Welcome jt200r I have tried to reply to this post at least a half dozen times. First, it wouldn't accept attachments...I changed them...still no go. I'll try one more time.
I have two Handi .45-70s and I love both. A Standard 22 inch and a Shorty 16.5. They're both shooters. I can't tell any difference in accuracy between the two. I shoot the Remington 405 gr. in the longer at almost 2000fps and the 300 gr. in the Shorty at about 2200.
It is a caliber you really have to reload for. I couldn't afford to shoot them otherwise.
I killed a nice buck with the Hornady 325 LEs, but I'm not convinced they're all that wonderful. Yes, they shoot accurately. Do they kill well? I'm not sure. The buck I shot was a spine shot and the bullet went through only three or four inches of meat and backbone and left nothing behind. But, I've shot single gallon jugs of water and found jacket fragments in the remains of the jug. That makes me wonder. I think I'll stick with the Remingtons.
Pete
