Straight wall whitetail options

[Luger00]

I have had both the 350 and the 450 plus a 460 s&w the 460 will out perform both I would stay away from the 350.

 

[Goopy]

I used a Ruger No 1 .45/70 in Illinois last year and a CVA Scout in .450 Bushmaster in Michigan last season, both with success. In feeding the rifles, I have found that the No 1 liked the Hornady LEVERevolution and the Scout liked Hornady Black.
I’ll post pics of each as soon as I dig them up.

 

[fsrmg1]

I'd go and find me a good old 38-55 lever gun. Been getting the job done for well over a century!

 

[Badboymelvin]

.458WM
Because follow up shots are silly...

 

[MS 9x56]

Or as they say “use enough gun.”

 

[Hunter-Habib]

A single shot .405 Winchester would be pretty good.

 

[Goopy]

Yes, it would.
.405 Winchester ammo and/or components are relatively hard to find over here though. I wish they were more readily available as it was the stick of choice for Teddy Roosevelt!

 

[DocHolliday]

I’m mostly a bow hunter and have hunted illinois for the last 20 years. This year I’m thinking about getting a gun tag and hanging around for the first gun season. It is a shotgun season but in recent years straight wall single shot are are legal. So I’m looking for options. I already own a TC encore .50 muzzleloader, 300 blackout, a 400 legend which are legal options. But not opposed to buying a new barrel for the encore or a new single shot rifle. Wanting to pick y’all’s brains on what to do and straight wall calibers I might not be familiar with. The 45-70 had my interest but what say you?

444 Marlin is the ticket!

 

[Goopy]

.45-70 Gov’t for the win!!!
Illinois 1st Season last year.

 

[Flewis]

444 Marlin is the ticket!

I agree. Good for 200 plus yards. I have several straight walled deer guns and the 444 does everything better.

 

[DillonG]

.458WM
Because follow up shots are silly...

Badboymelvin prefers his deer made into burger before they hit the ground!

 

[1972RedNeck]

45-120 Sharps?

Ought to do the trick to at least 1k yards. At least it does in the movies...

 

[Rifleman97]

45-120 Sharps?

Ought to do the trick to at least 1k yards. At least it does in the movies...

In most straight walled states 45-70 isn’t allowed since they’re limited to 1.6” case length, so 45-120 is WAY over length. But 45-120 is such a cool cartridge

 

[SETH RINGER]

.50 BEOWULF

 

[Wyfox]

I used a 360 Buckhammer last year on a Michigan buck, it dropped him where he stood.
I also have a custom 450 Bushmaster that shoots 1/2" groups and it pile drives deer, the 450 is a great cartridge for straight wall states with lots of factory ammo and rifle options.

 

[mdwest]

Some are happy with the 350 Legend, but I have several friends here in Ohio that think it's underpowered

Definitely not a super cartridge… but I think it’s fine inside 150 for deer and pigs… ballistically about on par with a 30-30..

I had a 350 legend AR for a while that I built specifically for pigs (low recoil, fast follow up shots, etc)… I ended up selling it to another member here that was looking for something for his son)… nice little cartridge.. pretty inexpensive to feed , etc…

But definitely not going to break any records when it comes to killing medium sized game

 

[9Point3]

I have used the 45-70 and love it
The 444
44 mag and 45 colt and 41 mag
The 357 maximum and mag will work
The 450 bushmaster
I don’t know any first hand with the 400L
Yet
Now the 350L
We got them for my nephews when the cartridge first came out it was recommended to me for light recoil for them.
They loved them starting shooting them at age 6 the oldest one got a deer that first year
His brother got one 3 years later at 7
I had a serious problem with my shoulder and needed a low recoil hog rifle so I got one.
I am not impressed with the Winchester whitetail ammo with the I think 150gr bt bullets
No blood trail none. The boys deer dropped in eye sight but there was no exit wound and no blood.
The deer I shot with that load was a 8 pt and about 125lbs
Took the shot at 80 yds on the point of the shoulder. He ran about 90 yds to the edge of a swamp.
We got a tracking dog after him
Found him. But again no blood trail. It did a good job and it’s chest cavity was full of blood it bled a lot internal.
I did not like that especially since I was going to use it on hogs.
I got some hornday 170gr interlock ammo.

That load turned it into a different cartridge through and through both shoulder on deer
Living a good blood trail for the short distance they have went.
It’s very accurate.
Low recoil if that matters.
Honestly it looks like it does about the same damage as a 30-30 with 170gr corlocks
Or silver tips and the 170 30-30 been taking deer for a very long time.

With a good bullets I like the 350L a lot for deer and hogs. Inside 200 max to preferably 150yds and in its grate.

I am thinking of having a ar handgun made in it.
It would be a handy and powerful truck gun for serious use.

I'll second a 444 Marlin.

 

[UpNorthMI]

I'll second a 444 Marlin.

I shoot a .444 Marlin, it's a great round, unfortunately not legal in the lower Michigan hunting area as it exceeds the 1.8" max case length rule. I have not had it out for a number of years as I'm hunting the rifle zone where any caliber is legal.