45-70 And Gophers Perfect Match

Shrapnel · Post by **Shrapnel** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 3:48 pm

Yesterday was such a nice day in Southwest Montana, and we took advantage of it and shot the hell out of gophers with a plethora of varmint rifles, most notably the 45-70 with hollow points...

williamranks · Post by **williamranks** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 4:54 pm

Robert Ruark wrote a book called "Use Enough Gun". I think you got that covered.
I wouldn't want to face a wounded gopher!

williamranks · Post by **williamranks** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 5:07 pm

After I posted I got curious. None of the Ruark books are available as ebooks.

But:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss? ... r+Capstick

Paladin · Post by **Paladin** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 5:09 pm

Practice is practice, if you can hit Gophers all else should be a piece of cake.

Post by **Chuck 100 yd** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 5:14 pm

Ya ruined all the meat!!!

draperjojo · Post by **draperjojo** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 5:16 pm

Chuck 100 yd wrote:Ya ruined all the meat!!!

Batman1939 · Post by **Batman1939** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 5:28 pm

Ruark's comment immediately came to my mind too. I was slow on the draw though.

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 5:38 pm

Yo Shrap......THATS how to do it......Elmer Keith style.

What was your load?

By the way, tell Mike another excellent article in the latest "Handloader",on the 405 and your octagon barreled 40-72. Very enjoyable.

And by Lordy, I too, was not aware of the difference in rim thickness between the 405 and the 40-72.

When you see him, ask him what he wants for the deluxe 95 in 405.....tell him I'll trade him the Colt Slip gun that Elmer Keith used and is written up by John Taffin in the latest issue of "Guns Magazine"...and for that matter, I'll take your 40-72 when you get tired of it. Got lots of trade stock.....Many years ago when Walt Melander (NEI) was still alive he made me a 300 grain semi spitzer gas check mould for the 405. I use it in my original Schuetzen Winchester 1885 Hi-Wall in 40-82....incrementally sized down to .4085.........will hit beer cans out to 300 meters.......when I'm feeling good and the wind is not blowing too bad.------6

How come Mike V. don't play over here.? I'd like to converse with him. Been reading his articles when no one knew his name.

J Miller · Post by **J Miller** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 6:02 pm

Ewwww yuckapooi .... you killed 'em .

They first thought that came to my mind when I read your story about shooting goofers with a 45-70 was of former member bentbarrel who shot ground squirrels S E of Phoenix with a 45-70.

Joe

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 6:14 pm

Hopin' the weather was better than on Friday! I drove across eastern MT (I-94) and the wind blew pretty good! Still blowin' over here in ND yesterday also! If you're good enough to hit gophers with a .45-70, you're either much better than I, or the gophers are larger up her than I'm used to!!!

Thunk about callin' Mike on Friday when I went thru Livingston... but wanted to get over to Big Timber before they closed.

JReed · Post by **JReed** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 7:01 pm

I would say that was the right gun to use. Those gophers are nasty critters know to charge without provocation. Glad see none of you were harmed

AJMD429 · Post by **AJMD429** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 8:04 pm

I've seen people rave about the 'light loads' and 'cast-lead loads' and 'plinking loads' and 'cat-sneeze loads' they've used from their 375 H&H's, and that's one reason I bought the ballistically-identical 375 Ruger (just an 'Ackley-ized' shortened and steeper-shouldered 375 H&H); I thought that it might make a great 'all-around' rifle for many uses.

Much the same could be done with the 45-70 I'm sure, or basically most any powerful round, if one wanted to take the time to develop the loads.

An advantage of the 45-70 is that the 'light' loads have already been developed (they were the original loads), and the heavier loads are all later-vintage. With the 375 H&H or Ruger, the heavy loads are the original ones, and one has to work 'backwards' for the light loads.

FWiedner · Post by **FWiedner** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 8:37 pm

That's an admirable wound channel.

I think you've found your gopher load.

ollogger · Post by **ollogger** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 8:43 pm

oh the 45-70 does a fine job on them! yes liked the guns & the article in the Handloader

ollogger

Grizz · Post by **Grizz** » Sun Mar 08, 2015 11:43 pm

far easier to hit the gopher with the 45 than the 223, it's a BIG BULLET, how can it miss?

good shooting and nice to see the young one learning to appreciate the facts.

Grizz

Nath · Post by **Nath** » Mon Mar 09, 2015 1:40 am

Did you get a pass through being a hollow point n'all?

N

Shrapnel · Post by **Shrapnel** » Mon Mar 09, 2015 7:37 am

Sixgun wrote:Yo Shrap......THATS how to do it......Elmer Keith style. What was your load?

By the way, tell Mike another excellent article in the latest "Handloader",on the 405 and your octagon barreled 40-72. Very enjoyable.

And by Lordy, I too, was not aware of the difference in rim thickness between the 405 and the 40-72.

When you see him, ask him what he wants for the deluxe 95 in 405.....tell him I'll trade him the Colt Slip gun that Elmer Keith used and is written up by John Taffin in the latest issue of "Guns Magazine"...and for that matter, I'll take your 40-72 when you get tired of it. Got lots of trade stock.....Many years ago when Walt Melander (NEI) was still alive he made me a 300 grain semi spitzer gas check mould for the 405. I use it in my original Schuetzen Winchester 1885 Hi-Wall in 40-82....incrementally sized down to .4085.........will hit beer cans out to 300 meters.......when I'm feeling good and the wind is not blowing too bad.------6

How come Mike V. don't play over here.? I'd like to converse with him. Been reading his articles when no one knew his name.

Is that out on the news-stands already? Mike won't be trading the 405 anytime soon, it is a gift from Hank Williams Jr. He posts on the Shiloh website fairly regularly, but like most of these sites, it too has become a dumpster of drivel. So much malcontent these days, almost every site has more than it's share of whiners and detractors, he has even spoken of laying off Shiloh for awhile...

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Mon Mar 09, 2015 3:17 pm

I hear ya Shrapnel! There are many guns I plan on dying with and those include many of my single action Colts, a few pre war large frame Smiths, and a mess of quality Winchesters. I'm sure Mike feels the same way with much of his nice stuff.

As for the drivel....well.......your going to get that anywhere. Lordy, out of your neighbors, there's always going to be the one that's poking over the fence hawking you out and the one who has junk cars on cider blocks.....but I'm not going to let that deter me from having fun.......block em out.

Same thing with forum chat rooms. Most guys are decent respectable individuals who are regular contributors and a few are miserable shyts who really need to go out in the woods with a big bore handgun and let the gun win.

------They know who they are..........-------6

JReed · Post by **JReed** » Mon Mar 09, 2015 9:33 pm

Shrapnel what is your load? And that is a very fine rifle you have there.

Shrapnel · Post by **Shrapnel** » Tue Mar 10, 2015 11:22 am

The blown up gopher was shot with a factory 300 grain hollow point bullet. My loads are all done with 405 grain cast bullets and 5744 powder. That load will completely penetrate a buffalo...

M. M. Wright · Post by **M. M. Wright** » Tue Mar 10, 2015 11:29 am

So envious! I still have killing a buffalo with my 45-90, '86 on my bucket list. Just need to get it done before I croak.

Shrapnel · Post by **Shrapnel** » Tue Mar 10, 2015 11:41 am

The Sharps works too...

Sixgun · Post by **Sixgun** » Tue Mar 10, 2015 6:02 pm

Nice pictures Shrapnel......you don't let the grass grow under your feet......I feel the same....grab life while you can........ain't no sense playing commando keyboard specialist 24/7.

----6

JReed · Post by **JReed** » Tue Mar 10, 2015 6:54 pm

So not fair

Going after buffalo is my dream hunt and you go and do it with my dream gun a1874.

Shrapnel · Post by **Shrapnel** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 7:34 am

I did it again, this time with a real buffalo rifle. A walter Cooper marked 1874 in 40-90 Bottleneck...

2571 · Post by **2571** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 7:57 am

JReed wrote:I would say that was the right gun to use. Those gophers are nasty critters know to charge without provocation. Glad see none of you were harmed

Bill Mauldin's cartoon lives!

JReed · Post by **JReed** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 8:50 pm

Shrapnel wrote:I did it again, this time with a real buffalo rifle. A walter Cooper marked 1874 in 40-90 Bottleneck...

Wow. What is your load for that fine ole girl?

JOHNNY WACKO · Post by **JOHNNY WACKO** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 8:59 pm

some 1 had to eat a lot of buffalo burger there. Nice pictures and guns too.

Shrapnel · Post by **Shrapnel** » Wed Mar 11, 2015 10:52 pm

JReed wrote:
Shrapnel wrote:I did it again, this time with a real buffalo rifle. A walter Cooper marked 1874 in 40-90 Bottleneck...

Wow. What is your load for that fine ole girl?

We are still in the development stages of this Cartridge. I have 2 original '74s in the 40-90 Bottleneck and both were shipped to Montana in the late 1870's. Between Kirk from Shiloh Rifles, Mike Venturino who writes for "Guns" magazine and Orville Loomer, we are trying to find the perfect match of a paper patch bullet and black powder.

firefuzz · Post by **firefuzz** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 6:51 am

Shootin' gophers with a .45-70....unless youse shootin' thru a tree or the pond dam youse cheatin'.

rob

KirkD · Post by **KirkD** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 9:49 am

Nice Browning SRC 45-70! If a fellow can dial in gophers with his 45-70, then he's ready for anything.

JReed · Post by **JReed** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 11:23 am

Doesnt look like that barrel has any taper to it at all. The finish is very well preserved if she could talk I wonder the tail she would tell.

Griff · Post by **Griff** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 12:02 pm

I also shoot a .40-90SBN, though mine's a Shiloh. I bought it new in 1987. I'd love to hear more about your loads! What twist are your barrels? What bullets have you used? Powder compression, yes/no? What specific BP? Details, don't tease us!

williamranks · Post by **williamranks** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 1:42 pm

I've always wanted a .577 Nitro Express, the 750 gr solid will pass through an elephant lengthwise. That'll teach them gophers!

3leggedturtle · Post by **3leggedturtle** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 6:28 pm

That looks like too much fun. Do you need a shooter to back you up?

JReed · Post by **JReed** » Thu Mar 12, 2015 6:51 pm

Griff wrote:I also shoot a .40-90SBN, though mine's a Shiloh. I bought it new in 1987. I'd love to hear more about your loads! What twist are your barrels? What bullets have you used? Powder compression, yes/no? What specific BP? Details, don't tease us!

I think he needs to do a topic just on his Sharps rifles.

AkRay · Post by **AkRay** » Sun Mar 15, 2015 4:00 pm

Sixgun wrote:Yo Shrap......THATS how to do it......Elmer Keith style. What was your load?

By the way, tell Mike another excellent article in the latest "Handloader",on the 405 and your octagon barreled 40-72. Very enjoyable.

And by Lordy, I too, was not aware of the difference in rim thickness between the 405 and the 40-72.

When you see him, ask him what he wants for the deluxe 95 in 405.....tell him I'll trade him the Colt Slip gun that Elmer Keith used and is written up by John Taffin in the latest issue of "Guns Magazine"...and for that matter, I'll take your 40-72 when you get tired of it. Got lots of trade stock.....Many years ago when Walt Melander (NEI) was still alive he made me a 300 grain semi spitzer gas check mould for the 405. I use it in my original Schuetzen Winchester 1885 Hi-Wall in 40-82....incrementally sized down to .4085.........will hit beer cans out to 300 meters.......when I'm feeling good and the wind is not blowing too bad.------6

How come Mike V. don't play over here.? I'd like to converse with him. Been reading his articles when no one knew his name.

Sixgun, Mike V. is on facebook. https://www.facebook.com/mike.venturino.37?fref=ts

tman · Post by **tman** » Tue Mar 17, 2015 4:04 pm

The Browning 86 SRC is as close to a custom made, affordable gun that's still out there. You can hunt anything in the world with it, and still pass it down to your grandson and it will outlast him. NICE!

Grizz · Post by **Grizz** » Tue Mar 17, 2015 5:49 pm

yup. like mine. love the way it sounds, kind of like all the parts are in there on purpose.

Blaine · Post by **Blaine** » Wed Mar 18, 2015 12:36 am

I remember a target of opportunity, a crow, that I shot with the old Federal HP 300gr 45-70.....About fifteen years ago....the feathers are still floating to earth...