)Well, I bought my 1886 Browning in .45-70 this summer and worked up a hunting load. I ended up using a Hornady 325 gr FTX bullet over 45.8 gr of IMR 4198. That gave me about 2050 fps. I sighted in the rifle by aiming at a 8-inch black bullseye at 200 yards. The impact was on the bottom edge of the black, meaning i did, in fact, have a load that was good for a 4-inch point blank range of 200 yards.
I did notice that, at 200 yards, the front sight completely hid the 8 inch bullseye. So I figured I realistically needed to be 150 yards or so from a mule deer to make a humane shot and ensure I didn't leave one for the coyotes.
On my way up, I stopped at Cabela's in Rapid City to buy a shotgun sling. It worked, but I have to make something better for next year.
On hunting day in SE Montana, the wind was blowing mercilessly from the WNW. I got up on a high rim to glass, hoping to find the deer lying on the lee side of some hills far away. I did see several deer, including bucks, about 2 miles south of me, but they were on their feet and headed into a deep, heavily wooded coulee. I knew that coulee well, but it was hard to get up on a deer in there. Usually you would look over your shoulder to see the bucks going over the ridge a long ways away from you.
I drove the long way around and parked well outside the area I'd seen the deer.I entered the head of that deep coulee and worked my way into the wind. I was taking baby steps and looking around with each one. I was determined to the the deer before they saw me and bounded away. (I also wanted to keep my heart rate down for a steady shot.) About an hour and a half later, I was crossing a bare point when it dawned on me that I was exposed in an area where my eyes weren't good enough to scan everything that could see me. I hurried my snail's pace just a bit to get myself into a crease between two ridges, about 40 vertical feet from the floor of the main coulee.
When I looked up again, there he was! About 350 yards away across the coulee was a 5 x 5 muley looking right at me. I immediately dropped to the ground behind a small salt sage. I glassed his way, trying to see if there was a way I could get within the 150 yards I wanted to be or if I had spooked him away. He had left his spot and was instead headed in my direction at a fast walk. I could see that he was nothing for the trophy books, but he was a symetrical 5 x 5, and would do just fine for my open sighted 1886.
Next thing I know, the buck is in the bottom of the coulee, running my way at a fast gallop. He's now within the 150 yards I wanted him to be, but he's moving so fast I'm not about to shoot. When he gets to within 100 yards or so, he disappears behind a ridge to my left. My first impression was that he was coming to me, but at this point I'm not sure where he's going. So, I take the coyote call that is always around my neck and blow it like a sick doe. (not intentionally, I'm just sure she sound's sick.)
Within seconds, the buck is standing immediately to my left, wild-eyed and snorting. I raise my 1886 rifle and shoot. He expired.
From the time I first saw the buck 350 yards away until I shot was less than 45 seconds. When I shot, I don't even remember using the sights because he was less than 15 yards away at that time. (of course, I also don't remember cocking the hammer, but I did.)
So....so much for the improved ballistics of the FTX bullet. Later, I realized I could have shot the buck with my .44 Mag Super Redhawk, but it all happened so fast that I didn't even think of the revolver, let alone have time to get it out of the holster. I was still hoping I'd get a broadside, standing shot for my rifle at 150 or less.
He's a trophy for me this year.
I don't know if he thought I was a competing buck, a willing doe, or a coyote. The rut was in full session. I've called lots of bucks to me during the rut, but I've never had one come to me on sight and never so fast.
I was happy a few days later when I shot my doe at 140 yards and the rifle did as expected (even though I'm sure I dropped that heavy barrel a tad right as I was pulling the trigger-the impact was in the lower part of the vitals instead of dead-on.)
I can't wait to try this rifle and the FTX on some hogs.