What is the best factory load...

cutter · Post by **cutter** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:03 pm

...for the 44 mag, and 45/70 if one were hunting whitetail, and black bear? The 44 would be a backup.

Let's say the arms were a 5 1/2 inch Ruger Black hawk, a Marlin 1895, and I had to buy my bullets of the shelf.

Tycer · Post by **Tycer** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:24 pm

405 grain Remington CoreLockt
240 grain XTP Hornady Custom Ammunition

Blaine · Post by **Blaine** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:34 pm

There is not one thing wrong with tycer's choices......not a thing......

Since you stipulated "best", I'd go with a 45-70 that shot a bit flatter and they don't get any better than Garrett's 420gr +P Hammerheads. For 44 mag, I'd choose a 300 grain hardcast like Federal. (One of my 45-70 loads is a 405 Remington over 40gr of H4198....about 1650 from the 26" Cowboy.....I'd shoot that at any deer or black bear..maybe not elk)

TedH · Post by **TedH** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:37 pm

I'll second the Garrett ammo for the 45-70.

Post by **Old Savage** » Mon Jan 14, 2008 9:40 pm

I would use Federal 300 gr or Leverevolution.

Mike-in-WV · Post by **Mike-in-WV** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 8:30 am

Forget the 45-70 and just take a Winchester 94 ,30-30 with Federal 170 gr Parttiton and you can leave the 44 at home. No need to hall that hog around on your hip all day.

Mike

crs · Post by **crs** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 8:55 am

Same as Old Savage, the 300 grain should do the job.
I have used the factory Winchester Partition Gold (Nosler flat point partition) at about 1850 fps. A recent article showed that the new Federal and Winchester PG 300 gr performed comparably on accuracy, penetration and expansion tests.

Pete44ru · Post by **Pete44ru** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 9:38 am

In the 45-70, 300 grain slugs RULE.

No disrespect to anyone, but I sure won't be shooting anything heavier than a 350gr outta any .45-70, any more, no sirree, Bob !

BAP · Post by **BAP** » Tue Jan 15, 2008 11:10 am

me and my 45-70s love buffalo bore ammo..
all of them..300-500gr