Light Loads in Big Bores- .375 HH, 45/70, .444, .458 Win Mag or .416

[tn_junk]

Now that I am about recovered from my last heart attack and starting to make a little, very little, money in my businesses again, I am getting rifle withdrawal symptoms. But it will be only one centerfire rifle, for everything I plan on killing: Deer, to Elk, to Antelope, to who knows what.
Still plan on, if my ticker keeps ticking, heading out west for Elk and Pronghorn, East to Africa for plains animals, and North to Alaska for most anything. Also want to kill a few whitetail every year for the freezer and an occasional hog.
Question- Which big bore is most easily, and most effectively, loaded down to deer killing (down here they seldom weigh more than 120 lbs on the hoof) ballistics? Will be casting my own bullets for deer. Or should I drop down to a Medium Bore like a .338 Win Mag, .350 Remington Mag or ?

thanks

alan

[BBF]

Probably the two easiest to make reduced loads for are the 444 and the 45-70. For plains game depending on range* you might have to look at a .375 H&H which can be loaded with the Speer 235 gr bullet to a comfortable recoil level.


* gummy  Hdy bullets might be sufficient for that as well.

[crash87]

You can load them all down pretty easily, the only question I have is which .416. I have been working on loading the 416 Rigby down with cast bullets and been having an interesting time of it. Not much out there and what I do find really doesnt happen in my rifle, the same as what happened in theirs. Anyway, if it is a Rigby I've had good luck with AA 5744 and a RCBS 350gr FN gc. Take a look at their manual for loads. I,ve also been loading an LBT 360gr LCFN gc using Hodgdon 50BMG powder. While I haven't got "THE" load for it as yet it has a promising outlook. This though, is not the all purpose rifle your looking for.
 As far as the rest, these are taken from Handloader #177 FEB/MAR 2000, a Ken Waters article.
 .375 H&H, 235gr Speer IMR 4895 65gr for 2463fps & 3165 ft/lbs
               250gr Sierra IMR 4064 62gr for 2454fps & 3342ft/lbs
.458 WIN MAG 300 Hornady H.P. IMR 3031 55gr for 1869fps for 2325ft/lbs (I'd personally use a cast bullet)
   There is, of course more, I would just get the back issue and check it out. I've personally have used his Deer loads in my 300 WIN MAG & .338 WIN MAG. They really are tame compared to what they can be.
  At one time I would have said to go with the 375H&H, but after a trip to Alaska a few years ago myself, and able to pick any rifle to go with, I settled on the .338WIN MAG, to me at least, it has everything you need for success on anything your looking for. My opinion and mine alone. Good luck and may GOD bless you on a full recovery. CRASH87

[Hank08]

TJ, I'd suggest the .375.  Lymans 275 FPGC (375449) at 38/55 velocities or a little more is excellent for deer and from there on up there's a bullet for anything you might want to shoot.
I have the big 30s and .338s as well as the .375 and .458 but my M70 .375 is the one I'd pick.
H08

[jro45]

I would start off with a 338 Win Mag. shooting a 85gr bullet, then work up to a 300gr bullet. You could brake at any weight bullet.

[45-70.gov]

45-70

plenty of loading data

you  will  feel  better with a round  older than  we  are  as a bonus

i  have one  with a 16 inch  barrel  if  the  32 buf classic  gets heavy

thumb hole stainless and scoped for when my eyes get worse

[tn_junk]

45-70
thumb hole stainless and scoped for when my eyes get worse

I hear you about the Scope. My eyes done got worse. I just finished rebuilding a Marlin 39A, took it out to test, and couldn't get a group smaller than 6" at 25 yards. Just couldn't see the dang front sight!

alan

[45-70.gov]

try  a red  dot

i  don't  focus on  the sight never  have..... target  only

so  you like marlins/levers

45-70  xlr    cut down  if  too heavy

or the new  18  inc one

[tn_junk]

so  you like marlins/levers

45-70  xlr    cut down  if  too heavy

or the new  18  inc one

I like Marlins, but would most likely get a NEF- Handi Rifle- 22" Barrel.
Half the price of a Marlin, and I just really like the Handi Rifles.

alan

[45-70.gov]

i  got that  stainless  H&R in  45-70  i like the  thumb  hole   and  its scope ready

24  inch    may  cut to 16 also  not  sure  yet

i  looked at  the loading  data  to  make  45-70  out  of  458  win
the  win  will  need  10 grains  MORE  powder  to duplicate 45-70  [case capacity]

i think  a hot  45-70  is  all  us old guys  should play around with any way

[Syncerus]

If you like medium bores with moderate kick, the obvious choices are the 9.3x62 or the .35 Whelen. All that said, the .30/06 with modern bullets and decent shooting is unbelievably lethal.