I’ve had enough of New Hampshire snow and very cold weather. You too! My back yard looks like a pond, from all the snow melt. 

I was at the range yesterday, the snow was mostly gone. It was still freezing and foggy. The cold 26 degree 10 mph wind blew into my face reminding me that winter was trying to hang on. 

But, never the less, my 250g Hornady Copper MonoFlex handloaded bullets from my Marlin 1895 SBL flew true at 100 yards.

As a handloader, my job is to find the best loads for the game I am after.

Interestingly, I am finding my rifle likes the Hornady 250g MonoFlex bullets. Loaded with 51 grains of Vihtavuori N130 Powder, my bullets grouped at 1.45 inches with a 6X scope. Velocities from my Garmin reached 2019 fps and standard deviation was 8.8 fps. Very nice indeed for such a low Standard Deviation!

As a hunting load it was easy to shoot with a hunting jacket on. I would hunt deer, and bear and moose with that load in thick woods as the energy was significant, over 1500 ft-lbs. inside of 100 yards. 

Being a copper bullet, it maintains over 95% of its original weight, thus having more penetration. Hunting big game at close range is perhaps similar to bow hunting, in that having to get close, 100 yards or less to ensure energy for a killing shot.

The lever action allows for fast follow-up shots if agressive game is very close and intent on exacting death on the hunter.

I recommend practice for levering fast shots. You don’t want to find issues with fast levering when faced with danger. 

Digressing, I recall my Alberta friend last spring who encountered a very aggressive smaller bear intent on attacking him. With the 45-70 he could’ve blasted that bear to the happy hunting ground with a six shot 45-70 lever gun.

Warmer weather will allow me to train with that rifle and advance my lever rifle shooting skill. 

More Soon….