No-holdover range of Hornady 325-grain FTXs

[Naphtali]

Those of you who shoot, or have shot, Hornady's 325-grain 45-70 Marlin LeverEvolution ammunition or higher end reloads with this bullet, please describe its mid-range trajectory or its no-holdover range - that is, ± 4 inches vertically from point of aim - at [fill in the blank] yards.

I ask, having invested a substantial amount of money for Savage Model 99s and beaucoup spare parts to create elk lever actions capable of doing the job at 225 yards, I realized that I may be able to achieve the effective range I want, for elk and mule deer hunting, with my Marlins. This frees up a huge number of dollars for me.

What I'm trying to do is work around needing/wanting a different rifle-cartridge combination. Were the 1895s unable to meet my eastern Montana range stipulation, I'll stay with Savage M99s. They are wonderful machines. But they require [their] purchase (done), parts purchase (done), new dies, different powder, Nosler Partition flat base bullets, bullet mold (for practice and fun shooting), brass. When I do the math, the cost of having 99s is severe - especially when compared with the cost of a few hundred bullets. . . . I can always get at least my investment out of my 99 stuff.
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I have downloaded Hornady's 45-70 and 450 Marlin 325-grain FTX handloading data (and LeverEvolution factory data) for Marlin 1985s. It shows 450 Marlin bullet being propelled significantly faster than the same bullet from a comparable 45-70. On its face, this makes little sense to me.

Anyone who has safely loaded his 45-70 FTXs to emulate 450 Marlin exterior ballistics, please identify loads that do the job.
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As I write, my 1895s shoot only my LFN GC 420-425 grain cast bullets, using standard primers and IMR 3031 and H322 in Starline brass. These combine to several combinations that have a ± 4-inch range of 150 yards. This is fine for Lolo but insufficient for eastern Montana.

[BigSky56]

I'd stay with the 99 it has the versatility to take speed goats to moose, the 45-70 is limited, all my hunting is done with open sighted levers and I havent found I needed some wizbang mag with 24x glass on it. I use a 30-30 or 348 Ive run into griz in the Bob, Absoraks, Cabinets and Yaak/ID-panhandle and didnt feel undergunned. A quick takedown 1to3 on a 300 sav would be the premier mulie/elk rifle good for open country and dark timber, which Iam working on right now for my SIL. Its where you hit them not what you hit them with. danny

[stew71]

I found this info over at Chuck Hawks' website.....

http://www.chuckhawks.com/leverevolution.htm

.45-70/.450 Marlin (.458")

325 grain Evolution - SD .221, BC .230
300 grain HP - SD .204, BC .197
350 grain RN Interlock - SD .238, BC .189

Here are Hornady's advertised ballistics for the new LEVERevolution factory loads, taken in 24" test barrels, showing velocity (fps) / energy (ft. lbs.):

* .45-70, 325 grain - 2050/3032 @ muzzle, 1729/2158 @ 100 yds, 1450/1516 @ 200 yds, 1225/1083 @ 300 yds.

And here are the Hornady trajectory figures for those loads, based on a rifle with a scope mounted 1.7" overbore and zeroed to shoot 3" high at 100 yards:

* .45-70, 325 grain - +3" @ 100 yds, -4.1" @ 200 yds, -27.8" @ 300 yds.

Should give you some idea of what you're looking for or at least a starting point. Back when I had an 1895CB, I shot several boxes of the Leverevolution stuff through it and it performed pretty much as expected.

[gundownunder]

I don't own a 45-70 so all I can give you is table ballistics.

Using Hornady data for the 300gr with a BC of .197 (normal HP, not FTX) and Alliant data for Reloder7 you get a velocity of 2075.

I then used the Pointblank ballistics calculator and set scope height at 1.7 same as Hornady data and calculated PBR at + or - 4".

Distance elevation velocity energy
Muzzle___- 1.70____2075____2868
50 yds___+ 2.30____1888____2375
100 yds__+ 4.00____1715____1958
150 yds__+ 2.66____1553____1607
200 yds__- 2.25____1406____1317
212 yds__- 4.00____1379____1267

I am sure I have seen data for the 300gr bullet at up to 2300 fps in the 45-70 but don't remember where I saw it, but that would stretch your PBR to 231 yds with 1461 fpe at 230 yds.

To get your stipulated 225 yds with the 325FTX you need to start it at 2115fps, which gives you 1530 fpe remaining at 225 yds.

HTH

[vancelw]

I use 45.8 gr of IMR 4198 with a 325 FTX (remington primer) . I do not trim the case short like Hornady recommends because my 1886 doesn't require it to chamber and feed properly.

I get about 2040 fps out of a 26" barrel

4" point blank range is right at 200 yards. I'm hitting ~4 inches below the center of the bullseye at 200 (open sights) and theoretically it never rises over 4 inches above my line of sight. A scope would change that a little since your line of sight would be about an inch higher.

My Ballistic Explorer says I should have a 204 yard Point Blank Range.
First line of sight crossing is 5.6 yards
High point of arc is 4 inches at 90 yards.
It's dropping quick after 204. At 250 the drop calcs out to be 13 inches low.

BEX says a scope would give you a max PBR or 211 yards with high being 4 inches at 100 yards. Not much difference.

Took two mule deer with it last season. One at 140 yards and one at 15 yards. Through and through on both, so I have no weight retention data.

I've also loaded with 5744, but couldn't get the velocity up enough to get the 200 yard PBR I was looking for.

[Mike D.]

The .325 FTX is over an inch long, so any load exceeding 47 grs of 4198 and crimped in the top groove would be compressed. I have experience with 250 and 300 gr TSXs in the .45-70 and do know that they exit the muzzle at a much higher velocity than do jacketed lead and LFNs. Also the POI at 100 yds will be close to 8" higher than conventional bullets. I killed a nice buck last year at close to 240 yds with a TSX, so their potency is not in question.