What's your best .45-70 load using these bullets?

[bucknbass]

First is a Hornady 300gr HP (their part# 4500) and the other is a Barnes 300gr Flat Base (not the XFN) "X" bullet (their part# 45802)?  Picked up my first Handi last night.  Excited to put a few down the barrel.  Bought it for a Texas hog hunting trip in March.

[stuffit]

I like 40 grs of Reloader 7 for any 300 gr jacketed in .45 70 or .450 Marlin for whitetails, ferral hogs and other similar sized quarry.
 :wink:
stuffit

[quickdtoo]

Here's some "thumper" loads for ya...

http://www.realguns.com/loads/4570.htm

[bucknbass]

Thanks for the link.  They list both the #1 and 1895 but most load data is listed separately.  Are all these approved for a Handi?  New to this caliber and want to be safe but I do LOVE shoulder breaking loads when I'm shooting at a hog.  If my shoulder hurts I'm pretty sure his will too   .

[quickdtoo]

NEF/H&R will tell you that they can be loaded with levergun levels, but many here, myself included, have shot low Ruger loads on late model SB2 frames, but be warned, the recoil is severe even with mid to upper levergun loads!!

It depends on the source of the data, but 45-70 levergun data typically goes to 40kpsi and ruger data to 50kpsi, the Handi is chambered in .500S&W with data to 50kpsi which has similar case head size to the 45-70.

Tim

[bucknbass]

Great information.  Thank you very much.  I'm going to regret shooting this thing with monster loads until I get a Limbsaver pad on there but what the heck.  No pain, no gain.  Recoil used to bother me but over the years I've gotten more used to it.

[quickdtoo]

Do your body a favor and add some weight to the stock bolt hole for bench shooting. I cut a piece of steel tubing that just fits in the stock bolt hole, then filled it with lead. It can be removed for hunting, but sure makes a difference from the bench along with a Limbsaver and a Past Magnum shoulder pad. You can also fill the hole with with lead shot or bags of lead, which works on the synthetic stock too. Putting a neoprene shell holder on the stock with a little extra foam under it at the comb will reduce the felt recoil thru your cheek, too!! I can shoot heavy loads with this configuration until the cows come home, it works that well. My standard load is the 300gr Nosler partition at 2400+ fps in my laminated stocked Handi.

Tim

[Mac11700]

I'll second what Quick says..and add 1 additional thing..you won't want to shoot these from the bench all hunkerd over like you would a 223 very long..Sitting upright and having your rifle positioned high up will certainly help reduce felt recoil significantly..it will allow your body to roll better with these heavy loads.I myself won't shoot these hevy loads anymore with out the aboved mentioned protrection..it isn't very pleasent at all...it's simply down right painfull :eek:

Mac

[bucknbass]

Thanks again.  2400+ FPS is definitely what I would call a MONSTER load.  WOW, that would hurt w/o all the aforementioned protection.  A buddy of mine lent me a mercury recoil supressor.  I'm going to give it a try too.