Straight wall whitetail options

[meigsbucks]

I live in Ohio. I handgun hunted ever since it was legalized, up until recently. I carry a .Ruger #3 in .45/70. I good friend swears by his .350 Legend using Maker bullets in handloads.
A round that wouldn’t kick like a .45/70 but should prove to be a good performer is the .360 Buckhammer. If you handload it, the 180gr Speer should work great.

 

[Rifleman97]

Some are happy with the 350 Legend, but I have several friends here in Ohio that think it's underpowered.

Some have made much longer killing shots, but in my opinion the straight walled cartridges are best kept to 150 yards max. Most failures can be traced back to shooting deer at 200 yards or more.

I'd use the 400 Legend, and keep shots to a reasonable distance.

If the 30-30 is enough for deer, a heavier bullet going somewhat similar velocity with larger frontal diameter is plenty enough. If 243 is enough for deer in non straight wall states, why is 35 cal considered marginal? Sure it’s going slower but the ammo I shoot is 2200fps, plenty fast.

Here is some deer I took with 350 legend, the first buck at 250 yards, the doe at 50. Can’t remember the rest. I’ve taken a total of about 20-25 deer with the 350 legend since I started using it.

Rifle is Winchester XPR, it’s a version only sold by one dealer, titanium cerekote and wood stock, my favorite setup. It’s got an Athlon Midas BTR 1-6x24.

 

[MS 9x56]

I can recommend the 350 legend. I won a Howa 1500 in 350 legend at a Whitetails unlimited banquet last year and used it to take the largest doe I have ever taken. She dressed 170 lbs and only traveled 40 yards leaving a ray charles blood trail. Very little meat damage also. What’s not to love.

 

[coreydb]

Don't change from what already works.

 

[Don458]

50-70 government would be legal . If you can get Ammunition.

 

[HankBuck]

If you go with cast bullets, you’ll love their performance! I know I sure do. With that, see below.

I want to share the performance of my cast bullet, on a deer I took this past rifle season.

I took a 8 point whitetail with my Marlin 45-70. The loads is 47.5 grains of 3031. The bullet is a Lyman Gould bullet. I cast this bullet using pure lead, and it is then powder coated. Once completed the bullet weights 344 grains.

I’ve used this load to take numerous deer over the years, and have always had complete pass throughs.
This deer was taken at a little farther distance than any of the others, (range finder said 147 yards) and did not pass through! I was excited about this, as I’ve always wanted to recover my bullet to see how it performs.
I was able to recover the bullet, and couldn’t be happier with how well it did.
The bullet started out as .456 in diameter and expanded to .974!
It only lost 3.9 grains of weight!
Pretty much as perfect as it can get!
Here’s some pictures of the bullet, before and after

@Brickman301 - very good photos and interesting post, your bullet performance was “perfect” as you said. I have also “Never recovered” a .45-70 bullet, Not any Buffalo Bore and Not even the softer/slower Hornedy LeverEvolution bullets. I’m gonna need either almost a ‘Head On Shot’ on a deer or a distance over 150 yrds to do so….broadside and even quartering away shots inside 100 yrds have All = EXITS.

 

[HankBuck]

@Slaton
Do they make a 444 marlin barrel.
That's one awesome cartridge and in a single shot you could use full length cases instead of the shorter factory cases.
Using the full length case you can get the 265gn FTX motoring at 2,500 fps. More than enough for any deer, hog,elk or even moose.
Bob

@Bob Nelson 35Whelen - Bob, do you like the Hornedy LeverEvolution FTX bullets? I like their accuracy (I’ve found them the Most accurate .45-70 bullet I’ve ever fired - 1” groups @ 100yrds) and softer recoil vs. Buffalo Bore and they are Plenty powerful for Deer with very good penetration….But they still don’t compare to Buffalo Bore for DEEP penetration and I would Not use them for Bear, Moose, or Elk because of that. I use them on Deer because they are light recoil and pleasant to shoot with MORE then enough penetration for 200 lbs deer under 150 yrds. Just my opinion based on some experiance over the past 5-6 years. Your thoughts?

 

[Brickman301]

@Brickman301 - very good photos and interesting post, your bullet performance was “perfect” as you said. I have also “Never recovered” a .45-70 bullet, Not any Buffalo Bore and Not even the softer/slower Hornedy LeverEvolution bullets. I’m gonna need either almost a ‘Head On Shot’ on a deer or a distance over 150 yrds to do so….broadside and even quartering away shots inside 100 yrds have All = EXITS.

Thanks for the kind words.
I was shocked that this bullet didn’t exit. My son couldn’t believe I was more excited to recover my bullet, than I was with taking a decent buck. lol

My shot was from 147 yards, and the deer was quarrying away from me. The shot entered right behind the shoulder, through the lungs, nicked the heart, though the opposite shoulder and was stopped by the hide.

I think it was a combination of the distance, angle of the shot, and the pure lead bullet that allowed me to recover it. According to the track record I’ve had with this bullet/load it was Just pure luck and probably won’t happen again. I actually prefer the bullet to exit. I like making two holes!

Here’s a picture of the deer

 

[Rifleman97]

Thanks for the kind words.
I was shocked that this bullet didn’t exit. My son couldn’t believe I was more excited to recover my bullet, than I was with taking a decent buck. lol

My shot was from 147 yards, and the deer was quarrying away from me. The shot entered right behind the shoulder, through the lungs, nicked the heart, though the opposite shoulder and was stopped by the hide.

I think it was a combination of the distance, angle of the shot, and the pure lead bullet that allowed me to recover it. According to the track record I’ve had with this bullet/load it was Just pure luck and probably won’t happen again. I actually prefer the bullet to exit. I like making two holes!

Here’s a picture of the deer

That’s impressive. I’ve only recovered one bullet from the 20-25 deer I’ve taken with 350 legend, and it was a similar circumstance. It was a Winchester deer season XP and it kindof exploded and didn’t hold together at all. Deer went down fine but I like when they hold together a bit better. Switched to hornady 165 FTX and have been pretty happy with the results, doesn’t seem to explode the opposite side like some bullets did

 

[F. Vaccaro]

If it's legal get the .45-70. you don't have to load it to max either. A 405 gr bullet at 1200fps has been reliably taking game since the late 1800s. It's pleasant to shoot too!

 

[Flbt]

@Bob Nelson 35Whelen - Bob, do you like the Hornedy LeverEvolution FTX bullets? I like their accuracy (I’ve found them the Most accurate .45-70 bullet I’ve ever fired - 1” groups @ 100yrds) and softer recoil vs. Buffalo Bore and they are Plenty powerful for Deer with very good penetration….But they still don’t compare to Buffalo Bore for DEEP penetration and I would Not use them for Bear, Moose, or Elk because of that. I use them on Deer because they are light recoil and pleasant to shoot with MORE then enough penetration for 200 lbs deer under 150 yrds. Just my opinion based on some experiance over the past 5-6 years. Your thoughts?

I have used the hornday load it works on deer and hogs fine.
20 years ago I used a lot of the 300gr hp and 405 gr safe for any rifle.
Never recover the 405
I even shot a 73 Chevy no engine
Went through the radiator fire wall dash steering wheel back of the cab front of the bed and the tailgate
It’s slow but it keeps going

 

[Bob Nelson 35Whelen]

@Bob Nelson 35Whelen - Bob, do you like the Hornedy LeverEvolution FTX bullets? I like their accuracy (I’ve found them the Most accurate .45-70 bullet I’ve ever fired - 1” groups @ 100yrds) and softer recoil vs. Buffalo Bore and they are Plenty powerful for Deer with very good penetration….But they still don’t compare to Buffalo Bore for DEEP penetration and I would Not use them for Bear, Moose, or Elk because of that. I use them on Deer because they are light recoil and pleasant to shoot with MORE then enough penetration for 200 lbs deer under 150 yrds. Just my opinion based on some experiance over the past 5-6 years. Your thoughts?

@HankBuck
I've used the 44 cal 265 FTX on pigs and sambar deer. It was always a one shot kill. Drives deep and does massive damage. Not at all meat friendly on smaller pigs, blows big holes out the other side. On big sambar it just seems to dump them on the spot.
Bob

 

[DillonG]

I’m mostly a bow hunter and have hunted illinois for the last 20 years. This year I’m thinking about getting a gun tag and hanging around for the first gun season. It is a shotgun season but in recent years straight wall single shot are are legal. So I’m looking for options. I already own a TC encore .50 muzzleloader, 300 blackout, a 400 legend which are legal options. But not opposed to buying a new barrel for the encore or a new single shot rifle. Wanting to pick y’all’s brains on what to do and straight wall calibers I might not be familiar with. The 45-70 had my interest but what say you?

The most popular seems to be 45-70 in central IL. I just use a semi auto 12ga or .45 cal muzzleloader. If I were to purchase a rifle it would be the 45-70 and top it with a decent 2x7.

 

[Tam Dl]

The 450 Bushmaster in the Ruger No. 1 I see for sale up here even where we don't have those rules. Never know whether that is because they can't sell them in the US, or they made so many we are catching the spillover from a very popular option.

 

[HWL]

Couldn't the .375 Winchester (Ruger No. 3) do the job?

HWL

 

[Joker12]

The 450 Bushmaster in the Ruger No. 1 I see for sale up here even where we don't have those rules. Never know whether that is because they can't sell them in the US, or they made so many we are catching the spillover from a very popular option.

The cartridge is popular because it meets the 1.8 inch requirement in states like Michigan AND because it was designed to function in an AR platform. Not my cup of tea but they are very popular with many. As to the #1s there was a limited run of them produced on special order.

 

[Rifleman97]

Couldn't the .375 Winchester (Ruger No. 3) do the job?

HWL

Depends, some states have restrictions on the length of the empty case. Those restrictions made the 45/70 banned in those states. You’d have to look up the laws in the straight wall state you hunt to see if the length requirements allow it. 375 Winchester is a neat round

 

[Wyatt Smith]

Couldn't the .375 Winchester (Ruger No. 3) do the job?

HWL

I would love one for my Illinois hunting.