Author Topic: 45-70 ammo. (Read 1345 times)

r29l20 · « **on:** March 06, 2012, 03:26:56 PM »

I need ammo for my new 45-70 Handi. Point me in the right direction on what to get. (I do not handload, nor do I want to) I will be hunting whitetails in Michigan. I don't want to buy the wrong loads, there to expensive to experiment with. Thanks.

twoshooter · « **Reply #1 on:** March 06, 2012, 03:45:03 PM »

For deer you dont need anything heavy, any of the 300 gr HP will work just fine, or the 325 gr LE ammo from Hornady if you want a little more oomp. Oh, by the way, just save all the empties , put them in a small ziploc bag, and send them to me for Christmas

Or for a nominal fee

OldSchoolRanger · « **Reply #2 on:** March 06, 2012, 04:38:05 PM »

The Remington 405gr soft point is a great do anything load.

The 325gr FTX bullet (LeveRevolution) load as twoshooter said is more than sufficient for deer.

No experimentation needed. You can't go wrong with either loading, they shoot great out of all my 45-70 Handi's.

If you don't reload, I'm sure you could sell the brass, just be aware, I found the Hornady cases are a little shorter than the Rem cases, so don't mix them, if you decide to sell them.

tacklebury · « **Reply #3 on:** March 06, 2012, 04:53:34 PM »

Might check site sponsor Reed's too. Many have had good luck with it and their prices are decent for semi-custom ammo.

http://shop.reedsammo.com/category.sc?categoryId=175

rdlange · « **Reply #4 on:** March 06, 2012, 06:06:46 PM »

The only ammo that didn't work for me was the lightweight bullet Winchester stuff. More expensive too. Different ammo will have different points of impact horizontal as well as vertical.

bikerbeans · « **Reply #5 on:** March 06, 2012, 06:17:13 PM »

I would buy anything but the Hornady 325 LE ammo because the LE brass is trimmed short. Since you don't reload, if you buy ammo with normal length brass you can sell it on the classifieds as 1x brass and get a little of your money back.

BB

petemi · « **Reply #6 on:** March 06, 2012, 11:04:37 PM »

Tom, I'll take all the Hornady LE brass that comes around. I don't see the big problem. Load it without a crimp, adjust the Lee factory crimp die and crimp it if you want. The same "problem" exists with .38-55 Starline long brass and Winchester short.

Before I started reloading, the LE was what I used. It's longer ranged, accurate and deadly.

Pete

bikerbeans · « **Reply #7 on:** March 07, 2012, 12:30:01 AM »

Pete,

You would have to grind off the bottom of the Lee FC die to get the collet to actually touch the case mouth. Also, the short case makes you readjust your through powder expander to get a flare on the case mouth. Ya gotta 2.105" chamber, might as well use all of it.

One more rant item, a proper 45-70 cartridge don't have no stinkin' plastic tip on the end of it.

BB

PS: Ain't had my coffee yet, will be in a better mood shortly.

r29l20 · « **Reply #8 on:** March 07, 2012, 02:28:14 AM »

Quote from: bikerbeans on March 07, 2012, 12:30:01 AM

Pete,

You would have to grind off the bottom of the Lee FC die to get the collet to actually touch the case mouth. Also, the short case makes you readjust your through powder expander to get a flare on the case mouth. Ya gotta 2.105" chamber, might as well use all of it. One more rant item, a proper 45-70 cartridge don't have no stinkin' plastic tip on the end of it.

BB

PS: Ain't had my coffee yet, will be in a better mood shortly.

Tell us how you really feel.

OldSchoolRanger · « **Reply #9 on:** March 07, 2012, 10:24:05 AM »

IIRC quick had a trick that he used to reload the Hornady LE brass, it involved using the Lee (I think it was the) Original Reloader. Can't find the thread though.

But, it might have been just a trick to seat bullets in 45-70 brass.

bikerbeans · « **Reply #10 on:** March 07, 2012, 10:36:39 AM »

Quote from: r29l20 on March 07, 2012, 02:28:14 AM

Quote from: bikerbeans on March 07, 2012, 12:30:01 AM
Pete,

You would have to grind off the bottom of the Lee FC die to get the collet to actually touch the case mouth. Also, the short case makes you readjust your through powder expander to get a flare on the case mouth. Ya gotta 2.105" chamber, might as well use all of it. One more rant item, a proper 45-70 cartridge don't have no stinkin' plastic tip on the end of it.

BB

PS: Ain't had my coffee yet, will be in a better mood shortly.

Tell us how you really feel.

note to self, coffee first then go online.

apologies to Peter for my bad manners this morning.

BB

quickdtoo · « **Reply #11 on:** March 07, 2012, 10:44:31 AM »

Quote from: OldSchoolRanger on March 07, 2012, 10:24:05 AM

IIRC quick had a trick that he used to reload the Hornady LE brass, it involved using the Lee (I think it was the) Original Reloader. Can't find the thread though.

But, it might have been just a trick to seat bullets in 45-70 brass.

Yup, just a trick to align the bullet so it seats with minimum runout which can be a problem with the blunt 45-70 bullets, it's not an issue with pointy bullets and a good seating die tho.

Tim

Swampman · « **Reply #12 on:** March 07, 2012, 11:11:23 AM »

Quote from: bikerbeans on March 06, 2012, 06:17:13 PM

I would buy anything but the Hornady 325 LE ammo

Me too.....

Brewster · « **Reply #13 on:** March 07, 2012, 11:13:11 AM »

The readily available factory rounds like Remington are 300 grain JHP's and the 405 grain. I'm not a big fan of the JHP's. And the factory rounds are not particularly hot, being they need to be able to run in trapdoors. I think the Rem 405 chugs along at a bit over 1300 fps muzzle velocity.

The HandiRifle 45-70 combination has the potential to make a reloader out of you.

Brewster · « **Reply #14 on:** March 07, 2012, 11:14:27 AM »

Come November 15, though, ya can't go wrong.

petemi · « **Reply #15 on:** March 07, 2012, 08:03:29 PM »

Tom, you're 100% correct. I've got a bunch of LE brass, but I've never reloaded it. I always load Starline. I thought it would load the same as the 38-55, .38s, mags, maxis, etc........WRONG. Oh well, never too old to learn. Thanks.

Pete

Mad Dog · « **Reply #16 on:** March 08, 2012, 02:00:17 AM »

For whitetails, any of the ammo named will work. Just go with the one that is most accurate in your gun. May cause you to buy 2-3 different kinds to check it out, in the beginning. Don't know why some of the guys are dissing the 325 gr. Hornady LE ammo, it's great stuff, and in factory ammo, the most accurate in my 45-70.

Mad Dog

r29l20 · « **Reply #17 on:** March 08, 2012, 02:11:42 AM »

Quote from: Mad Dog on March 08, 2012, 02:00:17 AM

For whitetails, any of the ammo named will work. Just go with the one that is most accurate in your gun. May cause you to buy 2-3 different kinds to check it out, in the beginning. Don't know why some of the guys are dissing the 325 gr. Hornady LE ammo, it's great stuff, and in factory ammo, the most accurate in my 45-70.

Mad Dog

It's a reloading thing.

Mad Dog · « **Reply #18 on:** March 08, 2012, 02:17:18 AM »

I understand the reloading thing, but the man doesn't reload.

Mad Dog

LONGTOM · « **Reply #19 on:** March 08, 2012, 02:22:27 AM »

You will never know what loads shoot in your gun with out trying them no matter what everyone says.
Not a one of my 13 45-70s seem to like the 325 LE ammo.
About all of them shoot decent with 405gr ammo and most of them love the Win 300gr HPs.
There are a few exceptions except with the LE ammo, none of them will shoot it into less than 2.5" to 3" at 100.
405s mostly stay in 2" or less from about all of them.
A few will cut holes.
Same goes for the 300 HPs.
Several will cut holes with it.
So now we have people who's guns do & don't like just about any ammo that's out there.
The only way to know is to shoot some of each in your gun!

LONGTOM

cwlongshot · « **Reply #20 on:** March 08, 2012, 02:39:07 AM »

About any of them will work just fine. If you held my hand to the fire, I prefer the 405 Remington load.

I am a reloader and in my eyes when Hornady altered the 45/70 case to fit there needs it was wrong. We have SAMMI specs for cartridages for a reason! I also will not buy any. BUT, I have to eat a little crow here because I have stated I would not buy Hornady ammo. But the new 17 Hornady Hornet is only offered from Hornady... So I'm eating crow.. BUT I will say the base of these cases is severely dished! Whats up with that???
Pete mentioned the longer Starline cases..
This is not a fair comparison as its offered for a specfic reason and NOT offered in loaded ammo because Hornady wanted a pointy bullet and there was no other way they found to do it.. You can bet your last $$ that OTHER manufacturers thought of pointy bullet 45's to improve ballistics, but took the hi road and did not offer it!! Why, because its the "rules" thats why, Hornady thumbed there collective noses at the SAMMI specs... Makes me wonder what ELSE they fail to see the need to adhear too?? Im off my stool now...

As I said, any of these loadings will drop the biggest whitetail you will see. Buy a box of each and see what your rifle likes and shoot thet!

CW

Swampman · « **Reply #21 on:** March 08, 2012, 02:53:53 AM »

The .45-70 didn't need a pointed bullet. Cast lead works just fine.

OldSchoolRanger · « **Reply #22 on:** March 08, 2012, 06:04:50 AM »

Quote from: Swampman on March 08, 2012, 02:53:53 AM

The .45-70 didn't need a pointed bullet. Cast lead works just fine.

Agreed, but the Hornady 325gr FTX bullet (LeveRevolution) load, works just as well. It's just a matter of which load works better in r29l20's rifle. To me, that would be the deciding factor.

knight0334 · « **Reply #23 on:** March 11, 2012, 09:18:27 PM »

Just get some Winchester 300gr JHP Super-X.

Every gun shop carries it.

My 22" Handi will shoot ragged 1 holes at 50yrds and cloverleafs at 100yrds with it.

I get 1850 to 1950 fps out of it. Plenty enough for deer out to 200yrds or more. Just zero it in at 1" high at 50yrds and it will be dead 0 at 100yrds and 12" low at 200yrds. If your deer is at 200yrds, aim for the top of the back at the shoulder blades = 1 dead deer.

twoshooter · « **Reply #24 on:** March 12, 2012, 04:10:05 AM »

Dont you just hate asking a bunch of shy, hesitant people their opinion

, you have to work so hard to get them to open up and share

r29l20 · « **Reply #25 on:** March 12, 2012, 05:12:24 AM »

Quote from: twoshooter on March 12, 2012, 04:10:05 AM

Dont you just hate asking a bunch of shy, hesitant people their opinion , you have to work so hard to get them to open up and share