45/70 lever more accurate than 357 mag lever at 100 yards?

[Obie73]

Thanks zbenga, that is epic.

Very interesting what you say about Hornady projectiles -- I'd assumed they were the most accurate but in your experience, and for that caliber and rifle, obviously not.

I always use Hornady XTP but now I might start trying other makes.

I always shoot with open sights, and so can't expect the sort of accuracy you are getting with your scoped 45-70, but apart from changing my type of sights I like to do everything else I can to improve my group sizes.

I'm going to try .357 loads with 180 grain projectiles. I've heard in some rifles they are very accurate.

Anyway, well done! Very impressive shooting with a lever action!

I wonder why, out of all the straight-walled lever action rounds, it is the 45-70 that consistently seems to shoot so accurately at 100m (or, at least, it's the only one you ever hear about).

There is just one video I've managed to find, on all of youtube, that shows the .357 magnum being fired with almost-as-good accuracy as what I've heard the 45-70 can do, at 100 yards.

Here it is: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UiC32voJd4s

His best 5-shot group is 1.5" at 100 yards, using 140 grain Hornady XTPs. He uses a scope on a Henry .357 lever action. I haven't seen any better groups for .357 magnum out of a rifle.

My best 5-shot group so far with a .357 mag lever action at 100m is 2.9". This was with Hornady XTP 140 grain. Open sights, simple forend rest. I want to try and get it down to around 2.5" average (or, at least sub-3"). Pretty sure it's possible with a lot of practice and experimentation with loads etc.

[zbenga]

I think the 45-70 is stupidly accurate in a short barrel because there would be hardly any barrel flex to think of so you just have to tune load for the projectile weight, there is zero difference in what I have found playing with seating depth or crimping force, I use use the lee factory crimper and I try and crimp as close to the end as possible for the HorCor projectile

with a 1:20 twist there is not that much of a twist to send the projectile sideways plus it's a heavy projectile so for up to say 150m they are stupidly accurate, after 200 meters they start to drop like a .22 so would not hunt at that distance with it.

I want to get a lever in a pistol round soon so when cat H comes I can use the same round for both and .357 would be perfect for that, I think you're on the right path with the .357, allows you to do both revolver and lever and it's got good power to 100m, not legal for larger deer probably but would be fun to shoot!

edit: I tend to stay away from the Hornady projectiles, never had good luck with them in the lever gun nor 6.5 creed, never tried their A tip as they were more expensive than the Berger's or Scenar's, in 6.5 I like the 139 scenar, the Hornady red tip ones always have 1 flyer out of 5 and out of 20 one is not even on paper at 200m for some reason, I think something happens randomly where they just go in the abyss and never make it to the target so I stopped using them. Other products from Hornady seem to be ok, I use their press and other reloading gear and it's ok. Their 500grain 45-70 were so bad I never bought another box again, anything for lever action from Hornady with a round nose I have found it to be terrible.