I've been shooting and reloading for my 45/70 handi for around 13 years now, and until this year used 300 gr bullets exclusively.....Hornady, Sierra HP's and Barnes semi-spitzers. Never shot the Remingtons but understand they are similar in constuction to the others. Loaded them as high as 2173 fps using 51.2 grs of IMR 4198(a MAX load out of the Hornady manual...start 10 % below that and be careful) and around 28 FP of recoil and as low as around 1840fps using 42.5 grs of the same powder. Recoil was pleasant at the low end. Remington primers always and either Winchester or Federal brass. I"ve learned this much about them.
A. My Handi would shot the 300's into less than an inch at 100 yds using any of the above bullets and IMR 4198. Re7 works well also; giving you the same or higher velocities(if that's what you need) at lower pressures than most of the other powders listed.
B. The barnes is designed for higher velocities and won't expand reliably at 2173 starting velocity unless it hits bones.
C. The Hornady and and Sierra at 2173 acted like oversized 270's and blew the crap out of any deer they hit at ranges under 100 yds. Wayyyy too much bloodshot meat. Either bullet is designed for velocities at around 1800 fps or lower. The original Factory loads by Winchester and Federal advertised 1880 fps but lied......velocity was around 1680 fps; and they worked perfectly at that speed. I finally settled on the 42.5 gr of IMR 4198 at book value velocity of 1840fps and found that perfect for deer out to 125 yds; which is the farthest I"ve shot one with the 45/70. If your one of those folks looking to walk around bragging about this great old cartridge "flattening" critters in their tracks you might be a bit disappointed; at least in my experience with the 300's. The 23 deer I've killed with the handi using any of the above loads, only 3 fell in their tracks, and those three were spine shots. All the others ran anywhere from 25 to 75 yds....but left a blood trail that a blind man could follow and , in the lower velocity loads, left all the edible meat you could want. That's why I use it; you will NOT lose the deer due to a faint spot of blood here and there. And you get to eat the critter. Most, to tell the truth, ran about 25-35 yds and fell within sight, except in the real heavy cover.
D. This year I"ve switched to the 400 gr Speer Flat Nose behind 44 gr of Re7 for what is supposed to be around 1750 fps(and a lot heaver recoil than the 300 grs). That's not even close to a Max load, but all I need.
While this site and others are great for finding loads, a reloading manual gives you SAFE, proven data. Don't take What I've written here as gospel..start low and safe and work up. For the 45/70 I like either the Lyman or Hornady manuals.
