45-70 Bullet for Bison Hunt

[comen]

Good Morning Everyone,

So almost a decade after I bought a Shiloh Sharps I have decided it's finally time to go on a bison hunt. The trip will be in January 2022 so I have until then to get my load squared away.

Coming from a whitetail background I'm currently on the fence in regards to the particular bullet to use, do I go modern with one of the hammers or do I go old school and run one of the 500gr Paper Patched bullets? I've heard they are incredibly hard to kill if not hit right so would it be better to take the lung shot or should I go for the behind the ear shot to drop them outright?

Still doing some research so any info you guys can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Paper patched pure lead will handle velocity up to at least 2000 fps in a strong action (I shoot a custom 420 gr 40 caliber at 2065 with this combo in a 405 bolt action), and will expand to double caliber down to below 1000 fps. pure lead doesn't fragment. I've seen .54 caliber round balls flattened to 1.5" against a silhouette and lose almost no weight. 80 million Buffalo can't be wrong!

Good Morning Everyone,

So almost a decade after I bought a Shiloh Sharps I have decided it's finally time to go on a bison hunt. The trip will be in January 2022 so I have until then to get my load squared away.

Coming from a whitetail background I'm currently on the fence in regards to the particular bullet to use, do I go modern with one of the hammers or do I go old school and run one of the 500gr Paper Patched bullets? I've heard they are incredibly hard to kill if not hit right so would it be better to take the lung shot or should I go for the behind the ear shot to drop them outright?

Still doing some research so any info you guys can provide would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Radman]

Good Morning Everyone,

So almost a decade after I bought a Shiloh Sharps I have decided it's finally time to go on a bison hunt. The trip will be in January 2022 so I have until then to get my load squared away.

Coming from a whitetail background I'm currently on the fence in regards to the particular bullet to use, do I go modern with one of the hammers or do I go old school and run one of the 500gr Paper Patched bullets? I've heard they are incredibly hard to kill if not hit right so would it be better to take the lung shot or should I go for the behind the ear shot to drop them outright?

Still doing some research so any info you guys can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Good luck on a great hunt with a great rifle/caliber choice.
Please report back later!

 

[smokey3]

You aren't likely to be shooting long distance so Ultimate accuracy is not the biggest consideration. Anything that will do under 2" at 100 will work fine.. I would load a 500-550 grain Cast at about 1400 fps. That will exit the Bison on just about any angle. If you want to use a jacketed bullet then it is very hard to beat the RN Hornady 500 grain bullets. They are accurate, great penetration and easy to come by. Good luck on your hunt.

S

Study the anatomy of a Bison. They are built VERY different than a whitetail. The reason so many wander off after being shot is they are hit too far back. What most people think is right behind the shoulder is actually way too far back and will even miss the lungs if not hit quite high near the back bone.

Great illustrations

 

[APDDSN0864]

Good Morning Everyone,

So almost a decade after I bought a Shiloh Sharps I have decided it's finally time to go on a bison hunt. The trip will be in January 2022 so I have until then to get my load squared away.

Coming from a whitetail background I'm currently on the fence in regards to the particular bullet to use, do I go modern with one of the hammers or do I go old school and run one of the 500gr Paper Patched bullets? I've heard they are incredibly hard to kill if not hit right so would it be better to take the lung shot or should I go for the behind the ear shot to drop them outright?

Still doing some research so any info you guys can provide would be greatly appreciated.

Do you cast your own bullets?

If so, get a Lyman mold 457121PH, which drops a 485gr bullet when using a 20:1 alloy right at .457". If it does drop at .456, not to worry,, as the Black Powder will bump it up to fill the grooves. I have an old version that drops the same alloy at .457 while my newer one drops at .456. Both are equally accurate.
This is an outstanding hunting and target shooting bullet when lubed with SPG or even the traditional 50/50 beeswax/lard lube. 65.5gr Olde Eynesford compressed 1/4", CCI 200 primer, and one 0.030" vegetable card wad finishes the recipe.
This load is loved by quite a few Shiloh Sharps, including mine.
To see how it performs on a Zebra, go to YouTube and search for Bill Bagwell Africa.
I love my Shiloh Sharps!

Wishing you all the best on your hunt!

Ed

 

[mnoland30]

In "The Buffalo Harvest" by Frank Meyer, he says he was using a .45-120 with a 500 gr. 1:20 bullet. He also believed that most of the buffalo were killed by brucilocis from cattle.

 

[grgohio]

I would use a Beartooth Bullets 525gr. Pile Driver.
For my 1895SBL I load it with 42gr of RL7, Winchester large rifle primers and Starline brass.
I've had incredible success and would feel very comfortable taking a bison with that round.

 

[Charles Keethler]

All wright guys look at my avatar the Buff I shot at 125 yds. one shot low lung area took top off heart, bullet stopped against hide opp. side took two steps fell over. Buffalo Bore load 45-70 405 gr. simi- jacked. 2000 muzzle vel. have a great hunt, meat has to be cooked slow and long to get tender.

 

[Morrigan 508]

No help but in for the comments.

I didn't know that Hammers were made in 45, that would be an interesting option.

I shoot the Hornady Leverevultion in my 1895 Marlin as they're stupid accurate out to 300 yards but fear they're too soft for buff.

I dropped my buff with them. 100 yds, quartered towards. First-round broke the shoulder, missed the heart, took a lung, broke a rib exited other side. The animal flipped around tried to take a step, couldn't, I put a second round through the other shoulder, that got the heart, he dropped right there. 1895 Marlin SS iron sights.

 

[longrangebob]

Iffin urs is properly throated so it is happy with Paper Patched Bullets - seriously consider casting your own - I have hunted Bison with 420 Gr. PP in 40-70 Straight Sharps Remington Rolling Block BUT my Fav by Far is my 550 Gr. PP in my 1885 Winchester HiWall — (there is nothing that it will not dispatch with good effect) - I use an almost Pure Lead Bullet & 66.5 Grains of FFG - there is something about taking a Buffalo the Ole Fashioned Way -

 

[longrangebob]

If you chose to - (what I use in my 1895GG) in a Word "Piledrivers"

 

[naja302]

I'd load up whatever hornady loads in the 458 WM dgx line. I shot my Buffalo with my 450/400 (400 grains @ 2000 FPS) and it was rapidly effective and I caught the bullet just under the offside hide. I guess you just need to check what impact speed is needed for expansion and make sure you get it in the 45-70, but I think you would.

 

[Dean2]

Great illustrations

Thanks. I have found these tpes of pictures very useful when personally hunting new animals like my first trip to Africa or when guiding hunters on game they have never hunted. Being able to visualize the internals makes getting shot placement right a whole bunch easier.

 

[MRMAJESTIK]

NOE 460-538-FN-AE3 order w/plain base, cast 1-20, 70 gr Alliant black w/card over powder wad.

Double lung him and wait.

 

[257X50]

Come on Dean, where did you see me talking about velocity? The title says "45-70 Bullet for Bison Hunt", and again, have personally seen a number of bison killed, and killed one myself, THEY are NOT a hard animal to kill, and they usually stand still for an extended period of time after being shot. There is a reason why they were almost eradicated, because hunters could virtually ride right up to them, and shoot them point blank. And when one animal in the herd is injured, the others usually stick around to try to help or shield the wounded, making it easy for Buffalo Bill and others to kill virtually 100s at a time.

Yes.....I believe it was Booker T Washington that liked to hunt them from horseback.......36 caliber pistol if I remember correctly.