Hornady loads for Ruger No. 3

["fk"]

I just got an email from Hornady that answered my question about their .325gr .458 ftx for the NO. 1 and NO. 3 loads and speeds. "Their engineering department says 2300fps max at the muzzle will still allow the .325gr ftx to maintain accuracy with good expansion and weight retention".

Thats pretty impressive because a 2300MV it has energy of 3817ft lbs. At 100yds its 1950fps with an energy of 2744ft lbs and at 200yds it is 1636fps and 1931ft lbs of energy.

Wow thats pretty impressive if you handload and need that power. It also has a MPBR 211yds. At 250yds its only 8.9" low so that kinda makes it a little longer shooting rifle.

I don't think I would need to load it that hot unless I was going moose hunting or bigger.

"fk"

 

[63November]

There are better bullets in weights both lower and higher than that for stouter animals like moose. Bullet construction trumps energy numbers in my view with just about any rifle or handgun. (The 350 Speer makes a very decent tougher bullet with a shapely profile for the strong single shots; you can max it out IOW.)

 

["fk"]

What does IOW mean, hornady says 2300fps and the bullet will stay together. I don't know as I have never hunted it. I am sure Hornady knows more than me. Sure would like a couple of comments from experienced hunters who have used the round. Barnes has a 400gr original bullet they say you can shoot a 2185fps and I am sure this is better than the Hornady. I think it goes over 4200lbs energy.

fk

 

[rugerjunkie]

"fk",

I've only been here in Ks. for acout a year now. Are there critters here that I don't know about and need that kind of power?

Actually with some of the catfish I've seen , a guy wouldn't be exactly over gunned!! :mrgreen:

Jeff.

 

[63November]

What does IOW mean, hornady says 2300fps and the bullet will stay together. I don't know as I have never hunted it. I am sure Hornady knows more than me. Sure would like a couple of comments from experienced hunters who have used the round. Barnes has a 400gr original bullet they say you can shoot a 2185fps and I am sure this is better than the Hornady. I think it goes over 4200lbs energy.

fk

IOW= in other words. (I hate it, too, when I can't figure out internet shorthand. ) At 2300 - and even less- the Hornady 350 may come apart, especially if it hits bone. Sometimes they stop as pretty (perfectly mushroomed) specimens, other times they shed everything. The Barnes 400 Original isn't a whole lot different. In fact, unless you're going with a premium, I'd probably just use a Rem 405. They use a slightly hardened core which helps the mass of the bullet stay together. (It's jacket seems to be just a "husk" to help it get out the barrel as a jacketed projectile.)

I will reiterate the idea that the 350 Speer is probably the best of the 350 cup and core bullets for the 45-70. It has the hardest core of the three Speer bullets for 45-70. You can go Woodleigh or Swift if you want something with even greater integrity.

 

["fk"]

Curiosity is the name of the game. I'll probably never shoot anything more than a 405 cast (Oregon Trail) at over 1450 to 1500fps. Take anything in limits of the lower 48. 31grs of H4198 makes a nice clean load doesn't lead up and shoots well at 100yds. Plus you can stand the recoil. We have all of these bullets out there and no real rating system to say what is good and bad. Now Hornady engineering says their 325gr ftx will stay together at 2300fps and penetrate well. Who am I to argue so the thing to do is go test some. Maybe next spring when I finish healing from a neck injury I will try to test some. I still have the email they sent me so I can vouch they said it.

fk