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#3895200 03/14/10
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Hi all,

I'm in the market for my next rifle and had never really considered the 45-70. Bu then I saw this rifle:

http://www.marlinfirearms.com/Firearms/bigbore/1895GBL.asp

And I have to say, I really like the way it looks blush

I am typically a small caliber guy and was considering a 17 Remington to round out my battery, but I already have a 17 FB. What I do NOT own is a lever action, or, a BP caliber (or for that matter, anything larger than a .270 and a 30 carbine in a rifle case)

I do hunt big game, and might warm up enough to consider using this rifle for that purpose.

But more than that, it looks like a hoot to reload for and shoot, especially loading some powder puff loads for ringing steel. I don't really need a valid excuse to buy another rifle, but I am interested in what you all have to say about the 45-70.

What say ye??

thanks,

--Duck911


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I wouldn't...

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It's just one of those things. The 45-70 is a piece of Americana. I recently bought a Marlin 1895GBL myself. Working on a pet load that will push a 405gr cast at 1300-ish fps.

I'd say go for it. Upon shooting it you will either love it or not. If not, you can probably move it along for about what you have into it.

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I have a ball with mine. Its a Miroku Winchester Highwall with tang sights. For target practice I shoot 300 gr. bullets at 1500 fps at my gong at 300 yards (as far as I can shoot on my range) and its lots of fun to see the gong swing, then a second later hear CLINK.

I killed this buck with one shot at 125 yards using 350 gr. Hornady's. He didn't go very far.

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I agree with MontanaMarine, a 405gr cast bullet at moderate velocity is a gentle load that hits pretty darn hard. Elmer Keith rated the original 405gr 45-70 load in the Winchester 1886 extra light as one of the best "woods loads" available, and back then the bullets didn't get much over 1400fps, if that.


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Originally Posted by atkinson
I wouldn't...


grin grin grin

I agree with almost everything you say except this topic....Go figure!!!

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Marlin makes a good lever action. The 45-70 is a classic old round.

With practice, you can take critters out to 200 yds. with good loads. Hornady's LEVERevoluton ammo is nice.

It's a good combination for hunting most anything within reasonable ranges.

JM

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+1 with Ray...Why???

It sure is limiting and not suited to a lot of hunting, but it does make a hunter out of you...so...why not? wink


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Originally Posted by JohnMoses
Marlin makes a good lever action. The 45-70 is a classic old round.

With practice, you can take critters out to 200 600 yds. with good loads. Hornady's LEVERevoluton ammo is nice.

It's a good combination for hunting most anything within reasonable ranges.

JM


PM sharpsguy......



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Originally Posted by JohnMoses
Marlin makes a good lever action. The 45-70 is a classic old round.

With practice, you can take critters out to 200 yds. with good loads. Hornady's LEVERevoluton ammo is nice.

It's a good combination for hunting most anything within reasonable ranges.

JM


Really???

This nice bull was shot with a 45-70 with a muzzle velocity of 1600 fps from Garrett Cartridges at 275 yards...No your weapon and everything is kool!!!!

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Don't know what your getting at Log Cutter. I like the rifle and the cartridge..???

You must have misunderstood my post.

Best,

JM

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Sorry John..I did not want it to sound like it did..I like your post but I am poor at putting my words on paper...The dinosour years still prevail to some old dogs.

Jayco. grin

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ive got one of the original Guide Guns.....its my fun gun and does more duty as a gopher(richardsons ground squirrels) rifle than anything.....405 grain hard cast makes a hell of a "bunker buster" when the lil bastards start getting smart and holding tight to their holes....i have lil use for a bench gun like alot do for prairie dogs.....most my shooting is done off hand or using improvised rests with a long shot being a couple hundred yards, 25 feet isnt an uncommon shot.....it also tends to be the gun that lives beside the bed year round, dont have a short barreled shotgun and its handy in the tight spaces of the house....


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Bunker Busters...I bet that is fun. grin

JM

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my brother calls it cheating when we got a bet going on numbers killed grin he tried using the SKS with FMJ's to keep up but they dont do near aswell as that big chunk of lead at easy on the shoulder velocities....the 22's gets a lil boring after awhile and our uncle wants the sod rats near his roads thinned out....gotta do something to keep it interesting...


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My apologies to John Moses again.I am not here to get more enemies but to relay only my experiences compared too...

I have been lucky enough to know two people with pressure equipment for the 45-70..One with a pressure barrel with no throat and one with strain equipment hooked to a Marlin barrel.

There readings are virtually the same on some hot manufactured loads.

I also have one of the very first Guide Guns produced and you can get 2300 fps from a 300 grain Nosler.(The discontinued one) and be right at 40,000 PSI.

My other loads of a 350 North Fork can reach right at 2150 fps in my Guide Gun and be at 450 Marlin pressures...

The 425 and 525 grain cast hit 1850 fps(425) and 1515 fps (525) at below 35,000 PSI out of a Guide Gun.

This is all with "only" the right components and I never stray.

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Originally Posted by luv2safari
+1 with Ray...Why???

It sure is limiting and not suited to a lot of hunting, but it does make a hunter out of you...so...why not? wink



Your experience has been negative with the 45-70?



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Some quick history on the 45-70 and 450 Marlin.The 45-70 remains at a SAAMI 28,000 for the old trapdoors and all the 45-70 bullets are made to perform at that level except the new one like the A-Frame and North Fork.

Then came the 450 Marlin at 43,500 PSI SAAMI( to match what some handloaders have done with the modern 45-70) in the very same action(1895) with a belted case so it cannot be used in old trap door rifles.Speer claims the Winchester 45-70 brass holds 7 more grains of powder than Hornady 450 Marlin brass..No lecture here.Make of it what you want.

Rick Jamison was the first to take the 1895 action with the 450 Marlin with some of the better bullets out of a pressure barrel.(NOTE>>The 300 Nosler loads with RL-7 are with the old colored RL-7 Not the new)

Some impressive numbers for a levergun!!!!!!

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A great cartridge that can handle any North American land animal and most of what one finds on other continents too.

Factory rounds with 405's are pleasant to shoot and move at about 1200+ fps. Hop the same slug up to 1,700+ with reloads, and it will get ones attention when it goes off. Can't wait to bag an elk and maybe a bison with mine. A neat piece of history too.

I have a 1895 Marlin guide gun with a scout scope. Extremely easy to pack around, but I think things are out of the park for me past about 250 yds unless I did some serious science.

Last edited by 1minute; 03/14/10.

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45-70 is a great round and a first class critter killer and it will do so at ranges that would embarass a lot of people. I suspect the guys who consider it a failure used hardcast bullets. I'd have to wonder if these fellas would use a 458 WinMag with solids for killing a moose or elk. I seriously doubt it. They are for penetrating. Hardcast slugs from a 45-70 are penetrators. Use one with a 20:1 bullet at 1400 and it will both penetrate AND expand,very nicely thank you. At that speed it ain't gonna make you recoil shy either. With the right sights it will place a slug accurately at LONG range. Get a 45-70 and with a bit of work, I think you will have lotsa fun and smash any critter you get your sights on.


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