you using?

Stan

[Ranger J]

These are the loads that I use.  They are taken from the Lee manual 2nd edition.  In my Handi I shoot only trapdoor loads.  I use 25 gr. Of 2400 under a 300-gr. Laser cast bullet.  In my Marlin I use 50 gr. Re#7 under a 300 gr. Rem HP bullet.  I should be getting in the neighborhood of 2000 fps on this load.

RJ

[Stan in SC]

At 50 Gr. the case must really be full.

Stan

[EsoxLucius]

At 50 Gr. the case must really be full.

Stan

No, but it is with 52 grains pushing that 300 grain Remington 2300 fps!

[Ranger J]

It doesn't fill it up too much but I don't have to worry about a double load.   Lee's loads are usually pretty conservative.  When I switched from trapdoor #7 loads to Marlin #7 loads I got a real increase in accuracy.  At 50 yards with the trapdoor loads I got maybe a two inch group and with the Marlin load if I held real good the bullet holes touched.  Right now it is the most accurate gun and load I have.  The .308 is going to have to get its act together or it will be a closet queen this deer season.  My only worry is that the 300 HP might be going a little too fast and blow up on the deer.  Has anyone had any experience with this bullet at speeds around 2000fps?

RJ

[Stan in SC]

What's the powder charge on the Marlin load?Thanks.

Stan

[Slufoot]

Hello Ranger J,
I've got a Guide Gun in 45-70 and like yours it's very accurate also. I have taken several deer with it loaded with the 300 grain Remington HP. If you keep this bullet at 2100 fps or less it does an outstanding job if you don't mind some meat damage. The last deer I shot with this bullet was an 8 point buck and I had worked up a load with the Remington 300 grain bullet that clocked 2250 fps over my chronograph. The buck was about 80 yards away and I hit him right behind the shoulder and he went down instantly. When I saw the exit hole I thought to myself, "Man, there ain't no since in this". Honestly, the hole was as big enough to put a cantlope in.
Last year I used the 405 grain Remington bullet loaded to 1750 fps and shot a nice doe with it. She was about 40 yards and I hit her right behind the shoulder, she ran about 30 yards and piled up. The exit hole was about the size of a quarter with very little meat loss.
GOOD SHOOTING!
Slufoot

[Ranger J]

Yes, I have been considering the 405 SP but it is not quite as accurate as the 300 gr in ;my gun, at least not so far.  I'll try the 300 this year and see what the results are.  I've shot some 405s with Marlin loading and they do make the gun jump a bit more.  That's not a problem as I have a 'shooter's friend' slip on recoil pad on it and it does a great job.  I am having a limb-saver pad put on my .44 1894 now and if I like the looks of the job I may have one put on the 45/70.  The shooter's friend does a good job but as it is a slip on I am always afraid I will knock it off in the brush as the part that 'slips on' is not of great length. 

Stan the Marlin loading on the 300 HP is 50 gr of Re#7.  It is out of the Lee loading manual #2.  A lot of people don't like the Lee book but it is the one that I start with when developing a load.  If I don't like the looks of what they have I go to one of the other manuals I have.  One thing they do that bugs me is how they will not give a load for the same powder on both cast and jacketed bullets of the same weight. 

RJ

[EsoxLucius]

My only worry is that the 300 HP might be going a little too fast and blow up on the deer.  Has anyone had any experience with this bullet at speeds around 2000fps?

Yes, the Remington 300 grain JHP is reaching its limits when pushed much over 2000 fps, but at around 2000 fps it is a good killer of deer.  I have settled on the Speer 300 grain UniCor HP after using the Sierra, Hornady and Remington over the years.

While the Remington is cheap at 21 cents a bullet, the Sierra at 35 cents, the Hornady at 33 cents, and the Speer at 43 cents do get progressively better performance, respectively.