I've always had a thing for lever guns, but after handling a Marlin 1895gbl at my local Canadian Tire the itch has gotten worse. I have a Savage 16 in .300 wsm and am curious how the recoil of the big bore with that 18.5" barrel stacks up against the short mag recoil. Odds are the rifle the new rifle won't be purchased until after this hunting season, call it my Christmas present to myself. So quick questions: 1, how is the quality of the Marlin guide guns? 2, is there any particular trick to loading for a lever gun? How hard are components to come by? I reload but don't mold boolits (yet) if it's worth it I may take it up. At the end of the day it would be for close in brush hunting and bear hunting. Anything else I should know? Are there other lever options in 45-70 to look at? School me on this one folks as |I am totally new to big bores.
Convince me to buy a 45-70
- Thread starter Albertarookie
- Start date
Marlin or Henry... there are others like Chiappa etc...
Every shooter owes it to themselves to own at least one .45/70 in their lifetime... recoil is "mild to wild", depending on how you load it... I have some preferred lever loads and some heavy Ruger No.1 loads. .45/70 is a wonderful deer/bear cartridge.
Every shooter owes it to themselves to own at least one .45/70 in their lifetime... recoil is "mild to wild", depending on how you load it... I have some preferred lever loads and some heavy Ruger No.1 loads. .45/70 is a wonderful deer/bear cartridge.
Hoyt said it best. The 45/70 is truly an amazing round for short range hunting and a lot of fun to arch in on further away targets. It's a perfect bear cartridge in any form single double lever or bolt. It's easy to load for and components are easy to come by. Can be loaded cheap with cast bullets. Power can range from mice to moose and even the big 5 with proper bullets
Recoil is subjective but my double is light and kicks a little harder then my savage 110 in 300wm. That's a 405 gr bullet at 1750 fps. When pushed to 2000 fps not to many ppl fire a second shot
My vote would be the Henry lever however I have not shot the newer Rio Grande. Worth a look perhaps
Recoil is subjective but my double is light and kicks a little harder then my savage 110 in 300wm. That's a 405 gr bullet at 1750 fps. When pushed to 2000 fps not to many ppl fire a second shot
My vote would be the Henry lever however I have not shot the newer Rio Grande. Worth a look perhaps
Re the 45/70, an old saying from a vintage (1940s) Western radio show I was listening to the other day...
"Don't get in any gun fights with buffalo hunters as there ain't no such thing as cover".
Also here is a fascinating read on the Army test back in 1879.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/843705/posts
Try the leverlution cartridges, good stuff.
"Don't get in any gun fights with buffalo hunters as there ain't no such thing as cover".
Also here is a fascinating read on the Army test back in 1879.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/fr/843705/posts
Try the leverlution cartridges, good stuff.
Last edited:
Any further questions?
Can be loaded from mild ("trapdoor loads", 1300 fps) to OUCH! Brian Pearce took a Cape Buff with a load similar to the pic above, ie 405 gr. HC @ 1800 fps; recoil about the same as a .338 at that level.
Here's a pic of a friend of mine shooting my regular-size 1895 yesterday:
In the Marlin or Ruger Nº1 it can be loaded even hotter if you're a glutton for punishment- see the loads on Real Guns website if you dare. But those big boolits penetrate very well at relatively modest velocities so there's no need to hurt yourself unnecessarily.
I have an older Marlin 1895 and it's just fine. I've not seen a new Marlin "in the flesh" as it were but I've heard they have improved after a dismal start under Remington. No doubt someone here on CGN can comment more personally on that. (Real Guns also has an article on that.)
Some folks replace the Marlin sights. Mine has a Williams aperture on the rear and a white-line stripe which I made up (like an XS) on the front, which shows up really well.
Skinner sights are also very popular and a reflex "red dot" sight such as the Burris Fastfire (which I have on my 1894) is also good.
I'm not sure what Marlin is using for a recoil pad these days. They used to have an endless supply of recycled hockey pucks for this purpose so mine has a Decelerator on it!
Components are a PITA at the moment as everyone knows. The 405 gr. slug above is from The Bullet Barn here in B.C. Henry at Budget Shooter Supply (CGN sponsor, back from summer holidays Sept.2) shows Starline brass avail., as well as IMR 3031 and 4198 powders. (I use Reloder 7.)
Stuart
- Location
- Invermere, BC
There is a Ruger #1 in 45-70 up for sale on Alberta Outdoorsmen.
madtrapper143
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Steep Rock Lake NWO
I started with a Handi Rifle in the .45-70. I went to Marlins and a real nice 1886 SRC. They are gone but I still have the Handi. Killed deer and bear with no problem. It is so versatile compared to levers. I load trap door loads with 405 gr cast bullets for 98% of my hunting. I move up to faster 405 gr Remington bullet hand loads when more power is needed. Have not needed it yet. I also load shot load "forager" rounds using .410 wads and .45 gas checks and #6 shot for grouse and rabbits. I have die sets but my favourite is my Lee Loader in .45-70 it works great and loads the shot loads as well. I have even played around with FFG black powder loads with good results. If you want to have some fun with your new .45-70 I suggest a Handi rifle and if you decide the .45-70 isn't for you, you don't have 800.00 tied up in the gun.
Darryl
Darryl
Dorian Gray
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
While i don't have one right now (since I'm running a Rossi M92 in .454 Casull, a 45-70 would be redundant) I do really like the round and Marlin seems to have got their #### together. At least, that's what the gun rags are saying. I was out with a friend about a month ago and he had an SBL with him. I guess it was one of the good ones because it shot like hot damn, had no problem cycling and was a joy to carry and shoot. I think i'll add one to the collection in a few years. I want to make sure Marlin has all it's bugs out of the new production rifles. I got stuck with one of their lemons a few years ago and it was a 1K$ learning experience. Not gonna get phucked again.
Another argument for the 45/70 is: a 405gr. bullet does not get deflected by twigs or small trees, and even with a less than perfect placed hit,the animal goes down.No search.
I'm running 1980fps with a 405gr remington bullet off my handi rifle...recoil compares to 12ga 3" goose load. After the first hunting season with 45/70 I sold my 300WM,30-06 and the 223...never looked back,never regreted it.
CG
I'm running 1980fps with a 405gr remington bullet off my handi rifle...recoil compares to 12ga 3" goose load. After the first hunting season with 45/70 I sold my 300WM,30-06 and the 223...never looked back,never regreted it.
CG
I prefer the gs to the big loop. I also like the 4 round mag better then the 5. I find do the big loop tends to dig into my back when cross slung. As others have said, you can reload to do anything with it, and it's fun! I've got loads for mine ranging from a 267 gr@525fps to a 405 gr@2075fps. I shot a chicken with it last year ( light load of course) and it worked great! Heavy loads hit like Thors hammer. Some models have a pachmyre(sp? ) decelerator on them and if they don't they are a good idea.
Brutus
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
My first .45 bore rifle is a K-98 Mauser in 458x2inch American. (for romping stomping handloads and anything up to that point)
First 45-70 'rifle' is actually an 1891 era BP Prussian drilling. (multi purpose hunting combo gun)
Second 45-70 is a Browning BPCR. (a dedicated target rifle)
Well covered here I think so myself.
First 45-70 'rifle' is actually an 1891 era BP Prussian drilling. (multi purpose hunting combo gun)
Second 45-70 is a Browning BPCR. (a dedicated target rifle)
Well covered here I think so myself.
Last edited:
Calum said:
Reloading is the way to go for sure. However The Bullet Barn (www.thebulletbarn.com) also offers loaded ammo as well as bullets. I'm not sure how stout their loads are, although they also list Trapdoor loads so the others might be "mid-stout." (I'd think the 390 gr LRNFP-GC would be suitable for hunting. The 525 gr. Postell type would be for BPCR) They have two dealers in AB, The Bullet Bench in Calgary and P&D in Edmonton.
Brutus said:
Sigh... there's a showoff in every crowd
Woo hoo. I'll have to try that. Now if we were only allowed to use suppressors... Imagine a nice heavy bullet at around 1000 fps.... WHOOSH... THUMP!
