In your experience what is the best controlled expansion bullet, cast or commercial jacketed, for use on large soft-skinned game? By "controlled expansion" I mean the bullet will expand while losing little or none of its original weight. Bullets weight must be between 350 grains and 480 grains.

The rifle is a 45-70. Bullet's crimp-to-nose length (or cannelure-to-nose) must be .440 inch or less. Nose shape must satisfactory for tubular magazines.

Pressures would be between 40K and 43K CUP -- that is, at the high end of safe for modern Marlin 1895 and Miroku M1886 actions, as would be expected muzzle velocities.

Maximum range for which rifle and ammunition is to be used is 140 yards, with 100 yards a more likely maximum range. The extra is "wiggle room."

Get the 300 gr. nosler partition. Handload it to 1900/2100 fps. I have taken 6 hogs, 1 black bear, and 7 head of african game[ up to 700 lbs.]. Have only recovered 4 bullets. Its my go to bullet for almost everything, that doesn't bite back.

Mad Dog

In the 300gr weight the Nosler is a good choice.

In a lever 45/70 it is hard to push a 350 Hornady beyond it design.

I have used it in the 45/70 with great results.

I have also used it in my 450 No2 Double rifle at 2330fps and it worked fine as well, but I think that is on the ragged edge of its designed velocity threshold.

In the 400gr weight, at the faster velocities, the Swift 400gr is worth a hard look.

405 grain FNSP or 350 grain FNSP heavy jacket Kodiak Super Premium Bonded Core from Alaskan Bullet Works.

http://www.custombrassandbullets.com/albuwo.html

Out to 150 yards, a heavy TSX should do fine, heck the 250 grain at 2400 fps would do most anything in, but it has a HORRIBLE bc.

Apparently, Hawk bullets are created in a similar fashion with Barnes originals. They also apparently use essentially identical materials -- annealed pure copper tubing for jacket and pure lead inserted before forming.

In the 45-70-class of bullets, they have three jacket thicknesses available, .025, .035, and .050 inch. At muzzle velocities of 1800 fps, approximately how much expansion should one expect from 400-grain bullets of these types at 100 yards when shooting .035-inch jackets, with .050-inch jackets?

I've concluded the Alaska Bullet Works 405-grain Kodiak bonded core flat nose soft point bullet is the primary big game bullet I want to obtain for 45-70s. Between Remington 405-grain and Speer 400-grain jacketed flat points, which more closely duplicates the trajectory and point of impact of the 405-grain Alaska Bullet Works Kodiak?

We don't need no steenkin' designer bullets --

Speer SP in 350 gr. is the standard load for Roosevelt Elk in this region. Moderate loads in a Marlin lever gun. 45/70 provides the bullet weight and energy, bullet diameter for clean kills at the ranges you specify.

Speer bullets are probably one of the lowest priced on the market. There's no need for a complicated bullet in 45/70. It goes out the muzzle "pre-expanded."

Bullet and ammunition samples arrived from a pleasant man in Michigan just after I returned from shooting my Super Redhawk 480 and my Freedom Arms 475 this afternoon -- 50-110s, 50 Alaskan, 450-grain ABW Kodiak bullets and 525-grain WFN GC bullets. I thought I was shooting the big stuff. Jeeze-Louise, the 50s dwarf the 475s. And my 45-90s and 45-70s look like play things.

Just as I have firmed up several buying decisions, Al sends me stuff that jolts the emotions. The 50-110s with both bullets is the most impressive looking cartridge I've seen in, perhaps 25 years. I asked what the load is but haven't yet gotten a reply. I assume he would not bother loading ABW Kodiaks in the 50-110 case unless the ammunition would be loaded to take advantage of such a premium bullet.

Now, if people would buy some of the guns I have to sell, I could quit nickel-dicking and build a Godzilla slayer. . . . I say again, these cartridge and bullet samples are awe inspiring.

the only good bullet I ever used in my 45-70s or 45-90s was the 350 gr. RN Hornady..but Nosler didn't make bullets for them back then..I never was much impressed with how these old smoke poles killed animals as big as elk.

North Fork, I still have some left for the 45/70

As reported elsewhere on this board the Northforks will available again next year. The .458" 350 grain flat nose are a great bullet for the 45-70.

At the higher 45/70 velocities, now that North Fork is going to be back in production, they are a great choice. Their 350gr just might be the best bullet for the 45/70 for BIG game.