45/70 Ammo - For Moose

littleshooter

littleshooter

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Sorry Reposted it in the right Form...Thanks

Hi Guys

Looking for some suggestions on what Ammo to use with my 45/70 Marlin? Can I have some advice please....We hunt up in the Big Park in Ontario....Looking for some experience on this.....

Thanks
 
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Everyone else has heard my 45/70 rants, but you are a new poster here, so here goes....I would use the heaviest, widest meplat, cast bullet that you can find, test it for accuracy but more importantly recoil. When you have determined the most accurate bullet and what velocity your body and mind can tolerate(recoil), get more of those bullets(or make more), cast to a hardness that will allow at least some expansion at your chosen velocity. This info is intended for smokeless powder and levergun use, not BPCR which is a different thing all together.
 
.45/70 ammo

Hornady now makes a 325gr Leverevolution cartridge in that caliber that can even be used in lever guns.....should do the trick.....
 
For several years I was using the Hornady 330 flat nose hollow point, loaded with IMR4198, I was using a scoped Ruger #1. I just followed the loading manual recommendations. It was a sledgehammer on flatland deer...though I did not try it on anything heavier. For moose, it may be a good idea to stick with a jacketed bullet...you work the velocity up to it's limit in your Marlin...have to agree with "Longknife"...the 325 should pack a ton of horsepower to freight train any moose into oblivion. Oh, BTW, si nce ti will run at a lower velocity, comparably to other smaller calibers, you will lose less meat to shock damage.
Let us know the results.
Cheers
 
I'm not really sure why jacketed bullets would be better for moose. I've shot the 325 leverevolutions and I like them, but I like 420 and 480 hard cast flat points better. I've never shot a moose with my 45-70 but I've shot all kinds of things to compare bullets unofficially and 480's at 1550 are my favorite load for my rifle. I would hunt nearly anything without worrying about it and if you look it up, it's real close the to Garret Hammerhead load (480vs. 540gr but both at 1550). One nice thing, mine cost .60 cents each, not 4 bucks.

It's even well within the safe limits of a marlin, but near the top of my comfort recoil wise. I like to shoot a lot, not 3 times and put it away.
 
Hard cast will not upset as easily , and will not transfer maximum energy into the game. I have shot a few deer with cast 45-70 and was not impressed. When they are hit with a jacketed bullet they dropped where they stood, the bullet did it's job in expending it's energy in the animal rather then punching through it. The problem is that in order to get the maximum velocity out of a lead bullet it has to be cast hard, unless you use a gas check...this all equates more labor in loading and preparing the round. The jacketed bullet can easily be ramped up to a level of performance(expansion and energy transfer) that is needed for larger game.
Cast are great bullets for a specific purpose. For hunting, a jacketed is more reliable and controllable.
Cheers
 
In my GS I use 350 jacketed or 405 cast wheel weights with a gas check. Both are loaded to about 1400 fps. Which is comfortable to shoot. I pity anything the gets in the way of these rounds. Cause it is dead.
 
I shoot a 350-grain hornady RN launched by 60.0 grains of H4895 out of my NEF .45-70, it's deadly accurate (sub-MOA) and hits like a freight train. As mentioned above, though, the recoil is a bit fierce as the bullet is in the vicinity of 2,000 fps at the muzzle.
 
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