I have recently purchased some new Hornady LE for my 45-70 in a Ruger No. 1. The other day I shot about 8 rounds at 100 yards and was lucky if it grouped inside of ten inches. I then fired 3 rounds of the Winchester 300gr jacked H.P. which I had originally sighted the gun in with, and was able to keep them within 4 inches. I realize with the short barrel that I shouldn't expect the accuracy of my 257 Roy, but I thought the Hornady ammo was extremely poor for my No. 1. Has anyone heard of any problems with this new ammo in certain rifles, or any ideas why this big of variance would occur?
So your rifles shows a prefrence to a particular brand of ammo, while disliking another brand. Normal as the sun setting in the West.
Don't use the Hornady fodder if your rifle dislikes it that much.
I think you just found out the most valuble lesson in shooting. Some rifles like Brand A while others prefer Brand B, thems the facts and there aint no changing it.
To condem one brand because it performs poorly in your rifle is in correct. The fact remains it may just shoot wonderfully in someone else's rifle.
But at least you found out before hand , and did'nt loose a wounded animal or something similar.
Thanks Dick for your insight. I have shot various ammo in my Rem. 788 in 243 over the years and had it shoot surprising well with everything. In my ( big ) deer rifle, a 257 ultra - accumark, I have only used Federal T.B. ammo and it is a tack driver. Since the 45-70 has such a short barrel I guess a dislike for
particular ammo would show up to a greater extent. I also agree it is better to wound paper in October than an animal in November.
Not a function of barrel length, it is a function of the given firearm and it's particular barrel harmonics. Some rifles are un fussy as you described in your 243.
While others like your 45/70 are a bit choosier in what you feed it.
What promts a choosy rifle to be just that is a function of many things barrel length being about the least prominant of the rather long list. I'd suspect barrel twist, chamber dimensions and headspace are way higher on the impacting factors, but with that being said I would temper that answer with my sig line.
Ive shot two Moose the last couple of years with my Marlin444XLR using this ammo and have been very impressed with the results...deepfreeze full of meat. Three shot groups at 100 yds have been at worse within 3.5 inches, cool thing is I recovered the bullet both years, both just inside the hide opposite side. Keeping them, my boy thinks its cool.
Dick: I gave a fellow I work with 3 rounds to test in his 45-70, a Ruger No. 1 also. He has had his modified (throat) to work with a 430 grain bullet which he casts himself. His rifle shot a 2 inch group at 100 yards with the evo bullets. He has give me some 350 grain hornday reloads to try in mine. He also was questioning my scope since my variances were largely from left to right. I told him the scope was well secured. He mentioned possible cross hair problems, which I am not familiar with. The scope is a new 3200 bush. 1.5 to 4.5 I guess I will do some more testing.
I agree with Dick's comments, as I have experienced similar idiosyncrasies with several of my rifles.
Two "fussy" rifles that come to mind are one that had an issue with stock pressure on the barrel with changes in humidity - changing the harmonics. Another had a fairly long throat - and only shot well when bullets were seated just off the lands of the rifling.
Others prefer certain bullet types, seating depths, powder charges etc.
I gave a bit of advice to a friend who was unhappy with factory round accuracy through a new Kimber - buy several boxes of shells from different makers (with different bullet weights & give them all a try. He (and I) was very surprised to see the differences. Some would hardly print five on the target while others were MOA.
Hornady Lever-Evolution Ammo 45-70
Three shot groups at 100 yds have been at worse within 3.5 inches, cool thing is I recovered the bullet both years, both just inside the hide opposite side. Keeping them, my boy thinks its cool.
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