Antelope load for Ruger #3 custom, .45-70!!!

[bufflernickl]

I'm looking to acquire a .45-70 rifle mostly for woods use on deer/hogs. My first thought is to buy a marlin 1895 and be done with it.

However, I have a #3 action that I bought to make a .25 Ackley Krag for western shooting (I live in E TN) and varmits. It occurs to me that the .45-70 ought to be a competent 250 yd cartridge for antelope-sized game with 300 gr bullets, and yes, I played around with Point Blank and found that I if could drive that weight bullet to around 2500 fps, and use a 3" MRT, then I'd have only about 6" of holdover at 250 yds. )I don't take shots that are longer than "just a bit of light over the backbone"). That makes it an antelope rifle to my way of thinking. I'd use a 24" bbl. BTW.

Now I learned long ago that every fast load that you can dream up won't necessarily shoot accurately. And, at 250 yds, wind correction is a far greater challenge than holdover with the .45-70.

I'd like to know what the flattest load anyone here has gotten for the .45-70 in a modern SS action.

[257AI]

While a 45-70 may be usable on antelope I think you are going to have a hard time driving a 300 gr at 2500 out of a 45-70, maybe out of a 458 Win mag.  Most info I have seen give the 45-70 300 gr bullet about 2200-2300 out of a modern rifle.  Go for the 25 Krag.  Would make an excellent antelope rifle and usable for deer and hogs with the 120 gr Nosler or Barnes.  Just my 2 cents

[Larry Gibson]

bufflernickl

"However, I have a #3 action...... It occurs to me that the .45-70 ought to be a competent 250 yd cartridge for antelope-sized game with 300 gr bullets...... if could drive that weight bullet to around 2500 fps.......... That makes it an antelope rifle to my way of thinking. I'd use a 24" bbl. BTW.

I'd like to know what the flattest load anyone here has gotten for the .45-70 in a modern SS action.[/quote]"

Been there and done that with 300 gr bullets in a #3 and my Siamese Mauser 45-70.  Start with 55 gr of H4198 and work up untill you get all the velocity you want or all the recoil.  You'll probably recoil out first.  I have safely hit 2600 fps with 300 gr JHPs in my Mauser but the little #3 is brutal at 2200 fps+.  A 300 gr bullet at 2500 fps has the same recoil as a 375 H&H only the #3 is much lighter than most 375s, the stock is straight, the butt pad is hard and narrow which all adds up to "ouch".   The 300 HP/SPs are more like varmint bullets at those velocities.  Were you planning on eating any of said antelope?

Larry Gibson

Larry Gibson

[bufflernickl]

Thanks, all, for the good replies, information, opinions, and tales.

After it all, I've decided that a .38-56 makes more sense  :-)

Thanks again/Buffler