45-70 ftx or jhp or jsp

[devster55]

Hey guys I'm gonna go pick up a box or two of ammo to test out a Marlin 1895G that I'm buying next week. Anyone have any reviews on the above choices? I'm trying to acquire supplies to roll my own but I won't have everything soon enough. Thanks for any input.

[stevec223]

The brass on the ftx ammo will be short cut. Great for reloading ftx bullets but not long enough for reg. 45-70 bullets in cannulure. So many diff loads commercially for 45-70 in different power levels. I check midway or natchez on diff factory ammo just to get the fps and guage how hot loads are per bullet weight. Have fun with your new gun. Cheers.

[CCrawford]

What is your desired end result? Hunting big game, medium game, cowboy action shooting, paper targets, etc. While most level guns are not bench rest accurate, they do minute of deer, etc. quite well. The three choices you list are all popular with the gummy tip FTX having a edge on ballistics, while the 300 JHP and 405 SP being in the lineup of factories for decades (tried and true). Lead and hard cast lead are also liked by the cowboy folks and large game hunters respectively.

Anyway, what do you want the ammo to do?

[devster55]

Well it will be my companion on a Wyoming hunting trip for white tail and mule deer. One of us will be carrying it at all times due to the grizzley population where we are going. That and I also want to shoot one deer with it as long as the range is not to distant.

[1911ShooterPhil]

Bullet placement, bullet placement, bullet placement...

For my Pedersoli Kodiak Mk. IV and my Pedersoli 1886/71, I generally carry Remington Core-Lokt 405-grain soft point bullets while out and about in the wilderness. When boar hunting, I have successfully used Buffalo Bore's 405-grain bullets at 2,000 FPS and Garrett Cartridges' 420-gr SuperHardCast Hammerhead at 1650 FPS. The heaviest boar I've dropped so far was 365 LB using 1 well-placed shot. Yes, either of those bullets will do a lot of damage, and, yes, you may lose some usable meat. But, if you want to drop the animal using as few shots as possible, either of those will do their job as long as you do yours and get good bullet placement. If you're going to go against bear, possibly hungry or angry bear, then I'd highly recommend either Buffalo Bore or Garrett Cartridges. Cheers! --1911ShooterPhil

[devster55]

Well I bought a box of the 325 gr ftx for 30 bucks a box so it looks like I will be going that way until I get some dies and a shell holder.