My Model 1895 45-70 shoots a number of loads well including but not limited to Federal 300 grain power shoks, Buffalo Bore 350 grain penetrator load and their 405 grain expander loading. I even have some older PMC loads hanging around in my safe. Although my rifle shoots all of these loads well enough for deer hunting at normal ranges and bear hunting over bait, when I want to reach out there and know I can hit that whitetail buck at 150-200 yards, I reach for the 325 grain FTX LeverEvolution load.
Let's take a look at this load. The various 300 grain factory loads have a thin jacket and deliver around 1492 ft/lbs of energy at 100 yards. The Federal Power Shoks load easily prints UNDER an inch at that distance. Remington's heavier 405 grain (still with a thin jacket) hit with 1227 ft/lbs at 100 yards. Hornady's much tougher 325 grain FTX load hits with 2157 ft/lbs or an increased performance level of 76% or almost double the other loads. At first I was skeptical of going on a baited black bear hunt with this load, however I have since read several accounts of stellar performance on even big bears over bait. My model 1895 shoots very acceptable groups out to 200 yards and I would not hesitate to take a broadside standing shot on a big buck at that distance with a decent rest and few seconds to set up the shot.
What about the .35 Remington? Again mine is a Marlin Model 336 and if anything this gun out shoots the 45-70 with the Hornady FTX ammo. Mine will put 3 shots into 3/4 of an inch at 100 yards and into 1.5 to 2 inches at 200 yards while hitting about 5 1/2 inches low as sighted in. Mine is set about 1.5 inches high at 100 yards. One can certainly improve the bullet drop at 200 by sighting in 3 inches high at 100.
35 Rem 200 gr FTX® LEVERevolution®
Test Barrel (24") Velocity (fps) / Energy (ft-lbs)
MUZZLE 100 200 300 2225/2198 1963/1711 1721/1315 1503/1003
Trajectory (inches)
MUZZLE 100 200 300 -1.70 / 3.00 -1.30 / -17.50
The 30-30 probably receives the greatest boost of both energy and trajectory from the LeverEvolution ammo showing 1304 ft/lbs left at the 200 yards mark. I have read of incredible accuracy out of 30-30 lever guns giving this caliber a new lease on life.
Hornady also makes loads in their FTX line up in .450 Marlin showing a 20% increase in ft/lbs at 200 yards. Even the old .32 Win special benefits from this treatment. I remember in high school debating the merits of the .32 special (vs.) the 30-30 with a "Gun Nut" friend of mine I grew up with. My friend and I both ended the careers of more than a few woodchucks back in the day with open sighted Winchester 30-30 lever actions with 150 and 170 grain factory loads.
ALL ammunition right now is difficult to find, however I was able to pick up a couple of boxes of .35 Rem 200 grain FTX ammo at the local Syracuse, NY spring gun show.
In closing if you do NOT currently belong to the NRA, I would encourage you to join today. Just type in NRA membership on line and get signed up.
Dan
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