Do any of you timber hunters out there use a large bore rifle as your "close range smasher"?I've used the 45-70 to great sucess last season,but this coming season I'll be using something a tad different.

Last year I picked up a custom made 45/120 3 1/4 inch made on a Falling Block Works action (a very nice copy of the Winchester High Wall).It was intended to be used for long range shooting with veneir sights but,well you know how things go.

Anyhow,I am now changing it into a timber rifle bar none.I bought some beautiful 580 grain gas checked cast bullets from Wayne Doudna (ltyler@mwt.net),and bought a Redfield 2.75x off a internet auction.I am now going to pick up some Accurate Arms XMP-5744.

The whole set up with scope and sling should weight right at or slightly under 8 pounds.A moderate charge of XMP-5744 should send that big 580 grain slug 1350 FPS or so.This combo will give me a moderate weight rifle that will penetrate game full length and will ruin very little eating meat.

I'd like to hear about what all you guys use for your close range stompers.

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I'm out to wrong rights,depress the opressed,and generaly make an ass of myself!

What your doing sounds verg good, I am inexperienced with these rare types of calibres but it sounds excellent for what you propose. I have used a 45/70 for my close in smasher for the past couple of years and I love it. As you no not much goes very far with a solid hit from the 45/70.

My friens and I will be having .585 Nyatti's built on Brno 602 actions, this will be our new close in smasher we will download to the .577 NE round to make it useable, but we will are going to test them on donkey's and camels when there finished.

Keep us all posted

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PC,
Yes,the 45/70 with a solid hit works VERY well.The 45/120 is in all respects,just a big 45/70,so I'm sure it should work well.Heck,Elmer Keith swore by it for elk.

Wow,I bet that 585 will be a good close range smasher!I have been debating on picking up a single shot in 577 BPE for timber hunting.Don't know why,just want one and that's reason enough.

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I'm out to wrong rights,depress the opressed,and generaly make an ass of myself!

Mine is a 450 ackley improved. With a 500 grain hornady.

Mine is a Ruger #1, 45-70. 405 gr. flatpoints at 1800fps. Ouch!! Like they say, it kills on one end and maims on the other.
Good luck and good shooting

That depends on what you mean by close range. In the deer woods that I hunt, close range would be in the swamp thickets that limit shooting to less than 20 yards. Most of the time, the shooting is more like 10 yards and at a steep downwards angle because of shooting out of a tree stand.
For that stuff, my preference is a semiautomatic Remington 1187 shooting 3" slugs. I have a short slug barrel which has a pair of open sights and it works admirably for such work. My main reason for such overkill on 100 pound deer is to drop them on the spot. Trying to track a deer in that thick stuff is extremely tough. Also, unless there is something blocking the shot, I try for the head because this seems to destroy the least amount of meat. It is a bit gory because the poor skull sort of explodes and just leaves a bunch of broken bone and mush attached to the neck. One time I shot a tasty little spike who was directly under my tree stand. For some reason I hit just at the juncture of the spine and the skull and the only thing keeping the head attached to the neck was some skin.

Brian-

A case full of black powder would give you identical velocity. It would also be, perhaps, a bit safer. Those really big cases, if only partially filled, can come apart explosively. Some folks that are into cowboy action shooting of bp-cases but using ver light smokeless powder for some reason, end up with shattered guns and shattered limbs. This may not be a problem for your particular powder and load - I'm not an expert on smokeless, but I do know that lots of folks are getting into trouble with downloading big cases. Detonation is the result and there is a working hypothesis of why this happens, but the bottom line is that you should be VERY careful indeed, there are usually no warning signs that are dependable.

The bp cannot do this, and is therefore much safer, just as effective, and a bit cheaper to boot. I use a .45-2.6" case to shoot elk and the like with 510-550 gr bullets. Works outstandingly well, even at long range.

Good luck,
Brent

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I, powder,
With brother ball,
Hero-like
Do conquer all. ---Powderhorn inscription

Brent,
I have no interest in using black powder in a cartridge for hunting.To much hassle.

XMP-5744 is designed to burn at the same pressure and give the same velocitys when it is at any position in the case.It is the ONLY smokeless powder that can be shot from a 45/120 or simmilar large cased cartridges with a small charge and no filler.Due to it's design it is also one of the most consistent burning powders on the market,almost rivaling black powder for consistent velocitys and low deviations.

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I'm out to wrong rights,depress the opressed,and generaly make an ass of myself!

For me bp is MUCH less hassle.

If that white powder is okay for that application, then no problem. Your bullet will go through anything on the continent - end to end if need be. Just didn't want any sudden surprises. I've been seeing lots of photos of detonated cowboy guns and cowboys for that matter. Don't want to see another.

Brent

Brent,
I apprechiate your concern.

XMP-5744 was designed with the big Sharps cartridges in mind,and to be used with no fillers.Mike Venturio claims it to be wonderful from his 45/100,and several people on Shooters.com have reported good success with it from their 45/120s.

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I'm out to wrong rights,depress the opressed,and generaly make an ass of myself!