Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Best 45-70 Lever Gun

None of these can compare to an new Henry made rifle, not Wincchester, Marlin, or Browning Miruko. Nothing compares to Henry value and craftsmanship.

Hmmm...

No experience with the Henry, just not what I'd heard. Would like more info.

DF

I agree, the quality of the Henry is much below the others...

I think you'd like the Henry quite well. It's high quality and modern materials just might ensure that you don't blow up an collectable vintage firearm.

Besides, in real world performance the Henry 45-70 is worth twice as much an an Browning 1886 or 71, being that it will probably last twice as long without parts breakage or failure.

No loading gate. Extra extra heavy. No want.

No personal offense intended Sir, but Usain Bolt himself couldn't run fast enough to catch me and give me a Henry. I'd take just about anything else.

Well, once you try a Henry all your Winchesters and Marlins will be just worth a penny. They're just fantastic rifles and made right here in this country.

I've been very pleased with several Marlins I've either owned, or played with for a while.

Their fit and finish is not perfect. But they have all been very good shooters.

-Jake

Been to the Range twice in the last three weeks with a couple "men" that outta two different Marlins couldn't shoot them worth a Chitt........... Would love to see groups from those that claim they shoot!!!!!!!! post 'em... Seems like a pipe dream to me. Couple big boys with big shoulders they are. I almost bought into it. Bears over bait. Thick timber elk blah blah blah. To each his own. Granted the only 45-70's Ive ever been around. Seen enough to not ever wanta scratch that itch again. I'm 6-2 230 and nothing about it was fun. JME YMMV Good Luck! If ya can't put it where it needs to go it ain't worth a pinch of chitt. Try shooting one in field conditions before you buy one. If I'm outta line I apologize...

Tried Henry. The balance, fit, handling, and weight are all wrong. Give me Winchester.

That's crazy. I just recently sold my Remlin 1895 45-70 and that sucker shot MOA with Winchester and Hornady factory loads. You just have to know how to shoot. It doesn't matter how big you are.

Had my 45-70 and 375 Marlins at NRA Whittington Center, shooting the steel range. Was hitting the rams at 600 four-out-of five with both in 40MPH crosswinds. (Had to hold on the next ram to the left.) Shot both regularly at 300 yards with a ~22" drop at local range, easily hitting 6" target with all shots. Dropped a nice 6x6 bull elk at lasered 213 yards the day after taking a buck mulie at a lasered 197 yards.

Still have both, along with a .30-30 that shoots well, too.

Here are some notes from my reloading spreadsheet. Velocities are from chrono. All are JM Marlins.
Range is 100 unless otherwise noted.
Format is 'Brief load description -- Comments'.

Marlin 1895 (.45-70)
Lasercast 300g FP BB, 1566fps -- Lee crimp. 0.42" for 3 shots, one hole, 50 yards, 4x scope, 12.5fps S.D.
Speer 300g JHP, 2247fps -- Lee crimp.1.55" with 3 of 4 in 0.70", 50 yards, 4x scope, 10.1fps S.D.
North Fork 350g FN, 2181fps -- Roll crimp in top groove as separate operation with RCBS crimp die. 1.2" group for 4 shots, 100 yards, 7x Scope. 3.6fps S.D.

Marlin 375 (.375 Winchester):
Hornady 220g @ 2230fps -- Very accurate. 2.9" @ 200 yards. 3.4fps Std. Dev.
Speer 235g @ 2071fps (load 1) -- 3-shot avg, 1.60" group. 100 yrds. 15mph wind, 4/8/2018
Speer 235g @ 2071fps (load 2) -- 3-shot avg, 1.67" group. 100 yrds. 15mph wind, 4/8/2018

Marlin 336C (.30-30)
Speer 130g FSP @2351fps avg. -- Ladder - 1.35" for 35.0g, 35.5g, 36.0g
Speer 130g FSP @ 2438fps -- 0.95", 100 yards, 3 shots, 39.8fps STD, 4x scope
Speer 130g FSP @ 2504fps -- 0.14", 100 yards, 2 shots, 7x scope, 38.5g and 39.0g. 1.75", 100 yards, 5 shots, 38.5g, 13.2fps, STD PREFERRED LOAD
Speer 150g FSP @2305fps -- 0.50", 100 yards, 3 shots, 7x scope, 35.5g, 36.0g and 36.5g. 3.35", 100 yards, 5 shots, 22.9fps
Hornady 160g FTX @ 2274fps -- Consistent 0.95" to 1.00" w/ 33.5g, 34.0g, 34.5g Varget
Speer 170g FSP @ 2069fps -- 0.90", 100 yards, 3 shots, 12.3fps STD, 4x scope
Speer 170g FSP @ 2133fps - 1.0", 100 yards, 5 shots, (2 targets combined), 7x scope. 1 @ 30.0g, 2 @ 30.5 and 2 @ 31.0g.


Yup, Marlins suck.

So far, not a big ground swell of enthusiasm for the Henry.

You seem to be in a minority.

But, if you like it....

I reckon that's why they make Dodge trucks...

Somebody drives'em, not me...

DF

i have seen many that couldn't shoot a 45-70 worth beans. most were defeated before they even pulled the trigger.
i started in 1959 with a spingfield and only in the last 6 months have i not had a 45-70 in my cabinet.
those tat can't shoot a 1895 mostly are jumping out of their shoes at the thought of dropping the hammer.
i have never had any type of lever in 45-70 that wouldn't shoot close enough to decapitate a grouse .
have taken bear, elk, whitetail,and even a huge sucker fish in the river with Marlin's, Winchesters, Springfields, and
even a siamese Mauser.
probably my favorite 45-70 Lever gun is the 1886 lightweight takedown. But for heavy use you can't beat the 1895 Marlin. and i have even had one Remlin that was outstanding.
if it weren't for health issues i would be shooting a 95 in 45-70 today.

fixted
don't want to bad mouth the henry too much but they just can't get the ascetics to appeal to me.

Wish I had a Studebaker truck.

I remember them.

DF

I like my GG, I won’t brag about accuracy but it’s as good as I am with open sights. I run 430gr gas checks at 1700-1800 FPS. It’s easy to carry and points fast. I bought it for a camp gun and something I can carry into Canada. I didn’t buy it to be pretty, just a hammer if I need it.

It tickles me to read about Marlins/lever actions not being accurate. I have shot many marlins in several calibers and most would approach or meet MOA without much effort. Every now and then I'll pull up videos from the marlin forums showing long range shooting using cast bullets and Unique (mostly) powder. It takes a shooter, but it also takes a good rifle! Just go to YouTube and search videos for 'wind dingers marlin'.

I was about to sell my 1895 SBL a few months ago during that idiotic buying craze based on a stupid movie, that just happened to be between shipments from the factory. Used ones were getting $1300 on auction. New went over $1500
I took it to the range "one last time", shot 3 shots, and they were all touching in the center of the bullseye at 100 yds. No way I'd let that get away. I had already done a complete tune up, as well as adding a Wild West follower, trigger, and extractor.
Wasn't super fond of the shiny metal, so totally disassembled it, and had the external parts Cerakoted in Cobalt Gray. So, I now have essentially their custom shop model for way less than it could be bought for.

My choice would be find a pre safety Marlin. I have 3 and they are for sure smooth with a wild west trigger swapped into them. I like to run small variable power scopes so Marlin is a no brainer for me.