Rifle choices: 44 Mag. or 45-70 Govt.?

I have the Marlin .44 in a 1894 and a .45-70 in a 1895 GBL.

If I thought I would be in tighter area I would choose the Henry you have; if space wasn't a concern I would choose that beautiful 26" barrel... Ballistics aside, that is how I would make my choice if you get both. My 1894 is my fav levergun; my 1895 is my other favorite.

Greg

My brain says 45-70, my shoulder says 44 magnum.

Whenever I feel the want for a 45-70, I just reach for a good slug gun instead...

Nothing worng with the 45-70, but I'm a big 44 mag fan, been my favorite magnum cartridge in both rifle and handgun for decades.

But I also like the 444. I hunted with one back in the 80's and it's a real thumper on big mule deer.

GS

Have you considered a single shot in 45-70? It's a whole lot of fun.

Bowhunter57

Would love to have the Marlin but would more than likely use the Henry.

You can always download a .45-70, but you can't get a .44 magnum to match a .45-70. A lot of folks load it with cast bullets and Unique for a nice light load. For the purposes mentioned, the .44 magnum is perfectly adequate though. I feel the draw myself however, there is just something awesome about a .45-70. I love my Guide Gun.

The .44. Less recoil. Cheaper. More than adequate. The .45-70 is overkill for those animals.

Neither caliber is ideal for hunting coyotes or groundhogs although it'd be fun to do so. I've had the Marlin 45-70 Cowboy and I loved it. It definitely needs a modern recoil pad. I also love the same rifle with an 18 inch barrel. While in Colorado Springs a week or two ago, I saw a newly manufactured Marlin 1895 with an 18 inch octagonal barrel in 45-70. Just something to consider

Most reading I do about groundhog control talks about the abundance of targets. So right off the bat I would think you'd want a gun that holds the most rounds so you get more shots before needing to reload. So even though you can load down either one to a power level suitable for ground hogs this ammo amount issue still points towards the .44Mag if we're looking at just these two options.

And besides, as mentioned already both are already overkill for the coyotes and ground hogs. And while both will do fine on deer the .44Mag is already "enough" to do the job.

Well, the 45-70 will certainly work. Just don't use more energy than needed. In fact there are some "cat sneeze" loads out there. I have one that 300 grain bullet at a pretty low velocity. Does fine on rabbits. Even took one coyote with it.

The yote was either deaf, blind and couldn't smell or just plain dumb. We both went around a bend in a wash and came face to face. He just stood there, well until he fell over.

I have no love for the Big Boy but the 1895 Cowboy is a wonderfully balanced rifle for a 26" octagon.

I'm with Mosin Bubba. .44 Mag.

stubbicatt said:

Have you considered a single shot in 45-70? It's a whole lot of fun.

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You must have a different idea of fun that I do. I had a H&R Buffalo Classic in 45-70. I shot 5 rounds of Hornady Leverevolution 325 grain and was ready to call it a day. However, I had 15 more rounds that I paid $2 each for so I shot the next 5 rounds right handed, then 5 left, then the final 5 right. The gun went up for sale 2 weeks after I purchased it. I also have a handi in 44 Mag and it is a joy to shoot.

To the OP: Nothing you are hunting requires a 45-70 GOVT.

....hunting the same critters...coyotes, groundhogs and deer.

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Within the [user-defined/ballistic-curve ranges] of each, the 44Mag will do just fine.





(This from a guy who has multiple 44s and multiple 45-70s)

A 300 grain "cat sneeze" load. Gotta love it.

moxie said:

A 300 grain "cat sneeze" load. Gotta love it.

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You gotta try some ball loads. The fun is mostly learning where they will hit.

The .44 with 300 grainers is much easier on the shoulder than a .45-70 . The animals you want to hunt won't notice the difference.

The .45-70 lever action has much more cool factor, but for a big bore working rifle, there are better choices.

I had the 45-70 Marlin, and the cool wore off for me after about a dozen rounds. I replaced it with a 416 Ruger. The Marlin is too light, which is part of it's appeal, but doesn't help for recoil.

If I was hunting coyotes and groundhogs I'd just take out my handy SCAR 17. 'Course that's like shooting Vespa scooters with an A10. So of your two choices, I'd pick the .44. The rounds are ubiquitously available, can be loaded in a very wide range of power factors, you likely have the matching sidearm, and a shoulder 'is a terrible thing to waste'.
B

I'd go for the .44 mag in a lever, the 45-70 likes a modern single shot action so you can get full use out of it. In my Browning 1885 I can load little plinking loads all the way up to near .458 Winchester loads (although my shoulder pays a price for those). I would think a .44 lever rifle with a Ruger Super Blackhawk would make a fine hunting pair.

If you're going to reload, take the 45-70. You will get so much more enjoyment out of it. 300gr loads that any 10 year old could handle up to 500gr "take anything on the planet" loads. Thos however kill on both ends. My favorite is 405gr hardcasts at about 1600fps. Not killer on the shoulder and will take anything I could ever come in contact with around here....easily. With the correct shot placement of course. Honestly, I can shoot the leverevolution 325gr loads all day long. They really do not kick hard. And that's not a "I'm so macho" statement. Most of my buddies were hesitant to shoot my 1895. I literally had to talk them into it. Everyone of them was surprised at how little recoil it actually has. It's all about what your current and potentially future intended purposes are.

The 44mag with 240-300gr slugs out of a lever gun is no slouch. But it's the ability to download and upload the 45-70 that makes it the choice in my book. Also the fact that the 45-70 is just one of those rounds that commands respect. I've never pulled out that rifle, had someone ask me what it was, and not seen a "wicked cool smile" come across their face when I said "It's a 45-70".

If you're a lever gun guy like I am, and you don't get a 45-70, someday you'll probably wish you had.

Bowhunter57: My Son and I both shoot a Marlin 1895 CB in 45-70 with the 26inch long barrels. Both of our rifles shoot extremely well. I have always like long barreled rifles and pistols. We have a Marlin 44 mag, and it shoots very well also, but it does not get used or shot any where close to our Marlin CB in 45-70. Our load we use for 90% of shooting is 35grs of IMR3031 and a Hard Cast LRNFP Bullet. At about 1250fps to 1350fps. We use it to Pig and Deer hunt with or any thing else we might shoot , and this load has worked very well for us. Always full peneration either side to side or end for end on any thing we have shot with this load. This is a very comfortable load to shoot even at a all day Cowboy Action Shoot. IMHO a 45-70 in a Marlin CB with a 26in barrel is just very hard to beat, if you can do it at all. It is very comfortable to carry, and with 9 45-70 rounds in the tube it is very comforting as well. Get the 45-70 befor it is gone. They are hard to find, in our area.
ken

A 44 Mag isn't a slouch. However, the 45-70 has almost twice the punch as a 44 mag


At least Marlin was smart enough to put a recoil pad on their 1895 in 45-70. H&R used a steel butt plate on the Buffalo Classic.