best grain for a 45/70

[bloody bellies]

Any advice on type and grain of shell to use for Grizzly and moose, this is not for protection it's to hunt them, I will be putting a scope on the gun as well. I'm thinking something around a 240grain.Should get some good hitting LBS with this

[Mosin]

Do you reload? 350-405 grains should be good.

[bloody bellies]

no , the would be factory

[boxhitch]

Check out Bullet Barn loaded rounds, 405's should do the job

[IslandWanderer]

I use a 300 grain Barnes x copper. Not sure what's the best, but it shoots well.

[Firstblood]

I Use lever evolution 325s for deer, they mushroom and cover a quarter completely, only recovered them from berms behind my targets, all the critters theyve hit had big holes in them. I also have 405 hsm bear loads, unless they hit heavy bone they zip right through leaving big holes but not great for a double lung, put two through a black bear and it still covered some ground. the 240s loaded by hornady are for the 4570 hand cannons they shoot south of the border but are a poor choice for rifles and the biggest of game.

[Surrey Boy]

LeveREvolution is a great product, I've had great results with it.

[JIL_24/7]

I have to completely disagree on LeverEvolution. I wouldn't use it ever again. It disintegrates. I shot a two point mulie at 40 yards and it ran 300 yards into a ravine and died slowly. I thought it was poor shot, but on inspection it was placed perfectly behind the shoulder and then shattered into little pieces that went everywhere including the guts. Lots of meat loss. I have many others who have confirmed similar experiences both on animal and on targets. In contrast I shot a mulie at 140 yards in the same spot with a Barnes bullet and it fell over dead immediately. I hit another and same result. Entry wound and exit wound the same size and less meat loss than my old 30-06. I have found it difficult to find Barnes ammo though.

[swampthing]

Big n slow work best in this caliber. I tried the speed thing and leaded up the barrel using cast bullets. Then I read an article about slower bullets out penetrating faster rounds. My shoulder appreciated it as well.

[4x4]

I'm a rookie hunter but why even use that caliber for hunting? We carry a 45/70 with us because my hunting partner has lost a deer and elk to Grizz. His rifle is for protection. Loaded with 450 grains.

[mpotzold]

LeveREvolution is a great product, I've had great results with it.

We've shot more than a handful of deer with the 325 gr Leverevolution. The death came quickly. Eve's first big moose died within seconds shot with a 325 gr. just behind the shoulder from about 70 yards. Only one shot was needed.
2 more bulls, one huge, walked into the open a while later but we had only 1 tag.:sad:

Eve still uses the 325gr for hunting but I hunt using 420 gr. solids. A 420 gr. can also be used for grizzly hunting/protection.
For grizzly protection the 540gr is hard to beat.

[moosinaround]

I run 350 gr a frames with a bunch of RL7 , got well over 1900fps. They were stout recoilers, but treated Douglas fir stumps badly! Moosin

[Pioneerman]

I'm a rookie hunter but why even use that caliber for hunting? We carry a 45/70 with us because my hunting partner has lost a deer and elk to Grizz. His rifle is for protection. Loaded with 450 grains.

Does not matter what size caliber you use for hunting, it is moire bullet design. You can use a 308 with a bullet that flies apart fragments go all over and damage meat more blood shot. A well constructed bullet tends to hold together so less damage. The larger bullets also hold together better and more likely to punch two big holes through smaller game with out excess damage. I have shot a mule deer with a 350 grn from my 416 when moose hunting dropped on the spot and very little meat loss

[gitnadoix]

I have watched a fair share of elk and moose dropped quickly with the lever revolution no probs and nice clean holes with little shocked meat.....wouldn't hesitate to use them..

[shortrange]

I have watched a fair share of elk and moose dropped quickly with the lever revolution no probs and nice clean holes with little shocked meat.....wouldn't hesitate to use them..

LeveRevolution are good but when I go hunt my grizzly this fall I am taking my 405gr stout handloads and maybe a box of Buffalo Bore just for fun. I actually like the recoil. Makes me feel safe ;)
.

[375shooter]

Federal Premium Vital Shok should work well. A bit pricey, but probably one of the best for what you want to hunt.

http://www.cabelas.ca/product/63370/federal-premium-vital-shok-ammunition-trophy-bonded-bear-claw?productVariantId=130578

[Tron]

240gr are to light for that caliber. You need a bit longer bullet 325gr and up to 450gr . I used to shoot 425gr hard cast that would out penetrate anything I've ever known and leave a 1/2" hole to kill them dead. Don't get me wrong 240gr is plenty for game just not in that caliber. My opinion

[bloody bellies]

Thx for the help everyone , looks like around a 350

[uraarchr]

I have shot 2 mulies at less than 60 yrs that dropped in their tracks with a Barnes 300 gr TSX .impressive performance..but haven't used them on bigger animals.
I don't push them as fast as they could be either.

[Mr.Crumbz]

Can't go wrong with a 405gr harder cast WFN lead bullet. Large hole, little to no fragmentation.

[4x4]

Does not matter what size caliber you use for hunting, it is moire bullet design. You can use a 308 with a bullet that flies apart fragments go all over and damage meat more blood shot. A well constructed bullet tends to hold together so less damage. The larger bullets also hold together better and more likely to punch two big holes through smaller game with out excess damage. I have shot a mule deer with a 350 grn from my 416 when moose hunting dropped on the spot and very little meat loss

Thx for the info.
So much to learn with this sport. Are you not a lot more limited for distance with a 45/70 even with the prpoer bullets? I always though that this caliber is used more for protection than hunting. Obviously for both.

[timberhunter]

I have been evacked out of 100 mile. But we threw all of our stuff into my gun show trailer for transport. So as it happens I have stock here in kamloops. I think there is 6 boxes of 405gr bullets in there. Just saying if anyone needs bullets it could save ya the shipping if you are in kamloops lol.