Spent the day shooting my 45-70, 44 and 357.
I really like the Hornady 300 XTP for the 44. I'm pushing it with a load that is a full two grains above what can be found in the books. 22.5 grains of H110. Before you howl, just know that all the manuals I have load 300 grain bullets to a COL of 1.58, while the XTP has a cannalure that allows seating to 1.73, a full .150" longer than "normal". This load delivers 1553 fps average and is gentlier shooting than Winchesters USA 240 grain JSP at 1730 fps!
The 357 showed no surprises, driving Remingtons 180 SJHP at 2000 fps with 26 grains of AA1680.
The 45-70? Well, it is a 45-70. It takes 46 grains of IMR 3031 to achieve 1500 fps with Lee's 340 grainer,even though I removed about 25 grains or so by hollowpointing the bullets on a lathe using a 1/4" centerdrill. (I would run the drill in .230" after contact with the bullet leaving a hollwpoint where the meplat had been.) Load still let you know the trigger had been pulled, but it was very accurate, putting 4 of 5 into 1" with 3 different loadings of 3031. This is by far the most accurate powder I have used in this rifle, but it is not consistant. Accurate Arms XMP 5744 yeilds extreme spreads of 15 fps and less! It was not unusual to see 100 fps spread with the 3031. that however did not keep the 3031 from shooting really nice groups. 28 grains of 5744 was good for 1290 fps with that bullet while the same 28 grains pushed Lee's 405 HP to the same 1300 fps. Go figure. Each load was good for 2" groups at 50 yards, nothing to write home about, but minute of deer all day long. For giggles and grins I tried some WC 846, 52 grains worth under the 405, load is good for a teeth rattling 1630 fps or so on average.
In the end the day yeilded this for me, the Hornady 300 XTP from the Handi is quite modest in recoil (not what would be expected) and is a ballistic twin to the 45-70 driving 300 or so grain bullets at velocities between 1350 and 1500 fps.
I've yet to get my 30-30 sighted in, but if I don't get back to it, I'm well set and confident in the 44 and the 357
