.45 Colt 325 gr, close to 45-70?

[skinnygun]

I have a Henry Big Boy .45 Colt rifle, would a 325 gr, round be close to a 45-70 for big critters within 100-150 yds?

[TedH]

You will probably get 400-500 fps more velocity with the 45-70. So in my opinion, no, that is not really close to the same performance. Even getting 1600 fps from a 300 gr. bullet in the 45 Colt requires a hot load. Not sure if the Henry is up to the task.

[adirondakjack]

Yer asking a two part question. Not sure what the Big Boy will handle SAFELY.

I shoot a Marlin, and I draw the line at 1500 fps with a 318 grain Lee gas check bullet. I probably could go a little more, but just how dead does the critter have to be?

At 100 or 150 yards, the difference between a 325 grain .45-70 round and a HOT .45 "ruger only" 300 is not gonna amount to anything.. Sure, one will be two or three hundred fps faster, but so what? It's meaningless unless yer shooting blue whales,

[w30wcf]

skinnygun,
If you are talking about something close to the early .45-70-350 black powder loading that was cataloged at 1,380 f.p.s., then the answer is yes.

In my .45 Colt Marlin Cowboy, 20 grs. of 296 pushes a 350 gr. bullet to 1,390 f.p.s. The 20/296/350 combo generates 30,000 CUP and is only safe, to my knowledge, in the Win '92 clones and the '94 Marlin. DO NOT USE IN THE HENRY OR '66 or '73 WIN CLONES.

Not sure how strong the Henry is though, so if you proceed, do it with utmost caution using all published .45 Colt data as a guide.

w30wcf

[O.S.O.K.]

I was going to say the same thing in terms of load levels. The traditional 325 grain loading for the 45-70 can be exceeded with a modern, hot loaded 45 Colt in a Marlin or other similar strength firearm.

The Henry Big Boy is also chambered in 44 Mag and 30-30, so it's got to be rated at 40 CUP, but if this were mine, I'd want to know before I ran any hot loads through the rifle. But I'm thinking it'd be fine with "Ruger" loads.

And you'll do better on your replies if you specify the "big critters" that you're referring to.

A modern 45-70 loading is a whole nuther power level - nipping on the heals of the 458 Winchester, so in that regard, no, the 45 Colt can't even get close - but it really doesn't have to for anything up to elk or even moose where a 1400-1500 fps 325 grain hard cast bullet will end to end those animals.

[1886]

I ran some 400gr hard cast 1150 fps from a Marlin 1894 CB with out a hitch. They were not accurate but I was curious about a reasonable velocity potential. My first loads were a "little" zealous at 1300 fps. The bolt stuck and the extractor slipped over the case rim. A cleaning rod and a brass hammer fixed the stuck case issue. I dropped down 4grs and worked back up to 1150fps. Not early .45-70 power but not far off either.
My little experiment proves that it is not always safe or prudent to try and extrapolate data. 1886.

[oldmax]

? which 45/70, The ruger can be loaded to near 458 Win Mg with 500 grain bullets,
600 grains in a ruger no3 , well, black and blue down to the elbow...

I think modern Levers in 45/70 would be not far behind.

The 45/70 is a potent cartridge in modern firearms .

Than there is always the BFR...
http://www.magnumresearch.com/Expand.as ... =BFR45-707