45-70 subsonic projectiles

[Marksman LLC]

I've been loading supersonic 45-70 for a long while now but just starting to look into the subsonic loads.

Do I need to go heavy for caliber on the bullet choice or do any projectiles suffice?

I have alot of the sierra 300 gr .458 pro hunters and was wondering if those are usable for subs?

Also which powder works best for 45-70 subs? Should I look for the illusive trailboss or is there something more readily available that produces good subsonic loads?

 

[Marksman LLC]

Bump

 

[BrBa.]

I haven't done it but Unique and Trail Boss might be worth a try. I have a feeling it's going to be a filthy low pressure experience. Unique you can load up or down. Maybe even 2400?

Hodgdon lists 12-13 gr Trail Boss at trap door levels for 971-1007 fps with a 405 gr pill. All the lighter weight bullets appear supersonic.

 

[precisionobsession]

I load 350gr Berrys on top of 15gr Trail Boss. The Berrys bullets are cheap and make great plinking loads. They're flying about 1070fps out of my gun.

 

[JKB57]

12-15 grs unique with everything from 300gr up to 405 gr is a really fun load and no need for filler as its not a posistion sensitive powder been shooting these for years

 

[precisionobsession]

12-15 grs unique with everything from 300gr up to 405 gr is a really fun load and no need for filler as its not a posistion sensitive powder been shooting these for years

I've also used 13gr unique. It works well.

 

[QuietTexan]

Do I need to go heavy for caliber on the bullet choice or do any projectiles suffice?

Depends on what you're doing. Plinking sure shoot whatever you can get slow enough. But heavier bullets generally let you use more powder while going the speed limit and taking up more case room, so overall heavier is better IMO.

If you want the bullet to do something when it hits, a heavy mono expanding bullet is a worth the cost. Makers Bullets has 350gn, 400gn, and 500gn expanding bullets, I use the same design in several other calibers. 45-70 is on my list for subsonics, just haven't gotten there yet.

Maker bullets: 400 Grain 45-70 Subsonic Expanding Bullets (Box Qty - 20), Projectiles, 4570400S

I shot a sow with my 450 Bushmaster last week (basically the same functional result as a subsonic 45-70), one shot and she was down hard. That was with the 395gn Sub-X going about 1100FPS, and I would expect the 410gn Sub-X for the 45-70 to work identically. No idea on expansion because it went through and though, but juding by the dead pig on the ground it expanded good enough for a one-shot DRT:

HORNADY 45c (.458) 410g SUB-X BULLET (45-70) 50/BX - Graf & Sons

Sub-X® (Subsonic — eXpanding) bullets deliver big results without a big bang! Designed to provide deep penetration below the speed of sound, Sub-X® features a lead core. Long grooves in its gilding metal jacket combine with its flat profile and the patented Flex Tip® insert within the bullet’s...

www.grafs.com

 

[wvbearhunter]

13-14 grains of unique is magic

 

[Lonewolf74]

For you guy's liking Unique have you tried the same sort of thing with Universal?

 

[memtb]

IMO…..treat it like a handgun! Go with a cast, wide metplat bullet. You already have good bullet diameter…… at subsonic velocities, expecting bullet expansion may be "iffy! 45 cal bullets in rifles and handguns have been reliable killers for nearly 2 centuries! This is based upon my "guessing" the rifle will be used for game!

If not for hunting….."run what ya brung"!

If it ain't broke……! memtb