C'mon guys.
1898 Cowboy in 45-70, 26"bbl, with 400g cast bullet.

HI,

Having only two rifles in this range,I would use my 416 Rigby with a 400 grain NP,flat out to 300 yards and enough power for anything,Kev

Dan,

I now someone who just purchases a Mossberg 500 12 gauge slug gun. Seemed like a descent shotgun for $200.

I just cannot justify that kinda outlay of cash right now, though. How about this as a compromise/alternative. For my next hunt I will use a Benelli M1 12gauge with rifled barrel and I will use slugs. Heck I will even use cheap S&B slugs. How is that?

What rifles would YOU use?

ASS_CLOWN

Which big bore, say over 0.4" caliber, would be your choice to use for hunting? Bullet selection for said preference would also be interesting.

Thanks,
ASS_CLOWN

I have chosen the 458 Lott. Maybe not the perfect allrounder but it will do for me. For dangerous game (and how often will I hunt dangerous game???) the 500 woodleighs would be good. For elephant the 550gn FMJ would get into the skull.(just in case I constantly find myself hunting elephants). For scrub cattle I will use the 400 woodleighs ,for pigs and other small game I use the 300gn Barnes spitzers.

Hey Ass_Clown,

I think the 45/90 would be a great all-around big bore. You could safely load it down to hunt white tail and up to hunt any other animal that walks. I suppose you could load the rifle with round balls for turkey, if you so desired. (I believe our fore fathers used .45 caliber round balls, shot from muzzlelaoders, for turkey, etc.)

I don't know of a large bore that has the variety of bullets available, in so many configurations. Because of the variety of .45 caliber bullets, you certainly wouldn't be undergunned or overgunned according to whatever beast you would like to hunt.

For short range this could be a very adequate shoulder cannon.

Good question, Ass_Clown!

Smoker

Lar45,

The problem is I already have a 12 gauge slug rifle, a Benelli M1 Super90 to be exact . Just sighted it in today, and am good to go for deer. So since I have that 12 gauge, I cannot justify BUYING ANY OTHER 12 gauge slug gun!

ASS_CLOWN

500 grains
Surely a 550 or 600 gn monolithic solid would be better for stopping or turning charging engine blocks and termite mounds?

I think that I would choose 45-90 too becourse that I like rimmed brass and old calibers. I allready have 458 WM and 458 Lott in boltguns. I would choose a 45-90 on a Ruger no 1. If you compare that caliber with 45-70 you lower the pressure by 25 % with the same bullet, powder and velocity. You get 2400 f/s out from it with Hornady 350 grains without go get over 45 000 PSI with right powder. The same bullet at 2200 f/s give you below 35 000 PSI in pressure. This is if you use Bell brass. If you use Starline you get a little bit less pressure.

If you use Winchester brass in caliber 458 WM you get the same velocity and 43 000 PSI at 2400 f/s, and 32 000 PSI at 2200 f/s. This data is when you use fast powder like Norma 200.

Brass form Starline for the 45-90 is not tough as brass from Bell. A fireformed 45-90 from Starline have allmost the same space for powder as 458 WM and a 45-90 from Bell is maded tough as 458 WM. You can load the 45-90 down to what you whant it if you use Accurate 5744 and cast bullets. If you use 405 grains Woodleigh you can push to 2200 f/s without high pressure.

I bought 500 brass in caliber 45-90 from Bell. They are out of business now so I had to buy them before they are gone. I tok 100 brass in caliber 500 NE in the same order. I think that I have brass now for the rest of my life for those calibers.

If I like to reach, say 2150 f/s from a rifle with a 500 grains bullet I choose to go on a cartridge there I can get 2300 f/s, and load it to the lower level. In case of 500 grains bullet I choose a 458 Lott instead of a 458 WM. It�s more fun to load and shot if I don�t have to worry about to high pressure, and the brass live much longer too.