practical big bores

Managing recoil of the Big Bores is our subject again this week.

To refine some of the general principles of controlling recoil presented in last weeks blog, here are 9 specific ways by which the recoil of large bores can be managed:

1) Weight of rifle: This has already been mentioned in some detail, but keep in mind that the advertised weight of a rifle in a glossy magazine will not always be its true heft, especially with a wood stock. And even if the published weight is close to reality, that’s not it’s hunting weight!  Hunting weight includes scope (with rings and bases if not already intregal with the action as in a Ruger or CZ), ammo and sling which usually adds another pound to one and a half pounds. And don’t just consider carrying weight, thinking that’s the most important thing involved. You MUST SHOOT IT! It must be shootable! And in a Big Bore that’s the most important consideration. A fly-weight Big Bore is an oxymoron…  acutely silly! In making a Big Bore shootable with ease, you must practice with it… from the bench, from offhand and practical field-rests such as shooting sticks, tree limbs, trunks, rocks, ledges, pacs, etc. That extra pound, or more, helps in slowing down the recoil so it can be controlled to a reasonable degree.

2) Shape of stock: Don’t buy all the hype about so-called “American straight-stocks” as though that were the “holy grail” of rifle stocks. Actually, John Barsness wrote an excellent piece on this theme in RIFLE (I believe it was). I don’t have the time or inclination right now to look it up but in essence I agreed with all of it. It was a rare article in a gun mag as mostly they survive in that business by the adds they sell. And that includes gun manufacturers’ full-page promotional materials. Editors don’t want to offend them as it’s their bread and butter! So, for a staff writer to call a particular stock “as ugly as a warthog” would not go over real big! That is, with rifle makers who pay big bucks to sell us their rifles!

Nonetheless, Barsness did an excellent job of skirting that hurdle while at the same time giving some not-so-common sense on buying a rifle that fits you. I found his ideas suited my own thinking. In essence this is it: Don’t buy it because of the hype. Hold it. Handle it. Does it fit? Does it balance well? Keep in mind what I wrote a week ago about balance changing with adding scope and ammo. Have a scope mounted before you buy it, so you can actually get a sense of what it would be like in the field. If the dealer doesn’t want to do that go elsewhere, or at least threaten to do so! LOP (length of pull) on a Big Bore should be a bit on the long side, by about 1/2-inch. Usually they are designed that way to begin with. It helps in keeping the scope off your brow. But also keep in mind your arm length. You may actually need a good smith to shorten it by 1/2″ or so, should you have shorter arms than average.

Then, there’s the issue of Monte Carlo (Weatherby) style vs. straight vs. euro vs. British. Personally, I prefer the British for my Big Bores (a slight drop at the comb). I’ll get into mounting a scope later, but for the moment let’s just say that it can change our view of things, literally and figuratively speaking.

One of the reasons why some shooters complain of the recoil of a .300 Win Mag, for example, is due to a combination of 4 factors: a) a “straight American stock”; b) mounting a scope too low; c) the way the rifle is “held”, and d) the actual recoil. And the last (d) being the least significant while it’s blamed as the major cause of dislike for the .300 Win Mag! That’s just one example of how stock shape and fit may affect perceived recoil.

3) Bullet weight and velocity: Generally, the heavier the bullet for a given cartridge, the greater the recoil in ft-lbs. That’s not always true, but mostly it is. For example: a 350gr Barnes TSX leaving the muzzle of my Ruger .45-70 Imp at 2470 fps hits me with 52 ft-lbs of kinetic energy. I find that quite manageable at the bench. In comparison, a 500gr Hornady exiting at 2200 fps requires quite a bit more concentration. I grip the forearm and pistol grip tighter and pull the rifle back into my shoulder with more force so that my upper-body weight becomes one with the rifle. That load generates 83 ft-lbs of “kick”. At a given bench session, I fire no more than about 8 rounds, and I space them out by shooting a .22LR (or something moderate) between every couple of rounds from the Ruger. Still, on many trips to the range, I’ve fired 3 of those loads in succession to determine accuracy and trajectory. That was in the past. I rarely shoot that load anymore as my hunting load is with the 350 TSX. But, the way that I did shoot it was manageable and not totally unpleasant because I learned how to shoot it without pain and  what I will call “I’m going to do this in an acceptable way and it’s not going to defeat me!” attitude.  

However, I did NOT start with loads that left the muzzle of my first Ruger at 2000+ fps. As I recall, I did buy my first (used) Ruger No.1 in .45-70 with the intention of shooting  Hornady 500’s in it. I had already owned a used Ruger M77 in .458WM with a 22″ tube, and taken it moose hunting loaded with 500-gr Hornadys at around 1900 fps. No chance on a moose but I did shoot a bl. bear with it,  loaded with 350gr Speers. So, I wasn’t totally ”lost in a wilderness” about recoil from 500 Hornadys. Yet I did start relatively “low” in the No.1, at around 1650 fps and worked up from there. It did go hunting for bear loaded with the 500 Hornady at around 1850 fps. But no bear showed up! Over time, it was “discovered” that with the “right” load it would make 2000+ fps from the 500 Hornady! That load was tested by a powder company in the U.S…. and it came out fine. Later that rifle was given to my second son and I purchased a new No.1 in .45-70. It had a slightly shorter throat but accomplished about the same thing as the first No.1. A plan to have it long-throated (improved) was completed about eight years ago. It’s now my Ruger No.1 .45-70 Imp. A black bear was unfortunate enough to get in the way of that 500gr at an MV of 2200 fps… at 40 yds! The recoil wasn’t remembered… I could’ve been shooting a .22 LR as to recoil! That old adage is still true: “You’ll not notice recoil when shooting big game!” My son has bloodied his nose twice in shooting moose with his .338 WM, and he never noticed it!

Here’s the basic principle: It’s not essential to start with full-house loads in a Big Bore. To get a feeling for the recoil and handling of a “new to you” Big Bore, start with moderate loads. We do this by slowing the heavy-duty bullets to modest velocities of at least 200 to 400 fps below the maximum listed in a reloading manual, depending upon cartridge-caliber and max velocity for that cartridge. In a .416 Remington, for example, slow a 400gr down to around 1900 to 2000 fps, starting out, rather than the “normal” 2400 fps.

Another “trick” is to use lightweight or medium-weight bullets in your Big Bore at humble speeds.

Practice with such loads from the bench and field positions until you master the rifle and feel comfortable with it. Then progress from there, gradually, until you’re just as comfortable with your hunting loads (which may NOT be max).  

Hey… we’re not done yet… we still have 6 more ways to manage recoil from the Big Bores!

See ya then, next time (Pic of Bob shooting his CZ from the offhand stance).

Shalom

BOB MITCHELL

practical big bores

Controlling recoil of the Big Bores is our subject.

In my last couple of blogs it’s been emphasized that we have to deal with it if we intend to use a Big Bore for hunting, or just shooting. There’s no getting around it, we must face it. How we face it and how we manage it is this weeks blog.

First consideration is the rifle itself. Is it built to safely handle 60 to 80 ft-lbs of shock? Not all rifles are created equal.  Many rifles have had their stocks split or cracked by shooting .458 Win Mag ammo! That’s been so even though they have double crossbolts and double recoil lugs! So, it’s important to have any factory rifle of .458 Winchester “thump” evaluated by a competent gunsmith as to it’s reputation and strength. A word of caution: Just as not all Big Bore rifles are created equal, it is also true that not all gunsmiths are equally competent! Get to know an honest one who has a good reputation and has experience in this very important area of rifle frabrication. I could go into more details but will leave it with you to know and/or find a gunsmith who knows his stuff. I have an excellent, world-class smith “who knows his stuff”. I’ve known him for about 20 years and he’s done a lot of work for me at reasonable (not cheap) costs. If I don’t need something done, that I’m concerned over or thinking about, he’ll tell me.

The overall strength and structural design of any rifle is obviously very important. This is doubly so for a Big Bore. But equally so is stock design and shape. Unless custom made, stocks are any shape and size you want  as long as it’s the “one-size-fits-all” that comes from the factory. Like the original Ford, buyers could have it in “any color you want as long as it’s black”!

Really, the main point about controlling recoil is: Does the stock fit you and does it help in handling the recoil of a big bruiser? We have different shaped bodies, so a stock and overall rifle weight that might suite me may be cumbersome for another shooter/hunter. Don’t believe everything you read in a magazine, even though it might be by your favorite author. They too have their preferences and prejudices. But honestly ask and answer these relevant questions if you choose a factory built Big Bore (If it’s a custom rifle then you, of course, can order it to fit your preferences and dimensions): Does it fit me? Does it come to my shoulder naturally as though it belonged there? What about its balance point? Keep in mind that loading it with ammo and mounting a scope may change things quite a bit. Therefore, don’t choose a scope intended for varmints or long-range shooting (That subject is coming up soon). Do I even want a scope on it? A true Big Bore will come equipped with iron sights. Are they suitable for a Big Bore? What about forearm shape and size, will my hand adequately and firmly grip it? And the pistol grip? What about the comb? These features and more will have an immense effect on the managing of recoil. Of course, DON”T NEGLECT TO EXAMINE THE PAD! Feel it. Ask questions about who made it, if you don’t know. Is it too soft or too hard? What thickness? Eyeball it. Usually, today’s pads are adequate from the factory, but Ruger has had a bad reputation for installing hard, thin “truck tire” rubber as a butt pad. They may have changed all that with their Hawkeye .416 and .375 Rugers…  let’s hope they have.

Another significant issue will be the overall weight of the gun all-up. It’s very apparent that many American hunters think that fly-weight rifles are about perfect sporting a 20″ tube!! Gimme a break! Please! On the forums, shooters are constantly posting pictures of their 5 – 6 lb rifles for big game! As though that were the eleventh commandment! Then, to contradict themselves, they choose a 12 lb rig with an observatory-size scope on it to shoot varmints!!!

In general, you want Big Bore rifles that shoot .416 to .458 magnum cartridges to weigh in the neighbourhood of 9 lbs to 9.5 lbs BEFORE adding scope, ammo and a sling. All-up, they should weigh between 10 and 11 pounds. My CZ 550 with scope, sling and 5 loaded cartridges comes in at 11 lbs even. That’s using my hunting load of 350gr TSX’s, Winchester brass and 80 grains of powder. I’ve yet to feel that it’s an unwieldy burden because of its balance, shape of stock and fit. It handles beautifully and comes to my shoulder naturally. I used it for about 8 hours a day during a moose hunt in Northern Ontario in 2008. While I had my Savage in .300WM with me as backup, it never came out of its case. It has a synthetic stock, a 3 – 9 X40mm scope, and with 3 in the magazine it weighs 8.8 lbs including sling. While my partner and I put in long days with a lot of walking, watching and sitting in very rugged country, I never felt a need to go to the lighter rifle. Of course, during walking on trails or old logging roads, the rifle was slung on my shoulder. On the other hand, a great amount of trekking through dense underbrush didn’t allow for that, but my CZ was hand held and carried in the most fitting manner depending on the circumstance.

My Ruger No.1 in .45-70 Imp, on the other hand, only weighs 8 lbs all-up, with scope, sling and 5 cartridges on the stock. It’s recoil is stout, shooting the 350 TSX at 2470 fps, but very manageable due to its balance, shape and construction.

There will be more next time on managing and living with the recoil of the Big Bores.

Until then, MERRY CHRISTMAS &  A HAPPY NEW YEAR

 (Pic is of Mitchell preparing to shoot the CZ 550 from the bench).

BOB MITCHELL

practical big bores

Whether we like it or not, the issue of recoil must be faced and dealt with in shooting the Big Bores. Last week I gave some examples of the amounts of recoil, as measured in ft-lbs, from some heavy-hitters in the .416-caliber class all the way up to some .458-calibers.

As I spend some of my valuable time on a few gun forums, this question of “how badly does it kick?” rears its scruffy head quite frequently. In discussions over appropriate loads for a Marlin lever-action, .45-70, this issue seems to determine, for a majority of hunters and shooters, what loads are best at killing moose, for example. In fact, that very thing was recently being harangued by “the chosen few” who feel they are the authorities on the matter. What do they think and approve of as an ideal load for moose from a Marlin .45-70? Totally apart from the ballistics required, or possible, a 400gr Speer lumbering along at somewhere between 1400 and 1700 fps was thought to be near perfection! The main rationale being that the old traditional factory load of a 405gr at around 1300 fps, lazily finding it’s mark through the lungs of a moose is surely ample, therefore anything above and beyond that is pure frosting on the cake! And, if you go beyond 1600 or 1700 fps you’ll pay dearly in convalescence for broken collar bones in a nearby hospital - that is assuming you are still able to make that trek! I’m amazed that few actually load a .45-70 to its potential! Yet, these same persons will happily load their 870 Remington 12-gauges with 3.5″ magnum buck loads and crow about how their shoulders have been “toughed-up” by all the shootin’ they’ve done! One of the worst offenders in recoil is that very rig shooting magnum loads! And, at one time I owned a double-barrelled coach gun  that would shoot magnum loads! It barely weighed 6 lbs! When you touched it off you were’nt sure if the slug was leaving the muzzle faster than you were going in the opposite direction!

Another offender was a short barrelled SAKO in 300 Win Mag that barely weighed 7lbs… I was chronying loads for another guy at the range. It’s bite was indeed as bad as its bark!

I mention these happenings to illustrate some truths about perceived recoil. Shooters experience the kick of a particular rifle and load individually. That is, it’s personalized. Perhaps no two people feel the exact same sensation when shooting a factory 300gr load from a .375H&H, as only one example. While we can quantify the recoil in ft-lbs, no two shooters will react to it’s punch in an identical fashion. What do I mean?

Let’s take the above example as the basis for a brief discussion on “felt” recoil: First off, the load itself is a factory 300gr load. It’s perhaps listed by the manufacturer as leaving the muzzle of a 24″ barrel at 2530 fps. But that’s from a factory test barrel with tighter specs than run-of-the-mill sporter barrels. So, assuming the sporting rifle has a 24″ tube, it will in real time loose about 100 fps from the advertised velocity. So, actually, it’s making about 2430 fps at the muzzle. Then, there’s the rifle itself. Is it a bolt-action rifle or a single-shot? Does it have a scope mounted? How many cartridges in the magazine? What about a sling? For discussion purposes, let’s say the rifle is a bolt-gun that all-up (with scope, sling plus ammo)  comes in at 9.5 lbs. And, to satisfy our curiosity to know how bad it will boot the shooter, we’ll give an educated guess that the factory has loaded the cartridge with 69.5 grains of power. Calculations say it recoils with 35 ft-lbs of energy. The question is: How do YOU feel that? Now, that’s from one formula by Dr. Sam Fadala that I put in memory many years ago. I also have a ballistics program on my computer which spits out a slightly different number: 33.9 ft-lbs. And yet another on-line recoil calculator which declares 37.2 ft-lbs is about right!!!

I think we all get the message that any calculation is really only a ball-park figure. But we’ll chose the middle… the one given first of all = 35 ft-lbs. That should be close enough as no one individual could judge differently from what he senses.

What would your shoulder tell YOU? Actually, more than the shoulder is involved here… Yes, the shoulder, but also the hands, wrists, arms, neck, head, back and leg muscles. Yes, the legs also. In fact the whole body is involved, including the heart, lungs and other organs… and the bones. So, the whole body in effect is protecting itself from the abuse it knows is coming. But how does the body know? We mustn’t forget the brain and central nervous system because the brain has stored information it believes to be true and immediately sends conscious and unconscious messages through the CNS, which communicates those messages to various muscles, etc. What we “feel” is a tightening of muscles, including facial and jaw muscles because we know we’re gonna get punched! For some shooters that’s more “scary” than for others. Many will close their eyes in fear of what “may happen”! In some rare cases, others have been known to drop the rifle in a reactionary way as though they had just been bitten by a viper! In another way of looking at it, it’s as much psychological as physical. Some have a mental toughness, or have developed it, while others flinch and tense-up at the mere thought of it! Others, who are inexperienced, tense-up every muscle in their body, which makes matters worse, but it wasn’t as bad as they thought it might be… so they carry on and quickly overcome any fear. They’ve won the psychological battle! Others… well… they never get over that first punch and they may settle for a .243 for all the hunting they’ll ever undertake from that “traumatic moment”.

Is there anything that can be done to mitigate (lessen) the sensed effects, both physical AND psychological, of recoil from the Big Bores? Is there help? The short answer? YES!

But that’s for next time. Oh… the pic? That’s Mitchell shooting a very lightweight .45-70 off the bench with a heavy-duty load that went into MOA. And, yeah, later he killed a trophy-class bear with it.

Shalom

BOB MITCHELL

practical big bores

Recoil and scopes is our current theme as they pertain to Big Bores for hunting purposes.

To effectively hunt with the Big Bores we must first off practice with them. Before that, we must choose our load, either factory or handload, and sight-in the rifle with that load. Sighting-in the rifle is another related topic that we’ll not go into here, other than to say it must be done at a range, or some other safe location, if we anticipate shooting our game animal(s) in a lethal area of its anatomy. That too is another topic for another time, but an important one. 

Once the load has been chosen and the rifle sighted for the trajectory we’ve settled on, burning ammo in practice is an essential prerequisite if we ever hope to be successful when the game shows up whether at 25 yds or at 250.

In using a Big Bore for large and/or dangerous game, confidence is built from shooting scores of rounds at realistic distances and from varying positions. 200 yards is a very long shot at DG, and that will not be allowed by the guide or PH under normal conditions. Usually, in Africa, for example, when hunting buffalo, the PH will make every effort to get the client hunter within 50 yards of the buff and often the shot will be taken using shooting sticks as a rest. In regard to elephant the shot is within 20 or so yards and usually from the offhand stance.  For the big cats, ranges can vary from a few feet (if the cat is charging) to over a hundred yards should the animal be unaware and resting. In such a scenario, the hunter will use an appropriate, sighted-in load, and shoot from a solid rest or shooting sticks. It is essential, therefore, that the prospective hunter of DG on this continent, or abroad, will have invested the necessary time and effort in realistic practice with his/her Big Bore prior to the hunt. We are all aware, I’m sure, of stories of would-be hunters who’ve bought a box of ammo 20 years ago and fired a total of five since “in practice”… and often those “practice” shots were in the general direction of game! 

At a later date I’ll discuss accurate loads and accurate shooting of Big Bores, but for the moment the handling of recoil, and the related topic of scopes for Big Bores, is our main theme.

First, let’s consider some numbers and try to understand what they imply or represent. If we quantify the recoil (kick) of a rifle shooting a certain load in foot-pounds (ft-lbs) we can then relate the energy of that particular load’s back-thrust in that rifle with another rifle that shoots a different load. For example: Let’s compare the recoil of two Marlin lever-actions, with 18.5″ barrels, that weigh approximatelt the same but chambered for different cartridges: One in .450 Marlin firing the standard 350gr Hornady load at about 1950 fps (Yeah, I know it’s advertised at 2100 fps but from the GG it makes about 1950 fps!), and the other in .30-30 shooting a 170gr at the same speed (Yes, I’m aware they’re supposed to go 2200 fps, but from a short 18.5″ tube 1950 is about it!). We know before the fact which one will kick the most. We don’t need to do the math. But some hot-shot will crow about “how brutal” the recoil is! But what he’s saying is in comparison to his friend’s .30-30! The .30-30 is a pussy cat in recoil… I think we all know that… at least we should… about a 9 lb (ft-lbs) pussy cat! The .450 Marlin is a ferocious 33.5 pound (ft-lbs) bob cat in comparison! So maybe our “hot-shot” shooter of the .450 Marlin is somewhat justified in thinking his thumper is brutal in offending his delicate sensitivities! That is, compared to his friend’s whimpy .30-30 load! On the other hand, if we compare Hot Shot’s bob cat with the .460 Weatherby for example, we are relating bob cats to tigers! There really isn’t any way to describe the gulf that exists in recoil between the two! It has to be “felt” to be believed! In numbers, the .460 Weatherby in an 11 lb rifle generates over 100 ft-lbs of “whatever-you-want-to-call-it”! That level of recoil can’t be described by sheer numbers! But if you choose to own one and use it for shootin’, and not just for lookin’, you’ll have to deal with it!

Here are some general numbers in ft-lbs for comparing the recoil of Big Bores: (Note: quantifying recoil in ft-lbs does not necessarily describe adequately it’s total effect to the senses. We call that “felt recoil”, and there are many factors involved, including ft-lbs of recoil.)

.416 Remingtom/400gr/ 2400 fps/9.5 lb rifle = 58 ft-lbs

.416 Rigby/400gr/2500 fps (handload)/10.5 lb rifle = 62 ft-lbs

.45-70/465gr cast/1900 fps (handload) 8.5 lb rifle = 42 ft-lbs

.45-70 Imp/500gr/2200 fps (handload) 7.4 lb rifle = 83 ft-lbs

.458 Win Mag/500gr/2200 fps (handload) 10.5 lb rifle = 59 ft-lbs

.458 Lott/500gr/2300 fps/10.5 lb rifle = 66.5 ft-lbs

.450 Dakota/500gr/2500 fps/10.5 lb rifle = 90 ft-lbs

These are just a few examples. There are several ways of dealing with those amounts of recoil energy, including using lighter bullets and milder loads. Next time we’ll discuss this further, as well as getting into the issue of felt recoil and mounting a scope on your Big Bruiser…

Pic is of  a 600gr load for the 458 WM, and others for the .45-70 Improved. They’ll give ya a nose bleed <grin>!

Until then,

Shalom

BOB MITCHELL

practical big bores

Since this site is primarily about Big Bores for big and dangerous game, it’s natural that concerns over recoil management and scope design be high priorities for anyone contemplating the purchase of a true Big Bore (Big Bore = .40+ caliber).

Of course, there are many hunters/shooters who consider something like a .44/40 or .44 Remington Magnum to be a Big Bore. While these, and others of their gendre, are certainly capable whitetail cartridges to within a hundred yards or so, they don’t begin to qualify as true Big Bores as defined by my former blogs.  And based on historical criteria established by the British and German gun makers, ivory hunters and authors back in the day of African and Indian DG hunts,  the use of pistol bullets of around 240grs at less than 2000 fps  would’ve been viewed as the action of a fool bent on self-destruction!

No, Winchester’s “Big Bores”, so-called, don’t qualify either!

Rather, we’re speaking of cartridges of at least .40″ that produce a minimum of 4000 ft-lbs at the muzzle from premium bullets that weigh between 300grs to 600grs, and with a sectional density and/or construction that insures adequate penetration on big, tough, hazardous game.

Based on the above criteria, the .33s, .35s and .375s are not true “Big Bores”. I’ve classed them as Medium Big Bores. Historically, they’ve been regarded as “Mediums”.

In former blogs, I’ve included the .45-70, and .45-70 Imp, with premium handloads.

Question: Does the .405 Winchester reach this standard? Not with 300gr slugs. But, if 400gr premiums are available and handloaded to 2100 fps, then it makes the grade – but barely. In a Ruger No.1 that should be attainable.

Of course, the ancient and present-day true Big Bores qualify. I’ll not review them here but if you go back over my former blogs you’ll find that most have been included up to and including .50-caliber. There are others that’ve been revived/revisited, with some new additions, but because of limited interest in them I decided to cut it off at .50-caliber.

Back to our theme of “Recoil & Scopes”:

In reviewing last week’s blog, the .30-06 load of a 220gr at 2560fps being barely adequate for a big brownie at 20 yds bent on mayhem, the recoil of that load from an 8.5lb rifle (all-up) would be 24.7 ft-lbs – quite manageable in my view. And, assuredly, it would be unnoticed by the guide.

The 150gr from the 300WM motoring along at 3400 fps would produce about the same effect (with a quality bullet) on an 800 lb grizz/brownie as the 30-06 load, but the recoil would be noticeably more at 34.5 ft-lbs – an increase of 40% in an 8.5 lb rifle! However, the best load from a 300 mag, if used on purpose for grizz/brown bear, wouldn’t be a 150-grain, but a 200 to 220-grain. A 220-grain premium bullet, like the Nosler, at 2750 fps actually has less recoil than the 150-grain load! It’s more like 32.6 ft-lbs and would easily handle a big grizz or brownie at 20 yds with perfect shot placement.

What about the .45-70/.450 Marlin load of a 400gr at 1950 fps? As we’ve seen, it easily takes care of things with a premium slug. It’s something like 2X as good as the .30-06 (based on my formula) and 63% better than the 300WM 220-gr load! What about recoil? Recoil = 36.8 ft-lbs from an 8 lb rifle (all-up), or 47% more than the .30-06 and 13% more than the 300 load. This question is often discussed: IS IT WORTH IT? Well, in my judjment, YES! At 13% more recoil for 63% more effect… THAT reveals the efficiency of the .45-70, and why I choose it as my go-to rifle! Of course, we’re speaking here of maxium loads. Yet, if a flat-shooting rifle is needed to take an elk at 500 yds, then the 300 wins over the Marlin. But how many elk have you shot at 500 yds? My longest shot on game weighing over 1000 lbs is 165 yards! I don’t need a 300 for that… but that’s perfect territory for a .45-70/.450 Marlin! But our discussion is shooting DG at spittin’ range! And black bear can be DG, as well as moose! So, if I have an option between a .30-06 and a .45-70, both loaded to the gills, I’ll grab the .45-70 every time, no matter it’s recoil! The same holds true for 300’s of any and every persuasion! And I’ve owned a bunch of ‘em.

More next time on RECOIL & SCOPES, and how to make the right choice.

Shalom

BOB MITCHELL

practical big bores

I use a simple method in comparing the ballistics of one rifle cartridge with another. In some ways it’s very similar to a half-dozen, or so, other methods, or formulas, out there I suppose. But there are also some distinctions.

John Taylor, of the Taylor KO Formula, used bullet weight multiplied by muzzle velocity times nominal caliber, divided by 7000: (BW X MV X Cal/7000 = KO). John Wootters used Kinetic Energy times sectional density times bore diameter equals a lethality index (KE X SD X BD = LI). Mine is similar to Wootters’, but with these distinctions: where he uses a nominal bore diameter, I use cross-sectional area of the bullet as I believe that more equitably expresses the distinction between the frontal area of bullets expanded, or non-expanded. Also, I use an energy figure at impact rather than at the muzzle and multiply the result by a factor which gives relative game weight (KEI X CSA X SD X 25 = RGW). I’ve found this to be close enough to reality in distinguishing between calibers and cartridges.

An example of how this would apply in the real world might be a guide  using a .30-06 loaded to 2560 fps firing a 220gr Nosler Partition  in stopping a charge by a 800 lb grizzly at 20 yards… Would that be adequate? What do you think? What about a 150gr NP from a 300 mag at the same distance starting at 3400 fps? Let’s compare those two loads with a premium 400gr handload from a Marlin Guide Gun in either .45-70 or .450 Marlin at 1950 fps. Those are all potential loads, by the way.

First up is the time-honored .30-06: According to Nosler, the 220gr has a BC of .351. At 20yds it will have lost about 50 fps, so impact velocity would be about 2510 fps and resultant KE = 3077 ft-lbs. Looks good to me, as a “rule of thumb” says 3000 ft-lbs is sufficient for grizz, even the bigger ones. Let’s see based on my formula:

3077 X .074 X .271 X 25 = 1542.65 lbs (RGW). Yup, that’s plenty for a very large Alaskan moose! At 20 yards. But my formula also dictates that multiplying by 25 is a best case scenario… NOT for an angry grizz, or lion,  coming for you, to kill you, at 30 mph! For such a realistic scenario I use 1/2 that number, or 12.5! Let’s see how that changes our understanding of the DG situation. Now we’d need a TRUE STOPPING RIFLE! One-half of 1543 is 772 lbs (we’ll call it that)… close, but barely adequate! That’s probably why most Alaskan guides choose at least a .338WM for close encounters of the hazardous kind.

What about a hunter on his own facing a charge from a 500 lb male lion with a 300 WM loaded only with 150 NP’s? At 20 yds his 150gr load has about 3345 fps impact velocity remaining and 3726 ft-lbs of KE. Is it enough to save his skin? If not enough, he’s dead!

3726 X .074 X .226 X 12.5 = 779 lbs (RGW). Indeed, it looks to be adequate! However, these scenarios are with perfect shot placement! If the shot isn’t perfect, then reduce that 12.5 by 1/2 again! Two shots might do it, but a big cat or bear can cover 20 yards in less time than it takes to say it! That’s why we have stoppers, or Big Bores! Yes, and for big bears on this side of the pond!

Candidly, a bear that ONLY weighs 150 lbs can easily kill a man three times his weight! And a bear, any kind of bear, can cover 20 yds as quickly as a 400 lb lion! A 150 lb female bear, that’s a mom, is nothing to fool with! It’s as potentially dangerous as a 150 lb wolf or cougar! And there are not many of those!

What about our Big Bore in .45-70 or Marlin .450?  We’ll give our premium 400gr a BC of .280, which is realistic since the 405 Remington comes in at .281. The supposed load looses around 50 fps within 20 yds, so the remaining velocity/energy = 1900/3206. Therefore:

3206 X .165 X .272 X 12.5 = 1798.5, or roughly 1800 lbs with a perfect hit! According to our formula, our Marlin GG will stop dead-in-it’s-tracks an 1800 lb monster bent on our destruction! With one shot. Because you won’t get two! But, if you’re a little off the mark, you can still STOP a 900 lb grizz or brown bear! THAT’s WHY I CHOOSE a fast handling BIG BORE!

Any more questions?

Case closed!

‘Till next time, Shalom,

BOB MITCHELL

practical big bores

Again, the pic on the header is of my Ruger No.1 in .45-70 Improved. Before it was long-throated, it was a standard 1-S Ruger No.1 in .45-70 Gov’t.

Currently, Ruger lists 9 calibers (really cartridges) in this particular rifle, the 1-S: .338 RCM; 9.3 X 74Rmm; .375 Ruger in both blued steel/walnut and stainless/laminate; .45-70 in both blued steel/walnut and stainless/laminate; .460 S&W Magnum; .475 Linebaugh and .480 Ruger.

The only differences in their specs are the rate-of-twist, bore diameter and the fact that two are offered in stainless/laminate plus the standard blued steel/walnut. Those latter two in stainless/laminate are also a bit more costly as to an MSRP. Otherwise they are pretty much identical. That brings up the point of this blog: Ruger’s 1-S is chambered in a number of Medium-Big Bores, and Big Bores, that qualify for hunting large and even dangerous big game.

If you like stainless/laminate there are two options: the .45-70 (my favorite) and the .375 Ruger which gives basically the same ballistics as a .375 H&H. The difference of course is that the .375 Ruger grants it from a 22″ barrel, whereas the H&H requires a 24″.

The specs on the 1-S are: 22-inch barrel, 38.5″ in length, 7.25 lbs, Alexander Henry forearm, barrel band sling swivel, blade front sight, quarter rib with adjustable rear sight and integral base for rings (provided). In the medium and big-bore cartridges in which it’s chambered, you’d have a rifle capable of taking any North American big game, and the DG of Africa if chambered in 9.3 X 74R, .375 Ruger and the .45-70. Those chambered for the powerful pistol cartridges could be used on DG with caution in the hands of able marksmen using a proper bullet/load, especially the .460 S&W and the .475 Linebaugh.

If you haven’t seen the photos of these rifles go to Ruger’s web site. They are impressive. I think if I were a collector, I’d have a bunch of  ‘em. As to the cartridges for which they are chambered, I’m particularly attracted to  the 9.3 X74R and the relatively new .375 Ruger. But NOT to replace my Ruger 1-S in .45-70 Imp! That’s far-and-away my all-time favorite!

But any one of them, with the exception of the .338 RCM,  would make a very practical big bore… but not with capital “B”s. True Big Bores, as defined in former blogs, commence with the .40+ crowd!

Yet, to cleanly bring down a bull moose, elk or black bear  with any one of them would be a special treat! Of course, if you have the resources and time, an Alaskan or NWT trip for grizz or giant moose would be even more fulfilling in toting a 1-S in my view. It’s a great classy rifle for which no apologies need ever be made! 

Until next time…

Shalom

BOB MITCHELL

practical big bores

Here’s the same pic that I posted last week without much explanation.  I did that on purpose as I wanted to provoke some thought on what was going on in that photo. Some people want quick-easy answers; others want to figure things out for themselves. They are the ones who tend to stand on their own two feet and will ponder a picture like that. By the time someone gets around to explaining things they’ve already figured it out! I like folk like that as I tend to be that way myself. I don’t want some “expert” to tell me the obvious… or even the less obvious… if it can be discerned without overstressing brain cells!

Now, what you see here is fully explained in my reloading manual on the .45-70. If you’re interested you can reach me at: 4570fan@Gmail.com/

But the point of what you’re seeing is to show how a Ruger No.1 Improved easily equals a handloaded .458 Win Mag with a 22″ tube at a COL of 3.34″.

That’s my Ruger No.1 in .45-70 Imp on the header. Indeed, it is equal to a normal, 22″-barrelled .458. It’s capable of shooting a 350gr TSX at 2530 fps! That’s 4974 ft-lbs of very intense wallop from the muzzle! Now, my hunting load is a wee-bit less intense… only 2470 fps making 4740 ft-lbs!

Do-ya-know that makes much more of an impression on any big game animal in North America than a .375 H&H or .375 Ruger? And in a more compact, lighter package. As you see it displayed on the header, it weighs 7.4 lbs ONLY! Yes! I’ve weighed it… several times. Yeah, I know that’s not what the “book” value says. It says 7 1/4 lbs for rifle only. But mine has an 8oz. Burris fixed four-power scope. That means that the rifle sans scope actually weighs 6.9 lbs! And it’s only 38.25″ long! That’s shorter than most bolt-action carbines. And the scope? It has a nice, assuring 5-inch eye-relief!

So, to review: In a light-weight rifle package, that’s short and handy, I have a plinking-rifle for tin cans and a DG rifle for elephant! If wanted. If I were “stuck” with this rifle alone, with the right handloads I could hunt anything from squirrels to pachyderms! 

But “stuck” gives a negative impression! It might make someone think that I have some reservations, or regrets, at ONLY having this one rifle! NOT AT ALL!! Rather, I’m compelled to say that should the worst ever happen that I could only own one rifle (and I DID experience that for many years), it would be considered a GREAT privilege to have in my possession this one rifle!

Let me lay it out for you: it’s as light and handy as the traditional Winchester 94 in carbine format. It’s beautiful (which can’t exactly be said of the ‘94)! It has class and style. Arguably, it’s the most strong action of any rifle (it can be had in any popular magnum and most of the DG chamberings, either factory or by running in a re-chambering tool). An ammo “sock” can be added to the stock for conveniently holding an additional 10 rounds if needed or wanted. I use one for an additional 5 rounds. With practice, it’s nearly as fast as a bolt action.

With five cartridges on the stock and a nylon sling it “comes in” at 8 lbs… only! With 5 on the stock and one in the chamber that represents the potential of 32, 238 ft-lbs of kinetic wallop to the vitals of untamed nasty beasties! Or, if some intrepid hunter still needs more “comfort”, then two more “in the sock” will compute to 43,000 ft-lbs, rounded.

On the other mitt, if  ’twere woodchuck in view, round cast-lead at +/- 800 fps would do just fine! Something like shootin’ groundhogs with a 45 Colt — which we can’t do in Canada… but we CAN be crafty, and pretend!

And oh… about that figure above? That’s not a misprint or a calculator’s error… That’s with 500’s leaving at 2200 fps!

The bullets and cartridges in the pic above are (L to R): 500gr Hornady RNSP; 500gr Hornady FMJ; 600gr Barnes Original; .458 WM loaded with 600gr Barnes; .45-70 Imp. loaded with 600gr Barnes; 500gr Hornady load in the .45-70 Imp.; 450gr Barnes X in .45-70 Imp.; 400gr X in “standard” Ruger No.1 .45-70; 450gr Barnes X and 400gr Barnes X.

That 500gr Hornady load at 2200 fps will embarrass Lott lovers with an equal length barrel, by the way! Using a Chrony, invite them to fire their loads, factory or handload, and then I’ll fire mine over your Chrony (at your invitation, of course). If the difference is more than 100 fps, I’ll give you my rifle. But, if it’s LESS than 50 fps, they must surrender theirs… any takers?

Until next time,

BOB MITCHELL

practical big bores – the Marlin .45-70

There’s a rather “warm” debate ongoing, on one of the gun forums that I frequent. The protagonists are sure of their positions. “What’s it all about, anyway?”, you ask?  On the one side, it’s the notion that if you have the right “super-bullet” then sectional density becomes a moot point.

What their argument boils down to is that if a “super-premium” lighter bullet for caliber doesn’t loose much of its mass on impact and penetration, like a TSX, then it will out-penetrate a much heavier conventional bullet (with a proportionally higher SD) that looses, say 40% of its mass, which obviously changes it’s SD (sectional density) anyway. Plus the fact that even if an expanding bullet looses none of its mass on impact (possible with a TSX depending on several important factors), expansion alters its shape and hence its SD.  So, the conclusion of the “light and fast bullet” camp is that heavy-for-caliber bullets have little or no advantage over projectiles that hang onto 90 to 100% of their weight.

As in most arguments, the proponents of that side stress some points that they perceive to favor their position while completely skewing or overlooking other data that may weaken or deny their viewpoint.

What is lacking in that view of things is obvious: A hunter could choose a heavier “super-premium” with a higher SD in the same cartridge! And, in  the same “brand” to keep things fair and even. It has been demonstrated, I think, without equivocation, that the heavier slug from the same cartridge will penetrate better than the lighter one, assuming it has the same construction and design. Of course, that’s also taking for granted that the velocity is sufficient and the range isn’t extreme. But, with the same construction and profile, a 400-grain, .458″ premium bullet at 2000 fps will out-penetrate a 350-grain at 2100, and will hold onto its velocity better because of it’s higher SD. Sectional density is an important factor in determining ballistic coefficient (BC).  The higher SD will have a higher BC if bullet profiles are the same in the same caliber.

That’s why I prefer a 400 – 405gr bullet in the .45-70 over a 350gr, with the above caveats. The SD of a 405gr is .276 in .458″. A 350gr has an SD of .238.  If you ask why do I then choose the 350TSX for my Ruger No.1 Imp, and in my CZ .458WM?  The answer is because of its construction and profile. Also its accuracy.

I’ve yet to find the time to look for that 350TSX that terminated my bear. I plan to be in that area tomorrow, Dieu voulant, so hope to steal some moments from hunting to scrounge for it.   I’ve no doubts that it held onto 100% of it’s weight in zipping through that bruin.

For the Marlin, though,  the 350TSX was never intended. So currently I handload the 405 Remington at 2100 fps, or a 465gr hardcast at 1900. Both are exceptionally accurate. There’s nothing in the big game category that  couldn’t be legitimately hunted in North America with those two loads. Either could be effective to 300 yards.

I don’t purposely hunt groundhogs, coyote, or even wolf with the Marlin, though I entertain no doubts they’d be in deep trouble if I did! You disapprove? Did I tell ya that I cleanly “blew up” a coon with my Ruger No.1 in .45-70 Imp? He exploded when slamed with a 500gr Hornady at near 2200 fps! Yup, because he was stealin’ stuff from me that was messin’ with a bear hunt! A bear hunt takes planning and is costly, and a little ol’ bandito wasn’t about to ruin my day! Actually, there were two of “us” and 1,2,3, yup 4 of “them”. My partner (’twas his hunt as I killed a bruin the week before with the same load) got two of ‘em with his .308 winnie, and two got away…. er, almost, that is, except for the one that exploded…

The Marlin is a good carrying gun. It balances “between the hands”, as the safari crowd like to opine. By the way, does anyone know what that means? I think I’ve got it figured out. Anyway, it balances in the slim receiver just ahead of the lever where the bold attaches it to the rest of the gun. There’s a neat little niche there, where even a gloved hand will fit. Perfect! I’ve carried more Marlins in .45-70 in woods hunting over the last 20 years than all the rest heaped together. That  may tell you something about my affection for them, and my confidence IN them!

Look at the pic of mine on the header and dream!  And a pic of its accuracy from its two favorite slugs! 

And the pic on the left are loads and bullets for the Ruger No.1 in .45-70 Imp. compared to a .458WM. Will explain next time.

Until then, shalom!

BOB MITCHELL

practical big bores

The 1895 Marlin in .45-70 is our practical Big Bore again for this week. Why? Because it’s practical, and it’s a Big Bore!

We’ve established in former blogs that it’s capable of 4000 ft-lbs of kinetic energy from 400 – 405-grainers. With a good bullet, designed for the task, that’s plenty for grizzly, brown bear, polar bear and Cape buffalo. In fact, that equals the famed 404 Jeffery that fired a 400-grain Kynoch solid at an advertised 2125 fps making 4010 ft-lbs. It’s quite doubtful, however, that the Jeff actually produced much more than 2000 fps with the Kynoch. But it was ample for every DG in Africa, including elephant!

So the Marlin has the horsepower, but is currently lacking a good “solid” with a steel jacket and flat-nosed tip. That implies that any current 400-grain  monometal “solid” with a flat tip in  .458-inch would be too long in the relatively short action of the Marlin. Or, it would be too long for the case as it would need to be seated too deeply thus cramping space for the required amount of medium burning-rate  powder to attain 4000 ft-lbs. So… a FMJ of 400-grains, with a hardened lead core would be indispensable if the Marlin were to effectively challenge the Jeffery. The monometal bullets are usually all-copper or mostly copper plus zinc. That makes them quite a bit longer than steel FMJ’s plus a lead core, as lead is heavier than copper or zinc. So, a bullet with a lead core is only about 75% as long as one that’s 100% copper or 95% copper plus 5% zinc. That is, when they have equal weight. So, you see why a FMJ with a flat tip and a lead core is important for the Marlin if it is to be taken seriously for any and all African DG! 

The problem is not the gun, but the lack of vision and ingenuity by one of the major bullet makers. The final answer is not a hardcast, if elephant were on the agenda. Many suggest it is, but then there are doubts and failures. Not due to ballistics, mind you, but as we’ve stated… a lack of vision and willingness to venture. For the Marlin to qualify for the full gamut of African DG, it needs such a bullet, IF there is to be real confidence among the rank and file. It also needs a FMJ solid of 400-grains that proves itself without question or doubts in order to effectively shut the mouths of its critics. There are too many of them out there on the Big Bore gun forums, making the Marlin in .45-70 the butt-end of their cynical humor! Now, we can’t forever put up with that, can we? So, let’s get our united act together and pester Barnes for a FMJ for the Marlin! Their “Buster” looks good on paper, but I’ve yet to find a source in my province. Yet, there’s little doubt they’ll eventually show up on the shelves of one of our suppliers in Canada.

On the other hand, the “right” hardcast can serve for any soft-skinned big game in North America. The pic above is of a trophy-class black bear that was literally flattened with one shot from my single-shot NEF (Alas, it got invested into my CZ!). ‘Twas a 465-grain at 1900 fps at 70 yds, and he never moved from his tracks. He dropped so fast in the tall grass that I momentarily lost sight of him. That load would have worked about equally as well on anything in N.A.

Back to our moose story: In all it took  five .338 quality bullets, all placed where intended to finish the job. Three were 250-grain Nosler Partitions from my .340 WBY,  and the final two were 250-grain Hornady’s from my son’s .338 Win Mag. The 1000 to 1100 lb bull went no farther than 6 ft after the initial hit from my rifle. He went down on the second shot and would not have gotten back up except Phil inadvertently approached him. He rose to his feet but was very unsteady and wasn’t going anywhere. I gave him another in the seat of the pants and he went down for good. But he wasn’t finished… he was looking back at me with very wild eyes over his haunches… I asked Phil to give him one in the neck. At about ten feet, he did. But steam was still coming from his nostrils, so Phil gave the insurance with a shot between the eyes. That finished it. Oh yeah, I know one bullet from a .30-30 in the right place, i.e. the “hump”, would had been sufficient! But no bones were hit until the last two shots: through the neck and into the skull. All were precisely placed and there was no wasted meat. After the two shots to the lungs that put the bull down, I waited perhaps 6 or 7 minutes for Phil to arrive from his blind over 300 yards from me. After that, it lasted about 2 minutes.

The first Partition penetrated the chest mid-way up and tight against the shoulders… exactly where I was aiming. The second was a slightly quartering shot as the bull started to turn away from me. It stopped under the hide about three inches from the first exit wound. That put the bull down and Phil found it under the skin as we approached the dead moose. I have it in my small collection. The third was to the rump, near the spine, and the butcher found it in the upper chest cavity. It penetrated about six feet. Phil’s first shot penetrated the neck. His second, at point-blank-range, penetrated the skull and the jacket was found in the neck-shoulder area.  There was nothing wrong with the performance of the two .338’s, or the bullets. If there was a problem, and there wasn’t, it would be that .338 quality bullets don’t create very large wound channels through the body cavity when no large bones are broken or the central nervous system is left intact.

Therefore, I prefer a big-bore bullet to a medium-bore as I’ve seen them drop big game animals with a single shot when only the lungs were taken out. They were “DRT”! That was the case with the big male bear in the pic above.

More next time on why I love the modern .45-70.

Shalom

BOB MITCHELL