Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Combination Guns and Drillings BAIKAL 45-70 DOUBLE RIFLE

We've read about using a Marlin 45-70 in Africa. Will a BAIKAL 45-70 double rifle do as well? That is can it be loaded to the same pressure? What is your take on the BAIKAL 45-70 double rifle??

Wondering about making one a 46-90 or 45-120.

The cartridge should be capable of meeting the caliber and energy requirements for dangerous game in most African countries. It will certainly work for plains game. The Hornady website lists loads for a 400g bullet at 2100ish fps using H4198 in a modern non-lever action. Swift makes 350g and 400g A-Frames for a 45-70.

Take this with a grain of salt though. I have never been to Africa nor do I own or shoot the round in question. I was thinking about a drilling chambered in 45-70 with 28 gauge barrels on top recently though. If a modern break action can handle the pressure of a 375 H&H it can certainly handle the 45-70.

It's been done. Where can you get one?

Well ones on GunBroker.

I looked at one at a local shop and the owner seemed pretty knowledgeable and state the pressure should be held to spec and even at that he suggest old faithful 405 lead bullet loads.

I think a No1 would be a better route for Africa. Then you also have a wider choice of calibers, 45/70 and many others. That assumes my advise was sound - FWIW.

Think I'd look at the Sabatti double first.

Your experience may be different, but the few Baikal double rifles I have seen were embarrassments to the gun making industry. Very poor fit and finish, with barrels that rattled on the reciever. I can't speak to how strong they are, but I don't think I could bring myself to trust them.

They make a FAR better choice in the Baikal DR, but nobody has the sense to import it.

The Baikal is available in Europe and most of the rest of the world in 9,3X74R, a good and useful African round.

Friend of mine in South Africa a PH had a Frog client swat a buffalo last week with his. I guess it worked. He bought it for a fun gun.