Forums.NitroExpress.com

Gee, whoever said I was starting WWIII wasnt kidding! I never intended to stir this kind of crap! And for all of you who sent rude replies, you should find another forum sight. Anyways. The original intent of my post was to see what some of your opinions on hunting DG with a Marlin Guide Gun with GARRETT 540 GR HAMMERHEAD LOADS AND NOTHING ELSE! I specifically stated that to do it with any other combination wasnt feasable! Yet some of you must not have read that part. As for the 45-70 not being able to penetrate an elephant's skull, that is BS in my opinion because I found an account of it, here it is :I did pull the shot just slightly and missed the brain just by an inch or so. The bullet went clean through the elephants head and we could hear it flying through the air after it passed through the elephants head. The second shot hit the mark and the bull dropped in his tracks. Although it killed the elephant immediately, I reloaded the double and made reassurance shot. After years of dreams and planning, the bull dropped within seconds of my first shot. Once we had located the bull, it was over very fast.
Everyone was amazed at how well the 45-70 performed on such a huge and powerful animal. The bullets were amazing. I have taken lots of plains game, a lion, two Cape buffalo, and a hippo with this gun, but even I was unsure about the elephant. It was amazing how well it all went off. Thanks for making such an incredible bullet and helping me to fulfill my dream of taking an elephant with the 45-70.
- Kevin Dooley, Albuquerque, New Mexico (elephant taken in Nov. 2005)
As for penetration I found this: "Randy Garrett of Garrett Cartridges produces a 540-gr SuperHardCast dubbed the Hammerhead that is loaded specifically for modern Marlin lever guns. This load produces 2880 foot-pounds of energy, and has a Taylor Knockout Value of 55. Penetration is truly astounding; the venerable .375 H&H doesn't even come close. This has become the No. 1 choice of round and rifle for countless individuals and groups who must work in areas containing grizzlies and brown bears. And yes, the combo has taken Africa's Big Six - buffalo, elephant, lion, leopard, rhino, hippo - quite handily. Not bad for a stubby brush gun and cartridge that went to the Battle of the Little Big Horn!"
- Tony Kinton, DEER & BIG GAME RIFLES, 2005, and this: "Randy Garrett's 45-70 Hammerhead 540-grain hard-cast at 1550-fps went 55-inches into wet newspaper." "The 500 Nitro Express with a solid weighing 570-grains penetrated 48-inches into wet newspaper, followed by the 458 Winchester Magnum with a 500-grain solid traveling at a muzzle velocity of 2260-fps and 47-inches of penetration." Penetration tests conducted at the 2001 Linebaugh seminar.
- John Taffin, American Handgunner, July / August 2002 So I am not really going to put any stock in the "no penetration" theory. I will admit that they lack the velocity, but punching holes is what kills, not energy. As for stopping a charge, even a 460 Weatherby Mag wont unless you hit the CNS. As for the cool factor, I freely admit it is NOWHERE as cool as a double in a classic caliber, which again I stated plainly in my first post, guess some of you missed that too, big surprise. As for the price, a MArlin GG goes for around $500, I havnt seen anything close to that price that some of you reccomend. Maybe a CZ, but I think they are closer to $900, ONLY twice the price. As for the post about a Bisons' size, maybe YOU should look at the references, it IS the largest member of the Bovine family PERIOD. Besides as I STATED IN MY ORIGINAL POST, I would not go out and buy a Marlin GG to become a DG rifle! But if it is what you have, then become proficient with it and go for it and dont feel underarmed! And those of you who made comments about my bio, I would really like to know what was funny about it?? If any of you have any problems with me on a personal basis I would be MORE than happy to talk to you about it in private. This kinda irritates me. I am a huge fan of exotic hunting particularily DG and I think a doubl eis the prettiest thing on this earth! I try to ask a few more experienced, like minded people what their opinions are and I get this crap. Ill stick with nitroexpress.com just to show my good spirit and maybe even win some of you over. Anyways I look forward to hearing your responses and opinions. Good hunting!

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Better to have and not need than to need and not have.

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