What would you choose and why?

Last BearI shot was with a 300 winmag180 grn NP.
Through the left shoulderthe lower ventricle and out the other side.
Dropped right there @35 yrds and died 10 seconds later.
Was good to 200 yrds, but I blundered into this one and was presented the shot.
270 130 grn to 300 180 Grn and everything in between will take care of a BB.
Rob
 
I would handload myself, 480 gr WFN over a case full of 3031, but of the factory ammo choices you present, the HSM load is the only one I'd consider.

Barnes and Federal are out because .45/70 velocities don't require premium bullets. Remington is out because the load duplicates the old Trapdoor load, so is under-powered. I consider Hornady's FTX a gimmick rather than a serious game bullet, besides they're too light. That leaves HMS.

Consider that a .45/70 closely approximates the terminal performance of a 12 ga slug, so if your rifle load doesn't surpass 437 grs @ 1650 fps, you've chosen the wrong gun.
 
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Any of them, with the Hornady FTX being my last choice (because their brass is trimmed short so it sucks for reloading) and the Barnes being second last (because it's a harder bullet than necessary). Number 3 would be Remington, then Federal and my first pick would be the HSM.

But ultimately Boomer is right...handloads rule the day.
 
Buffalo Bore & HSM 430 grain hard cast factory loads will set you back on your haunches out of a Guide Gun.
The 45-70 BBs push a 430 grainer to 1950 fps.
The BB brass uses a small rifle size primer pocket and cost over $100 a box tax inc.
Any game you shoot at with a 430 grain .459-.461 cast bullet will never know the difference between 2000 fps and 1600 fps but your shoulder will.
I pounded my shoulders black & blue until the novelty wore off then started loading my own to a max of 1750 fps.
Same dead moose and deer and no more aching shoulders & split stocks.
 
I used to shoot maverick black bears around the old farmstead with the lamer green box 405 grain factory ammo.
I think that stuff ran about 1300 fps.
When I saved up enough brass I bought one of those legacy Lee Loader for $9.95 from SIR, a can of DuPont IMR-3031 and some primers and started reloading them with I think was a Speer 400 grain flat nose soft point that were pretty cheap at SIR.
A bunch more bear, deer & moose fell to those.
These loads were still low powered (probably 1200-1500 fps) so the cases lasted forever and seldom needed trimming.
If they did I trimmed with a flat file.
Pretty primitive but it worked.
Not a lot of spare money floating around those days.
 
I once shot a steel 45 gallon drum full of water that was leaking from tiny entrance holes for a buddies 270. His bullets splashed water out the top but never came close to the offside. I hit it with a 405gr rem bulk spfn at 1550 fps. It punched a 4" hole out the far side. Them rem green and yellow shoots 1400ish fps from my rifle. I dont think that drum or a bear would notice 150 fps difference. Every bear ive hit with that bullet from a 4570 has dropped dead
 
You're in BC, that means spot and stalk, no bait, and could mean having to stretch the 45/70's legs a bit. For that reason, I'd choose one of the lighter bullets, either the Barnes or the Federal 300 gr. All are plenty heavy enough for a black bear.

Edit: I see you said you're hunting a cornfield, possibly close shots. Any of those bullets will hold up at close range with a 45/70, it depends more on what your farthest shot could be.
 
MiG25 said:
As your attorney I recommend that you rent a fast car with no top and use an SVT 40.
Click to expand...
For the uninitiated.....this is a semi-quote from Johnny Depps movie "Fear and loathing in Las Vegas"...a Hunter .S. Thompson biography, as said by his attorney in the movie , played by Benicio Del Toro. A classic. Depps best movie.
 
sgt.rock said:
For the uninitiated.....this is a semi-quote from Johnny Depps movie "Fear and loathing in Las Vegas"...a Hunter .S. Thompson biography, as said by his attorney in the movie , played by Benicio Del Toro. A classic. Depps best movie.
Click to expand...

They haven't seen the Manta Rays yet ....... don't worry , they will . HST RIP
 
I like the Bear Claw. Good bullet. And, as already mentioned, it is a bit lighter, giving you a bit more reach with less of the mortar round trajectory.
 
I'd likely do the Federal 300 grainer. Price is not too bad for 45-70 and usually available in many gun shops. The Winchester 300 is loaded to the same specs at the Feds...
 
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