Here is a picture of my dad's antelope from that year... same ranch.



I figure if a guy that is 76 (at the time), with an artificial hip, and walks with a pronounced limp, shoots a 30-30 Win, and can kill an antelope at 65-yards there is absolutely no reason why any animal in Texas would have to be shot at over a hundred or so yards.

That blood stain high in the lung area is the exit wound. The entry wound is very low on the opposite side. That's what happens when you are flat as a snake on the ground shooting at a standing critter. My dad would say, "that's what camo is for, not cus it looks good".

Oh, the antelope is being held up for my dad becuase he had a torn rotator cuff also!

Welcome to the THF, and no, the 45/70 really is not too big for deer in the scheme of things. Proper bullet placement even with that large a caliber is the key, not only for a quick, clean kill, but also to reduce meat destruction.

Excellent photo, Many Thanks for posting it.

If more folks, would spend time working on their hunting skills instead of spending $$$ trying to obtain equipment that lets them get away with not having to do that, everyone would enjoy hunting much more.

The sad fact of our modern situation, is that folks don't really have the time to expend the effort to develope their skills, so they buy equipment that they hope will make up for their lack of skill and knowledge. JMO.

Lord Gawd I am glad we found something we can agree on, I was about to give you up as a lost soul!

Take a minute and think about this.

How many years have you been deer hunting?

Do you buy rifles or scopes to make up for a lack of knowledge or skill, or do you buy new equipment because you feel that the way you hunt, a new piece of equipment will enhance or add to your ability to make clean quick kills?

Look around and see how many folks that have never hunted, jump up and run out and spend 12 or 15 hundred dollars or more putting a rifle and scope rig together.

You have your beliefs, and you are entitled to them, I have just been in too many hunting camps where people came into camp, with no more experience than having been to a gun smith and having their gun sighted in for them.

They may have never fired the gun, but they bought the best rig they could put together and they believe they are ready to hunt, or so they think.

Thanks for all that, the answer evidently was that you buy equipment that will enhance your skills and ability, instead of buying equipment to either cover up or make up for a lack of skill or ability.

ballistics aside there is no need for a 45-70, unless you just enjoy shooting it. Your killing a deer not your shoulder.

you wanna get close pick up a bo

Quote:

---

If more folks, would spend time working on their hunting skills instead of spending $$$ trying to obtain equipment that lets them get away with not having to do that, everyone would enjoy hunting much more.

---

I have hunting dank near as long as you have, I buy todays stuff because it is better. And if I want to spend the $$$ I can. I have not changed ONE hunting skill because of it. Some people change as the world rotates, I guess some don't.

Now for my pennies worth, I think one of the reasons the 45-70 is like a step child is the fact that a lot of people take one look at the cartridge and think that it will relocate their shoulder to the next county when they pull the trigger. In other words it is pure ignorance.

I have for the past year been using a .450 Marlin. I have found it to be a little much for texas whitetail, even fallow deer. However, only required one shot. I will be downsizing for local game. Shot cow elk in SW Colorado .450 performed great on the larger game (+/- 125 yards)

My two cents.

-Duckfoot

And this is why there are so many different choices to make.Different people and hunting circumstances make for different calibers and weapons of choice.Hunt within your personal limitations and your equipments limitations and have fun!

I love my Handirifle in 45-70.

Shoots great with the 405gr corelockts.

I was just about to step in and defend you, JCB, you definitely said most hunting is done in Texas where shots "MAY EXCEED" 200 yards. A true statement.

I think the popularity of all those old cartridges declined because it was found that high velocity (impact velocity above 1900fps) creates quick kills. Deep penetrating slow velocity bullets are sure killers but the game can often run 100-200 yards before expiring.

I used to own a .45-70 but never shot a deer with it. The bullets from the factory loads at 1340 fps could actually be seen going downrange on a sunny day. The recoil was very mild in the 8 1/3 pound rifle I was using. About like the .243 in a 7 1/2 pound rifle.

Dang, how did I miss all this for so long????

I will jump in here though...

The 45-70 is a fine deer rifle, if used "like a tool" for its proper ranges and use...well, there were 1200 yards sights on the early 45-70's....nevermind, just be sure you can hit what you shoot at.

I do have a couple of commments, not necessarily directed at anyone in particular....

I wholeheartedly agree most hunters don't practice enough...and most hunters (not us marksmen here); (and most cops we see), well, to paraphrase BlackHawk Down...can't shoot for stiht...


You guys that own ranches have every right in the world to require whatever you want on your ranches, if its 100 yard zero's or whatever. I would hope that you make that very clear to the hunter prior to them booking, paying, and traveling for the hunt. We use specialized scopes, Springfield Armory's Government scopes to be precise. They are sighted in at 2" high at 100 yards. This is the correct setting for these scopes to function properly. They are made for 308 162gr GMM ammo, period. The scopes will then be ballistically correct at 3,4,5,6,7,8 hundred and 1000 yards, as drop is concerned. IF I was coming to your ranch, and was required to re-zero the scope, then I would be creating more problems than we were solving. I would hope there is some leeway for experienced, veteran shooters to "test out" of your requirements. We would be happy to demonstrate for an outfitter/landowner our prowess at acceptable ranges, but to reset the scopes outside of training and manufacturers specs, seems overkill. Shooting a 4" group at 100 yards, sounds great, bang, bang, bang, bang, lets hunt.

I did turn down a shot at a hog at over 1000 yards last week. Clear shot, safe shot, just had the semi-auto carbine and 3x scope. Sure wish I would have had the 26" barreled Savage and the 14x scope.

I am apalled at how many hunters never re-check their rifle after travel, or never pattern their shotgun....see it all the time.