I bought the 1894 CSBL and was wrestling with the same issues. Last night I threw a Leupold one-piece picatinny mount for an AR-15 on it ... dang thing clears the ghost ring by almost a quarter inch. I think by adding as strap on or velcro cheek piece to the stock, it's going to work out ok. No reason I can see that it wouldn't work on the .45-70, too.

Anyone who thinks there's two sides to everything hasn't met a M�bius strip.

Here be dragons ...