45-70

It's like the guys at my first shooting club who were too tightarsed to buy .357 Magnum cases.

So they loaded up the same load in .38 Special cases. Giving a +P+ equivalent.

It went fine until someone turned up with no ammunition but just their gun..usually...a S & W Model 15 or less often a Colt Detective Special or Police Positive...and then the fun started.

As the tightarsed ever happy to help out offered to "lend you some of my mate's".

Except they had forgotten which box were Special loads and which box the quasi .357 Magnum loads.

Now a S & W Model 15 is actually a strong gun. I shot against the USAF Police at RAF Upper Heyford and they used them with +P (equivalent) FMJ ammunition.

But in a "Dick's Special" my was the recoil lively from the guy's ammunition his mate had loaded!
 
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It's like the guys at my first shooting club who were too tightarsed to buy .357 Magnum cases.

So they loaded up the same load in .38 Special cases. Giving a +P+ equivalent.

It went fine until someone turned up with no ammunition but just their gun..usually...a S & W Model 15 or less often a Colt Detective Special or Police Positive...and then the fun started.

As the tightarsed ever happy to help out offered to "lend you some of my mate's".

Except they had forgotten which box were Special loads and which box the quasi .357 Magnum loads.

Now a S & W Model 15 is actually a strong gun. I shot against the USAF Police at RAF Upper Heyford and they used them with +P (equivalent) FMJ ammunition.

But in a "Dick's Special" my was the recoil lively from the guy's ammunition his mate had loaded!
Like I say. You can not make the world idiot proof, idiots are to resourceful and thus there is no need or point in bad mouthing someone's legitimate free choice.
 
Rifles in 45-70Govt are currently relatively available and it is not hard to get conditioned for deer/AOLQ.

It allows the UK shooter to scratch the big bore itch with less hassle and expense than many "big game" options.

I've had a few, including a Ruger No.1, and at present I use a Marlin GSBL (Guide gun) for lowland/woodland Stalking. I like lever-actions and the rifle is so short and pointable. I shoot heavy, home-designed cast, mainly. 250gr would be required for Scottish velocities but that would be a bit pointless.

Incidentally, bullet placement is just as important as any deer-legal chambering and even heart/high-heart shots can run (even smaller species). The larger bore shouldn't be used as an excuse to take short cuts (shooting through brush/cover) etc.

I like it, for what I use it for.
 
I've got one. It wasn't any trouble getting it cleared for deer and AOLQ. If you want one just ask for it and if you have deer experience they shouldn't make a fuss. It's a great close range woodland calibre, not so good for distance because the trajectory is shocking!

I shoot mine at the range most of the time with 500gr cast bullets. It's a good laugh. It kicks a bit but nothing terrible. Mines up for sale since I got my .416 Rigby but it's not a traditional looking 1895. Short barrel, muzzle brake etc. It's very quick to get on target.
 
I've got a Trapdoor, a Marlin and a Siamese Mauser Custom. The Siamese is a true flame thrower -just a few ticks under a 458 Winchester Magnum. I have killed deer with 330 grain cast bullets at 2200 fps. The abruptness of the deer hitting the ground must be seen to be believed. As for it being a rubbish cartridge held over from the 1800's, the same could be said for the 6.5x55, 8x57 , 303 British, and 7.5x55 to name a few.....~Muir
 
I've owned and used 45/70's for about 40 years , everything from rolling blocks to single shot's , levers and bolt guns . It's a very popular cartridge in Canada . The fact that it was formerly an American military cartridge has nothing to do with it's becoming a hunting staple up here . It didn't really become popular until the introduction of the Marlin 1895 , there's always been a few 1886 Winchesters and Rolling Blocks kicking around , but in smaller numbers . The last Trap Door I saw was mine , and that was a long time ago . Long story short , in Canada at least , the 45/70 is actually a fairly recent cartridge to see common use . In all my years using them , different loading levels have never been an issue , I've never heard of anyone else capping off a level three load in a Trap Door either . The reason it's carried by so many people , myself included , is because it's a very effective hunting cartridge within it's range limits , nostalgia doesn't enter into it .
After using it for as long as I have , on a lot of game , up to Moose and big Bears , I've found that hot rodding it doesn't really make that much difference in the field . I've shot Moose with factory Remington 405 gr's at about 1350 fps ( yes I know it doesn't meet UK legislation ) and 405 gr hard cast gas checks at about 1850 . The reactions were all pretty much the same , after the shot , they all went about 10 yards and fell over . I've settled on 405 gr hard cast gas checks at about 1600 fps for everything for the last number of years . It is an absolutely reliable killer on anything I'll run into and doesn't destroy a lot of edible meat in the process .
I currently have a Marlin 1895 Guide Gun , ridiculously accurate for a short barreled big bore . They're not for everyone , but for anything we have , and I do mean anything , inside of 200 yards , you won't go wrong . Stalker308 took my last 1895 home with him a few years back . He used it to take a very nice Black Bear out here . He used a Hornady 325 gr leverevolution Flex Tip on it . The bear dropped instantly at the shot and never moved , that is not the case with most rounds . He was impressed enough with it that I gave it to him ( it was the right thing to do lol ) You should drop him a PM , he knows what he's doing .
The 45/70 is like two other great American designed rounds , the 308 and the 30/06 , efficient and effective . I apologise for the long post , but I'm a longtime fan of the 45/70 , it's still used because it works , and probably still will long after I go for a dirt nap . I wouldn't be without one .


AB
 
Ok let’s have some pictures; here’s mine... they’ve yet to grass anything other than targets so far however I plan to get the Ruger out into the woods soon.

I’m shooting a 420gr cast boolit from an MP mould. The slight issue I’ve had with the Ruger is a significant vertical change in impact of approx 12” at 50m of when switching between plinking (13gr of Unique) and mid-power (40gr of N130) loads, the faster the load, the lower it hits. I put this down to the onset of recoil, which which with the slow loads is causing the barrel the rise before bullet exit, giving a higher point of impact.

For nostalgia I also occasionally load blackpowder loads for the Marlin Cowboy.


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Ok. Here's mine. Again, not shot anything living with it and have now moved the use conditions over to target only as I wasn't using it and was struggling to justify having so many deer rifles. I need to drop one somewhere so I can get this out on the deer if it doesn't sell soon, it's sad to not use it and it breaks shackles off of my gongs at an alarming rate! It's not got huge muzzle energy but I think where as a 150 ish grain high velocity round stops when it hits the mass of the gong, the 500gr slower one just keeps on going and something has to give.Marlin .45-70 2.webp
 
I really enjoy my 45-70 but it isn't a lever but a greener action and hexagonal barrel and open sights, I still need some nice wood for it but it's a pleasure to shoot, raised a few eyebrows on a driven hunt but it shot well,regards wayne
 
Truth be told, I've wanted an New England Firearms high pressure frame with a 45-70 barrel fit to it. IT would be a light beast, only slightly meaner on the front end than the rear.:oops:~Muir
 
I’ve got a Marlin 1895 SBL, purely a range queen but lots of fun. Feels like you’re trying to lob mortar rounds past 150m though.
 

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Truth be told, I've wanted an New England Firearms high pressure frame with a 45-70 barrel fit to it. IT would be a light beast, only slightly meaner on the front end than the rear.:oops:~Muir
I went through three , yes three , Ruger No 3 carbines before I realised I didn't like light weight 45/70's . Great to carry and accurate , but it was debatable who took more of a beating , me or the Moose lol .
I have seen a Baikal IJ-18 ? single shot that was converted to 45/70 from 7.62X54R . The owner restocked it as well , a very nice little rifle , but a little light for my tastes . There are a lot of Baikal side by sides kicking around here in 45/70 . All the guys I've talked to that use them , like them a lot . They're not a rising bite Rigby by any stretch , but for some reason , the animals don't seem to notice .

AB
 
There are a lot of Baikal side by sides kicking around here in 45/70 . All the guys I've talked to that use them , like them a lot . They're not a rising bite Rigby by any stretch , but for some reason , the animals don't seem to notice .

You could get them here too for a while. My local dealer York Guns Limited is the main Baikal UK importer and got a few in many years back that walked straight out of the door. I don't know if they've managed to get many more in since, or even any at all.
 
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