I’m looking to get some heavy weight 45-70 hard cast. Purpose built for the off chance of a run in with a angry bear. Lots of Bush work in the foothills and have bumped many bears that turn tail but it does happen where they don’t. It will be lucky to get one shot off it it happens. The rifle is a 1895 GG. I see Garrett cartridge uses cast performance bullets in their loads and these bullets are available here. Likely the 460/420 weight I would assume best suits the job. Any experience loading these up? Performance or issues to note? They are pricey for cast but if they quality then rightfully so I suppose.
Cast performance 45-70 bullets
- Thread starter mctrigger
- Start date
there is nothing a 405 grain bullet at 1400 FPS will not take down, loading the heavier bullets in a leaver gets tricky when it comes to getting them to feed, and when you do, they take up so much case volume your running low on powder. having said that, 550 grain bullets in my rolling block take down everything, and range isn't an issue so long as I have a clear overhead path for the rainbow trajectory
They aren't cast performance, but I used to load Bullet Barn's 450 grain plain base bullets when I took my guide gun camping. They were a very hard alloy, and I'd load them to 1,525-1,550 fps, at the time I didn't have a ton of data so I loaded cautiously. These were close to max loads, recoil was quite reasonable, more comfortable to shoot than 3" slugs, and something like 4 times the penetration through logs.
The BB bullet fed perfectly in my Marlin and the meplat is nice and wide.
The BB bullet fed perfectly in my Marlin and the meplat is nice and wide.
Were those gas checked?
Something with a large meplat is the real factor from my understanding. Holds the line better punching through a critter or brush. I have read a few things saying fps isn’t as important as I may think with hard cast if penetrating is the goal.
mactroneng
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- SW Ontario
What hardness and pressures are you working with for these (if you know)?
hatman1793
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
I have surveyed many of the issues raised here. My plan was to use a much lighter 45-70 bullet that approaches or exceeds 2000 FPS. A medium heavy, medium hardness bullet @ 2000 fps. Could it be ideal?
LEE makes a number of 45-70 molds, but I chose their 340 grain round nose flat point. Their lightest. Medium cast, BHN 12.
Powder coated & sized to .459 behind 41.3 grains of H4198 proved to be punishing recoil in a Marlin 1895 lever gun.
Tried a bit faster by adding the LEE .3 powder dipper adding 4.0 grains more to equal 45.3 grains of H4198.
Serious recoil. Dont tuck in like me & suffer. Boy does it sting. Gonna chrono these loads next......
LEE makes a number of 45-70 molds, but I chose their 340 grain round nose flat point. Their lightest. Medium cast, BHN 12.
Powder coated & sized to .459 behind 41.3 grains of H4198 proved to be punishing recoil in a Marlin 1895 lever gun.
Tried a bit faster by adding the LEE .3 powder dipper adding 4.0 grains more to equal 45.3 grains of H4198.
Serious recoil. Dont tuck in like me & suffer. Boy does it sting. Gonna chrono these loads next......
No. They used to rate their hard cast up to 1600fps, if I remember right.
Rusty wood trading a site sponsor has beveled base hard cast. See lots of Missouri bullet dealers as well.
I’d put the cast performance in a non bulk shooting category though.
I’d be interested to hear who has premium hardcast for the sole purpose of dangerous game.
Ive never come up on a grizzly but the regular old 405gr remington jacketed spfn sure knock black bears down. I load them to either 1600 or 1650fps. I use a double rifle. Left barrel with the jacketed right barrel with oregon trail lazer hardcast silver alloy both at 405gr. Never had a need for the hardcast. Those remington jacketed bullets can be pushed as fast as you want in a lever gun. Ive used them up to 2450fps in my 458wm. The only one to ever come apart on a black bear was shot thru both front shoukders at less than 6' i found a few copper shards in the offside shoulder but it opened her up enough that her heart was nearly outside her chest. Walked up an embankment and she came around a spruce tree and surprised me.
The garret hardcasts bullets all feature a very wide flat meplate. That flat surface often makes a visable difference on impact
The garret hardcasts bullets all feature a very wide flat meplate. That flat surface often makes a visable difference on impact
- Location
- Peace River, Alberta
I am using a 535 gr cast in my guide gun for bears.
The Bullet Barn. Murray Stagg, the new owner, moved the business from Garden Bay BC to Spirit River, Alberta after he bought it. He casts bullets that are just as nice as the original owners'.
