Which one would be the most accurate and have the most punch and best trajectory reloaded to it's maximum potential in a rifle? I'm considering on getting either one for deer and possibly bigger game someday down the road.

To many options what rifle, what action what bullets.

I own both the 460 is designed with higher pressures then the 45-70 the 45-70 well handle a lot heaver bullets.

Both work I like both if I had to chose right now in a rile of equal strength I would chose the 45-70 because the greater bullet choses.

For Deer, whichever one floats your boat in the rifle you like.

for "bigger" -- well, help us with what you mean by bigger -- do you mean moose or african game?

If you reload, and if you mean africa, I would suggest a 458 lott, and load it down to 45/70, or practice loads as light as the 460 .. remington 405gr bullets will do either

"maximum potential" is hard to say - with a 405, a 45/70 is pretty well out of steam the well published ruger/TC loads -- and i expect the 460 loads out of SW are the absolute max you should ever run it ... at 10FPS per inch for a rifle barrel over revolver

I'm in Iowa and they just passed a law allowing the use of high powers shooting straight wall pistol cartridges and on the list of approved cartridges I have it narrowed down to these 2. . For the 460 I would get a Encore single shot with the 20" barrel and I see it can also shoot the 454 and 45 Colt so that would be nice. . If a 45-70 it would be a lever action. It would be mainly used for deer with possibly elk or so sometime in the future although I also have a 300 win mag for that too. . I saw that the 460 can withstand higher pressures and up to 2,900fps reloaded. Basically want the one with the most effective and flattest range 200 yards or plus if possible

quote:

I saw that the 460 can withstand higher pressures and up to 2,900fps reloaded. Basically want the one with the most effective and flattest range 200 yards or plus if possible

2900fps with what bullet must be a fairly light one.

Out of the Encore the 460 wins for velocity with liter bullets.

Stay with your 300wm mag for elk an make your self an Iowa specific deer rifle.

I think the 45-70 is a lot more versatile.

460 sw = 300 gr JFN Buffalo Bore 2,060 ft/s -- 2,826 ft·lb

.45-70 = 300 gr Buffalo Bore 2,350 fps/M.E. 3,678 ft. lbs.)


Get yourself a Ruger #1 in .45-70 and it is approaching 458 win mag levels...then you are covered for anything in North America

I agree with Buglemintoday, get a Ruger #1. Much faster on reload, and the ones I have owned are very accurate. By the way, if you do load a stock Ruger #1 to .458 levels, especially with the 500 gr. bullet, remember this, you have a rifle that weighs approx. 6.5 lbs without optics. It will REALLY let you know you have pulled the trigger!

Yes, no question; 45-70 in a rifle. Any rifle. I use a Sharps with black powder. Or a Marlin. Or a #1 loaded up to 50K psi; Now I can actually use one here.

Not to be a smar-tazz, but that's like asking how long is a piece of string.

You neglected to mention WHAT action as that will be a limiting factor.

I agree with Jeffe and dpcd and as I have several rifles...single shot, lever and bolt...there is a ton of differences in which can do what.

I CAN tell you that A 45-120 loaded to its potential in a bolt/single shot is every bit as powerful as a LOTT and have identical case volumes and shoot identical weight bullets. In a Ruger #1 or modern steel Falling action you can load basically from 45 ACP to ????

Not to mention the belted versions like 458 American(458 x 2") or 450 Marlin which are much better for lever actions that everyone forgets or doesn't know about...or all the other "old-timer" or wildcat versions.

Luck

Looks like the 45-70 is the obvious choice. . I was thinking about getting a lever action in 45-70 but will they be able to withstand the pressure with hotter reloads?

If I remember correct the reloading pressure was around 40,000 psi for Marlins and 50,000 psi for Rugers.

Through a Marlin you will still make more than enough velocity/Muzzle Energy to whoop the .460sw.

My 1895 wears a 1-4x20 Leupold VXHog scope. They are selling for $249 but you can find them on sale for $179 occasionally on the Academy.com website (Free Shipping to boot).

The 430gr Hard cast Bear load is my black timber elk ammo...the Leverevolutions are what I am going to try on whitetail. Hurts on both ends



EDIT -- PER BARNES RELOADING MANUAL

*Recommend crimping case mouth into front cannelure groove.
*This data is intended for use only in modern, Marlin 1895 rifles in good condition. Do not use this
data in Springfield Trapdoor rifles.
*The SAAMI MAP value for this cartridge is 28,000 psi. We shot the 1895 Marlin data to 42,000
psi.



RUGER #1 -

*Crimping is not required for single shot rifles.
*This data is intended for use only in Ruger #1 & #3 rifles in good condition. Do not use this data
in any other type of firearm.
*The SAAMI MAP value for this cartridge is 28,000 psi. We shot the Ruger #1 data to 55,000 psi.

quote:

Originally posted by NONAGONAGIN:
I CAN tell you that A 45-120 loaded to its potential in a bolt/single shot is every bit as powerful as a LOTT and have identical case volumes and shoot identical weight bullets.

If you ever take a look at ammoguide.com and look up 45/120 NE, those are full house, modern rifle loads for the 45/120 - --- please excuse my hubris for providing a distinctive name for the full power loads ...

Yeah...that one too..."Hubris" can be a problem child as it's various meanings conflict...I saw your offering on Ammo Guide and my first thought was that's cool, but a very good way to confuse the he** out of people at first glance between it and the 450 NE 3.25"....hopefully that won't happen.

I was actually referring to the 45-120 Sharps Straight of Donnelly's tome, Mike V's BP reloading book, Load from a Disk and Quick load, and a few other resources and MY NEF 45-120 re-chambered with a Reamer Rental's 45-120 Sharps Straight reamer and using Norma's 45-120 Sharps Straight, 128 gr H2O capacity brass...Maybe I should have added another several paragraphs of explanations.

One glaring problem with this and other forums is the sharp eyes and need to point out any little faux pas who's azz isn't covered in political correctness paper. Most of the time I assume those interested parties might have a modicum of knowledge and if they don't, then a few more questions should start the ball rolling to clarify.

I also don't think it is a good idea to post "guestimates" of pressures as those can get mixed/changed from PSI to CUP or visa versa and once it online it there forever. Very few Reloaders have the tools or the ability to test for pressure and in todays litigious world the boogiemen are just looking for a way to bend you over and take your guns. Who knows WHEN some funky lawyer or skivey litigant will find a way to use online verbiage to sue.

Paranoia...ain't that a bunch of shite.

LUCK

btw, i called it the 45/120 NE to EXPRESSLY mark out high pressure loads, vs the 45/70 jumble ... and if some more cents than brains mixes up 450 nitro with 45/120 .. well... yeah... (ah'hem)

and, well, i cut up a BUNCH of 450 and 450 #2 cases, and measured case volumes ... those numbers, as compared to the 45/120, are really surprising ...

A critical part for a M/C project was made wrong and will set me back 3-4 weeks of riding time depending on how fast they can send me a replacement...so I was more than a little miffed when I posted the last ..ahhh...more than a little testy blurb, I should have been a little more "politically correct" which is just not in my nature having spent a long time being VERY aware of just how dangerous the world can be and having a VERY highly developed sense of self preservation. Teaching Safety to more than a few hard headed construction workers back in the day didn't help my evaluation of the human condition....I should have phrased it better.

We are all supremely human.

You did get me to thinking..."what if I DID measure wrong"...I use those "standard" measurements constantly and have inputted then into my software packages so just a few minutes ago I re-measured that same Norma 45-120 Sharps Straight I had used as a "standard" for this cartridge and had marked on the case as "128 gr H2O"...

All the 450 N.E. 3.25" cases I've checked run 136 gr H20 +/- a couple and the software info is roughly the same...I don't know what Hornady runs and the Eley #2, 3.5" is, of curse much bigger at ~170 gr H2O.

THIS TIME it measured 129 gr H2O, FLAT meniscus and tapped to remove the air bubbles that form inside cases most of the time.

I've found that case volumes can vary widely between brands and lots so it's no surprise to me that large variations in case volume, weight, outer/inner dimensions, headspace, etc., happen, especially the larger you go in case size and caliber. As a matter of information I found at least 4 different numbers for 45-120 case volumes in as many locations...one of the reasons I stress measuring the cases you will be using and for each change in brand/lot as you go up the case/caliber list...at least for critical work...not really necessary for most "minute of animal" hunting unless you like ACCURATE weaponry.

Anyway and as usual...didn't mean to ruffle any feathers, only educate.

LUCK