Hornady Leverevolution for Buffalo Classic 45-70

[Quigley]

Ordered a new Buffalo Classic today. I dont re-load so I need some advice for a good factory deer load. What grain etc.How about the the Hornady Leverevolution. Ive always had good performance from Hornady. Anyone tried these?

[Swampman]

You can't beat the Remington 405 grain factory load IMO.

[Oldshooter]

you can prolly beat it with the hornady leverevolution if its any thing like the 44 mag and the 35 remington bullets!

[Tractorsaw1]

I shot a 100lb doe with one last year.  I liked the accuracy & is very good out of the 22" barrel handi, but i wasn't very impressed with the damage.  Broadside shot @ 80 yards, no exit hole, it did reck some shop in there, deer ran about 50 yards straight up hill & i was starting to think i missed & then she piled up.  Maybe i hit a twig?  I doubt it as the entrance hole was right where i aimed.  I know Petemi likes them, & when punching paper, it makes some of my more expensive guns look bad, but i am looking at the buffalo bores hollow point in 300 grain this year.  Double tap has 2100 fps hollow point round also closer to the hornady price.

[tykempster]

Are you looking for mild or wild?

[wreckhog]

Hornady kicks more

[Tractorsaw1]

Personally I wouldn't rate the levervolution on the wild side 2050fps, but that is all i have fired out of it, synthetic stock furniture.  I would prefer wild, but don't reload yet, and buffalo bore ammo 2350fps is about twice a box of the hornady.  Double tap is in the middle.  I don't think i will have time to reload for this year, & i have another horse in the race this year for deer - 35 whelen.  Also looking at the double tap 200 grain barnes TSX?

[quickdtoo]

Check out Conley if you want something different. 

Tim

http://www.cpcartridge.com/premiumrifle.htm

[petemi]

I know Petemi likes them,

I've only killed one deer with the .45-70 LEs, and it was a spine shot at longer range. (220 yards)  The deer was about 160 lbs., but that didn't really matter.  At much closer range, the same shot with my Red Ryder would have K.O.ed him.  I couldn't even find the bullet hole until I started skinning him, but my index finger went right through the hole in his spine.  I almost overshot him overestimating bullet drop.  I can't give you an endorsement on how well they kill deer.  All I can attest to is they are fast and accurate.  I gotta believe Hornady's 325 gr. bullet going that fast, on target, has got to wreck some havoc.

It's not that rifle's turn to hunt this Fall so it may be a while before I can try it again.  The .44 mag, .357 and .30-30 all have LEs to try this autumn.  Hopefully by December 1st I'll have a post on it.

Pete

[alien319]

I hear Garrett Cartridges are good to go as well. Check them out here.


http://www.garrettcartridges.com/

[OSOK]

I know a lot of people shun them, but every deer I have shot with Remington 300 gr. HP's out of my BC has been D.R.T.---Dropped Right There. Granted, our Arkansas deer aren't as big as they are up North, but I am happy with the performance.

[44 Man]

I have to agree with OSOK, that the Rem 300 gr hp is the best for deer.  All of the other bullets are over kill for a whitetail.  I load the rem 405 sp over 50 gr of H4895 for only 1600 fps but I would not hesitate to take a moose with that load.  The momentum of those heavy bullets with pass through most game easily.  Faster bullets do give you some more range as they don't drop as fast, but for anything I will ever do with my 45-70, that load is enough.  For fun, I shoot a cast 405 gr over 30 gr of 5744 at 1300 fps.  But were I only hunting deer with this gun, it would be with the Rem 300 gr hollowpoint.  44 Man

[Swampman]

The recoil with the 300 grainers is painful.  The Remington 405 at Trapdoor velocities has a very mild kick & will whack anything.

[Smokin Joe]

The recoil with the 300 grainers is painful.  The Remington 405 at Trapdoor velocities has a very mild kick & will whack anything.

The difference in recoil between Remington factory 300 and 405 grainers is .46 ft lbs and .15 feet per second (recoil velocity) in a 7.5 pound rifle.

[Swampman]

It must be the recoil pulse then.  The 300 feels like a high powered rifle.  The 405 feels more like a muzzleloader to me anyway.

[teddy12b]

The recoil with the 300 grainers is painful.  The Remington 405 at Trapdoor velocities has a very mild kick & will whack anything.

The difference in recoil between Remington factory 300 and 405 grainers is .46 ft lbs and .15 feet per second (recoil velocity) in a 7.5 pound rifle.

That's the difference between paper and real life then.  For me, when I've shot both loads the 405gr bullets were a kitten to shoot compaired to the 300gr loads.  All were factory loads.  It doesn't take much in a 45/70 to start making those loads painful to shoot, at least for me.

[tykempster]

I thought the 300 and 405 grain loads both kicked less than a 30-30 which I consider mild.  Heavier loads do breach the pain threshold for me however.

[petemi]

Ty, you're kidding us .  We all thought you were born without a pain threshold.

Pete