What is the approximate distance these are accurate out to before the bullet really starts to drop.

One load I've been using is a 300gr Nosler Partition at 2000fps. Has a "point blank" range of 145yds (2" high to 2" low). At about 175yds it is about 8in low)

If you can stand the recoil you can load 405gr range projectiles to a similar PBR.

In #1 or bolt actions I have, I can run hot 350gr TSX's that will do the same 2" high to 2" low at 200yds.

A flat shooter it is not - a hard hitter it is.

With even factory 300s you should be able to get the deer up to 200yds without problems.

The big 45-70's are dropping right out of the muzzle but if you know the drop then hits at distance are no big deal. I tried using the Hornady 325gr FlexTip bullets. The drop was about four feet @ 300 yards. Despite the rainbow like trajectory I was able to hit 3 out of 4 bowling pins every time at that distance. Plenty of remaining energy to kill whitetails and similar size animals.

Joe: I strongly recommend a good range finder to help with distance judgment when hunting with the .45-70. I learned this the hard way.

With good sights the limits are a lot further than one would think. In the 1870's the army did research and found that the 45-70 had a max range of 3900 yards. With practice you could hit a 6 ft square target at around 2900 yards. At 3900 the 405 grain bullet went through 4 one-inch pine boards while the 500 grain bullet went through 5 pine boards and imbedded itself into 5 inches of sand. That is how the bison hunters were able to kill their prey at distance around 500 yards. Jim

Just an additional FYI, for those of you not keeping up with the " Big Bore Forum; Terminal Bullet Performance ".


370 BBW#13 NonCon with a plastic tip insert: Preliminary testing estimate (458 B&M) ; B.C. * .634 *

420 BBW#13 NonCon with a plastic tip insert: Preliminary testing estimate (458 B&M) ; B.C. * .657 *
http://forums.accuratereloadin...3/m/2861098911/p/179

45-70 Effective Range: Ridgerunner665 : " Put a real bullet in those tables... "
RD425
* B.C. .377 *
Muzzle velocity 1,800 fps
http://www.marlinowners.com/fo...p/topic,92246.0.html

I'll take advantage of any information & improvements: " Better Bullets ( B.C. )", whenever possible.

p.s. Edit: .45-70 at Two Miles: The Sandy Hook Tests of 1879
http://www.researchpress.co.uk...grange/sandyhook.htm

PAPI

quote:

Originally posted by joedjr:
What is the approximate distance these are accurate out to before the bullet really starts to drop.

Use your Google and find an external ballistics calculator. Play around with it for a while.

You'll discover that is pretty easy to have a 150yd MPBR, (depending on kill zone size of course). You'll also discover that you can't flatten the trajectory enough to turn it into a 30-06.

Put some targets out at 150yds and do your shooting under hunting conditions, i.e. sans bench. I think you'll find that the trajectory isn't the issue.

Just put on an older El Paso Weaver fixed 4 with Talley bases and Talley rings. I need to pick up some ammo and take it to the range to see how it shoots.

Thanks for the responses. I was interested in the approximate effective range of the caliber.

The 1874 Sharps did well with this round at over 1000yds... Rumor has it, they killed a few buffalo.
ND