The rifle that captured my imagination for hunting purposes at age 13 was my oldest brother’s new Marlin in .30-30. He was 19 and earning his own money. I was like “WOW”! Interestingly, 76 years later I’ve never owned a .30-30 of any make or model, but have owned four 1895 Marlins in .45-70 – basically the same rifle beefed-up a bit.
Prior to owning my first 1895 Marlin in .45-70, I thought a Sako FS in .338 Win Mag was “the cat’s meow”. 
This is identical to mine that was new in 1989! This one was just recently sold at EPPS. It looks pristine! Probably was kept by somebody as a “Safe Queen” who deceased or got old like me. Mine, new, was under 1k, and I’d traded a new Win 70 in .300 Win Mag for it plus some change (This one sold for $1499). Through multiple handloads, it became my favorite rifle for some time until the stock fell apart where you see the forearm strap (It had a two piece stock and a 20″ barrel).Then the nose cap came off when shooting at the range. That was held on by a very short wood screw through the metal at the bottom and into the forend wood. I then had a fiberglass stock put on that cracked under recoil. Tired of the problems with stocks, it got traded for a nearly new Win 70 in .375 H&H, plus a hundred bucks.
After all, on paper it looked perfect for the “giant” moose I’d hoped to snag with it. Well, in reality it probably was. But before I could catch up with a bull moose with said .338 Win Mag in hand, for reasons not fully rationalized I bought a lever-action Marlin for my first-ever bear hunt in a remote area under the supervision of “The Bear Man”, as the late Norm Easto was then known.
By then, in 1989, I was well into the study and application of ballistics through multiple big game rifles. KE numbers were important in assessing a rifle’s potential, but I also knew that a bullet’s momentum, bore diameter and sectional density (SD), as well as bullet construction and placement, were all critical elements in terminal effect (TE). “Terminal” means at impact, not at the muzzle.
In addition to a few reports by some well-known hunter- authors (Keith and Wootters), results from my handloads and calculations strongly suggested that a 400gr at 1865 fps from the muzzle of my Marlin’s 22″ barrel would at least be as effective, and perhaps more so, on a big bear at realistic hunting ranges as my Sako .338 Win Mag would have been.
Of course, the fruit of that hunt, plus several others using 1895 Marlins, have amply confirmed that initial conviction, and then some! Not only so, but the reality of hunting in the eastern half of Canada over the past 70 years has proven that nothing more than my handloaded .45-70s has ever been needed – with one exception: The “near north” and Far North of our province for a bull moose. Potential ranges could challenge the shooter’s ability to make a clean and proper hit even when using a .340 Weatherby Magnum – which was my final choice for that expansive, unhospitable region for any life other than moose and their four-legged predators.
I’ve chosen the above statement very, very carefully! With the best handloads in an 1895 Marlin chambered to .45-70, it’s more than capable for a bull moose to 300 yards! No, I didn’t make a mistake in that number! Not only so, but the single-shot Ruger No.1 in my former .45-70 LT (with the improved throat) would have been capable for that same bull at plus 400 yards! And no, I didn’t make a mistake in that number either!
Since kinetic energy + momentum + caliber are ALL factors at impact (yeah, construction and placement too); let’s look at some numbers (and comparative results):
Bullets: (they matter!) – diameter, profile, weight and construction.
Some of Nosler’s finest. I’ve used both on bear and they performed excellently from my TIKKA T3 Lite in 9.3 x 62.
Muzzle velocity (MV): is most often cited in reference to a rifle’s “power”. While it is very significant, yet, standing alone, it fails to account for several other vital variables such as those mentioned above and following.
Impact velocity: all else equal, impact velocity determines effect. Assuming “a proper hit”, there is a difference in effect between a 210gr/.338-cal Partition impacting at 2000 fps or at 2400 fps, whether due to differences in range or MV. How that difference is quantified may be disputed, but it’s real unless physics doesn’t count. And if physics don’t count then use a .22LR for everything, as one suggestion.
Weight: a bullet’s weight is a critical factor in impact velocity.
Caliber: is a major factor in bullet weight. If a small caliber like a .223″, then bullet weight is restricted to less than 100 grs. If a large caliber like a .458″, then the upper limit is about 600 grs.
Cartridge: determines ultimate effect depending on bore size, capacity, barrel length, COL and powder used.
These were all loads for my Ruger No.1 in .45-70 LT. The long “free bore” of the single-shot allowed all of those (L to R: 330 Barnes Banded, 350 Speer Mag Tip, 350 TSX and 2x 480 DGX) to be seated to the same depth, permitting an equal amount of powder to be used for each. Of course the same powder wasn’t used in all, but two sufficed: H4198 and H335. Through some innovation and various trials, the .45-70 cartridge is much more capable than it’s generally given credit for in write-ups and manuals. The loads represented here came very close to standard .458 Win Mag loads.
Sectional density: is the ratio of the bullet’s weight to its diameter.
Rate of twist: its major function is to stabilize the bullet from the muzzle to termination.
Bullet construction: determines their performance at impact.
Nosler Partitions. They each performed as desired and expected. The two dark ones were 250gr/.338s from a bull moose, and the larger one was a 286gr/9.3 from a black bear. They each retained over 70% of their initial weights.
Ballistic coefficient (BC): determines rate of regression from muzzle to impact.
Those are the basic fundamentals of a rifle’s ballistics. But a rifle has no ballistics until a bullet is fired from it. And the bullet’s weight, caliber, construction and impact velocity (at whatever range) determine a rifle’s effective ballistics from that particular bullet, and nothing else!
Ballistics: ” The science dealing with the motion and impact of projectiles, such as bullets . . . ” – The NEW WORLD DICTIONARY OF THE AMERICAN LANGUAGE (Second College Edition).
Ballistics: “The science that studies the behaviour of projectiles in motion.” – Hornady
Then there are also “Interior Ballistics” that concerns itself with what happens inside the rifle from ignition to the departure of the bullet from the muzzle, which is not our primary concern at the moment. We are here dealing with TERMINAL BALLISTICS at impact, NOT what is happening inside the rifle’s barrel; thought that also has a measurable effect on impact velocity of the projectile.
We often substitute muzzle velocity (MV) for what has happened since ignition, but it’s rather an effect of internal ballistics rather than a cause of terminals. It’s measuring the effect of PSI from ignition for about 20 to 24 inches (depending on length of barrel and other factors), and includes several physical realities, such as caliber, bullet construction and weight, burning rate and amount of powder used, plus some other factors beyond the scope of this particular series on “Ballistic Realities” from muzzle to impact velocity – that I refer to as: Terminal Effect (TE).
Ergo: The above highlighted list of factors that determine ultimate “ballistic realities” at termination will fill the clauses, sentences and paragraphs (and photos) to follow for however long it takes for me to be done with this subject.
Till next time: P2
Shalom
BOB MITCHELL
This cartridge container is an original Federal for factory loaded 400gr Trophy Bonded Bear Claws (TBBCs) in .458 Winchester Magnum. Since I started handloading 44 years ago, I’ve only fired a few factory rounds in any centerfire rifle, and that includes quite a few from the .22 Hornet to the great .458 Win Mag. This cartridge receptacle held 20 of the Federal factory 400s. I shot 14 of them for testing purposes, including for accuracy, muzzle velocity and sight-in. The intent was for a potential bear hunt, which I later abandoned with such a heavy bullet constructed for Cape buffalo. I broke one down and it contained 73.3 grs of a fine ball powder. The MV average was 2283 fps, though advertised at 2250 fps. So it beat the promotional material, which was a surprise. Accuracy for three at a hundred yards was just over MOA. Not bad for such a powerful cartridge in factory form.
<From the 300gr TSX in 2019.
<I’ve hunted deer, bear and moose here, less than 300 yds to the far side, and not more than 1/2 mile from my current bear-bait setup.
Lovin' The Big Bang 