5 years ago 2 years ago

.45-70 Sambar Load

by Nick Harvey 5 years ago2 years ago

A .45 calibre 350gn round-nose bullet is good medecine on the largest sambar.

Q: I plan to use my .45-70 Marlin 1895 Guide Gun on a hunt in Victoria. What load do your suggest for sambar deer? I’d prefer a bullet that’s not too heavy so as to cut down too much on velocity, but that penetrates well on angling or going-away shot.
Marty Hurst

A: A couple of years ago I compared the expansion of a number of .458 soft-nose bullets up to 400 grains in weight by shooting them into wet newsprint. When loaded to maximum velocity from a Marlin like your’n, the Hornady 350gn round-nose won the contest by penetrating deeper and retaining more of its original weight. After sectioning the various bullets, I

discovered why. The Hornady bullet has a much thicker jacket and is actually constructed to hold together at .458 Win. Mag. velocities. This should get the job done on a trophy-size sambar stag from any angle.

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Posted by Nick Harvey

The late Nick Harvey (1931-2024) was one of the world's most experienced and knowledgeable gun writers, a true legend of the business. He wrote about firearms and hunting for about 70 years, published many books and uncounted articles, and travelled the world to hunt and shoot. His reloading manuals are highly sought after, and his knowledge of the subject was unmatched. He was Sporting Shooter's Technical Editor for almost 50 years. His work lives on here as part of his legacy to us all.