Heading out in 2 hrs

[rdnck]

I'm meeting up with three friends Friday morning for a buffalo hunt in west Texas. The original game plan was (is) for us to use our 45-70 Shilohs. Two of the guys have never taken a buffalo, and this is the first time that buffalo have been shot out of this herd on this ranch. We want to show the ranch owner just how effective these rifles are, and while we have eight or nine different Sharps calibers available between the four of us, we are shooting 45-70s loaded with 480 to 525 grain bullets pushed by black powder to 1180 to 1240 fps. A couple of the guys have suggested that I use my 45-110 Business rifle, but I hate to break from the group as regards to caliber choice on the buffalo. I will probably carry the 45-110, but I plan to shoot my 45-70 Business rifle.

I will figure out how to get pictures posted, so stay tuned. Shoot straight, rdnck.

[bobw]

Good luck RDnck, Picked my meat up in Valentine Ne this am on the way home. Right at 300lbs of the best eating in the whole damn world. Better take and use the 110, I know you can get it done with the 45-70, but you got pilgrims to clean up after for sure. bobw

[Dave Roelle]

Best of luck Bill----------------SHOOT STRAIGHT

Dave

[rdnck]

We're back, and like all trips, this one had some good and not so good, but fortunately, not really ugly. For openers, the not so good. There was a light but steady rain and 27 degrees when we got there around noon. The rain was forecast to be heavier and last all day the next day, so we decided to go ahead that afternoon. The rain means we don't have much in the way of pictures, but I will figure out how to get what I have to Ranch and maybe he can put them up.

There were four of us.The original plan was for us to use our 45-70 Shilohs. Two of the guys really wanted me to use my 45-110 Business Rifle so we could compare how it worked versus the 45-70 on buffalo. Then one of the guys decided to shoot his Shiloh Military rifle in 45-90. That left two of us shooting 45-70s.

I was detailed to shoot first, and a 3 year old bull was pointed out to me. The distance was a lasered 168 yards and I shot it with a 520 grain Lyman Govt. bullet over 96 grains of KIK 2f which gave 1320 fps. I hit the bull at the top half of his shoulder blade broad side, and it rocked him but did not knock him down. It was a complete pass through. I shot the bull twice more with a 480 grain Lyman 457121 flatnosed bullet at 1330 fps before he finally went down. We recovered one of those. Not really the quick clean kill we all want, but the buffalo traveled maybe 15 yards after the first hit. I got a couple of pictures, but the rain and mud kept us from doing much as far as pictures.

Next up was my friend from Oklahoma. He was shooting a Shiloh Number 3 Sporter in 45-70. His load was a 525 grain flat nosed paper patched bullet out of a Brooks mold over 75 grains of KIK 3f for 1225 fps. His first shot was at 168 yards, and hit low in the brisket, traveling just under the heart and passing all the way through. The buffalo moved off to 191 yards, and on the next shot, the bullet caught the bull square in the shoulder and passed through the lungs and out through the off side shoulder. The third shot followed quickly, and hit about three inches from the first and also passed all the way through. This one put the bull on the ground, and no bullets were recovered. This was a lot cleaner and a quicker kill than I had had with the 45-110. We were done for the day, as it was getting dark, and we had to get the buffalo to the processor.

The next morning was cold. 19 degrees, and muddy and wet, but the rain was moving out, contrary to the weather forecast. The next buffalo was taken with the 45-90 Military Rifle loaded with a Govt. bullet and 72 grains of KIK 2f for a velocity of 1180 fps. The shooter was looking for a penetration test of sorts, and caught the bull facing him at a flat 100 yards. The bull was hit square in the chest and turned and walked about 10 yards and started wobbling, and fell over. The processor found the bullet in the pelvis after it penetrated lengthwise down the buffalo for a measured 72 inches. Six feet of penetration for a Govt bullet at what was essentially a 45-70 load--and a clean one shot kill. The 30-1 bullet lost only four grains of weight. You could almost reload the bullet, and rifling marks run from the front driving band to the ogive on the bullet's nose.

Last was another friend shooting a Shiloh Roughrider in 45-70. I had loaded his ammo for this, his first buffalo hunt. The load was a Govt. bullet over 72 grains of KIK 3f for 1210 fps. This last buffalo for the hunt was broadside at 103 yards, and the 509 grain bullet caught him square in the shoulder and came out the other side . It is still going for all we know. By the time another shell was in the chamber, the bull was down. Less than 10 seconds to down and done. This is the first large animal and the first animal other than hogs for this gentleman with a 45-70. He has hunted British Columbia and Alaska with modern rifles and has taken moose and brown bear that I know of. He cannot believe the penetration and killing power shown by the 4570 loaded with the Govt bullet and black powder.

I do know that we had a good hunt, and it was very informative. Don't let anybody tell you that you have to have a 45-110 to kill buffalo. A properly loaded 45-70 will work just fine. Shoot straight, rdnck.

[Dave Roelle]

Outstanding Bill that would be a pickup bed full of Buffler steaks !!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No one enjoys hunting in the rain and mud, sometimes like this case there just isn't an option.

I'm off to the ranch this weekend to thin out the coyotes and tend feeders

Glad ya'll had a safe hunt

Dave

[Don McDowell]

Good report Bill. The best part was there were no train wrecks..

[Kurt]

Good going Bill. To bad the weather wasn't nicer and I understand what it's like hunting out in the rain, but the final outcome is always worth the uncomfortable conditions.

Kurt

[Sarge]

Outstanding Bill! Kinda of proved what you already knew. There is a sweet spot for all variables regarding penetration, huh?

[rdnck]

That's what we were looking at when the guys asked me to shoot the 45-110. I won't call that definitive proof, but it is evidence that velocity may not be all that it is cracked up to be. One thing for sure, the 45-70 didn't give up anything to the 45-110 on these buffalo. Shoot straight, rdnck.

[Sarge]

Indeed. In my simple mind it makes sense that the distance would have to be greater for the 45-110 to gain the advantage, and would be interesting to get an idea of that distance.