G2 Shooter

I am trying to find a nice Spitzer or Ballistic Tip bullet between 300-350 grains for my .45/70 Encore barrel. The only non-flat tip bullet I can find is a Barnes X-Bullet which is kinda overkill on a Whitetail. Anybody out there know where I can find one?
Thanks

Bloodnativ

Try www.hawkbullets.com. Hawk bullets has spitzers from 300-450 grains. You can get them with different jacket thicknesses to control how fast or slow the expansion. At least that's how I read it on their website. I don't have any experience with them personally but I have never heard anything bad about them (other than being a little expensive).

You're not going to find much because the .45 caliber rifle bullet is designed either for tubular magazines or for dangerous game, most of which is taken at fairly short range. In both cases it has been proven that a HEAVY round or flat nosed bullet of very solid construction is best.

The 45/70 is not a long range cartridge. Yes, the buffalo hunters used it at very long range but they also had EXTREMELY long barrels and trajectories that put the bullet into orbit before it hit the target.

I wish you luck on your quest but I think you are asking something that the round is not capable of. Hopefully somebody will know something that I don't. Let us know what you find. I'm sure there are others in the same boat.

HighDesertWolf

if you want long range for whitetail go get ya a 30-06 barrel and not worry about making the 45-70 something that it is not.

G2 Shooter

Hmmm, let me first clarify by saying that for long range, I'm talking about 250 yards. Maybe 300 if I can squeeze that out of it. Heck, Quigley was shooting about 600 yards. LOL And by going with a caliber that is already proven at longer distances, were is the challenge? I might be beating my head against a wall but if more people with single shot rifles in .45/70 caliber wanted a longer range bullet, the manufacturers would listen.

HighDesertWolf

first off quigley was a character in a movie if that movie inspired you to get a 45-70 i have to ask how old are you?? yes the 45-70 was proven as a long range gun but....... that was back in the day when that is all they had asfar bullets capable of shooting great distances and it took lots and lots of skill to shoot good with it. Like someone mentioned before in order to get it out there you literally had to put the bullet into orbit to get it there the ballistic curve is literally a rainbow......LOL. According to a ballistics calculator of mine though these programs arent entirely accurate but they give you a rough idea of a bullets trajectory, even if you zeroed your gun at 250 yards that puts you over 10 inches high at 100 yards and over 13 inches low at 300 yards or if you zeroed it at 100 yards you would be over 25 inches low at 250 yards and over 44 inches low at 300 yards........... are you begining to see our point. the 45-70 in reality makes a better close range large dangerous game gun meaning its excellent for brown bears with 100 yard shots and under or elk with 150 yards or less. its just not a long range deer gun.......... if you are truly wanted to reach out on a deer to 250 yards your best bet would honestly be a 30-06 or something much flatter shooting then a 45-70. good luck

G2 Shooter

HDW, I am aware that Quigley was a movie character and I was kidding. No, he did not inspire me to buy a .45/70 barrel and I am not dillusional about any of the current factory rounds reaching out to 300 yards. There are two factors that prompted my initial question.

1- I have an Encore with a 26" barrel. The Encore barrel is strong and can withstand higher pressures than a Sharps rifle. All factory loads, with the exception of Buffalo Bore, are pretty mild so that they can be loaded into older rifles without having to worry about it blowing up in someone's face.

2- I will reload my own ammo. Being able to pick and choose my bullet/powder combination should present a lot of oportunity to reach out and touch a deer at 250 yards.

The road block that I am running into now is the availablity of an aerodynamic bullet. The only bullets I can find that are not flat-nosed are the Barnes X-Bullets or very heavy(500gr) round nosed bullets. These are a bit of overkill on a Whitetail but I will use them if it is my only option. The purpose for my thread was to ask if anyone knew of other Spitzer style bullets that I could try, not whether or not a .45/70 is a good platform for long range shooting.

Is this an excercise in futility? Maybe.
Might I find a nice load that will do what I want it to? Maybe
Will it be fun trying? Definately!

HighDesertWolf

I cant argue with that, as reloader ive done the same. Alright now that I clearly understand your goal. with my knowledge I would say your best bet would be the Barnes 300 gr. X FB catalog # 45802 or the 350 gr. X FB catalog #45805 both bullets are spitzer style X bullets. both have great sectional density aswell as ballistic coeffiency especially for a bullet of that diameter. I think that would be your best bet, I am unaware of anyone making a ballistic tip or boatail type bullets for that diameter. I think the 300 grain bullet would be plenty for whitetail and would favor you the most in ranges out to 300 yards asfar as trajectory goes. some load data I have shows a velocity of 2532 fps from a 24 inch barrel with a 300 grain sierra hp. if you are able to achieve that velocity with a 300 gr barnes X FB, according to my ballistics calculator with a 250 yard zero it puts you 4.58 inches high at 100 yards and 6.44 inches low at 300 yards so basically from 0 yards to 300 yards you are inside a 11 inch circle which should be easy to judge your elevation adjustments. that trajectory isnt to far off from that of a 30-06 with a 180 gr bullet to the same distances. good luck keep me posted on what you figure out My email address is [email protected]. now that I given what you are doing some thought its has caught my interest

G2 Shooter

There is a method to my madness. Muhahahaha!

Thanks for the help HighDesertWolf.

Bloodnativ

Those your powder wisely Grasshoppa. You may want to contact the powder companies and get their advice on powders that will give you the velocity you want and still keep pressures safe (assuming you haven't done so already). According to Hawk Bullets, their thinnest jackets will behave like a BT. Might be worth a try if the Barnes bullets don't work.

I do wish you luck. Keep us posted with progress along the way. This will be interesting. Who know's you may just come up with the next "Wonder Round".

frizzellr

Just for clarification, Quigley wasn't shooting a 45/70. It has been awhile but it was either a 45/110 or 45/120. I believe it was the latter.