Any semi-auto rifles in .45-70? - why not one that works like a shotgun?

[Pendragon]

Here in CA, we are very limited on our selection of rifles with a serious social purpose.

My idea is this:

A self loading rifle that fires .45-70 from a tubular magazine - very much like a semi auto shotgun.

Since it does not have a detatchable magazine, it could have a pistol grip.

The .45-70 packs a major wallop - does anyone know how it would do on soft body armor? I would think that even if it did not penetrate, it would seriously hurt someone.

the other nice thing is that the .45-70 rounds are not pointy so the tubular mag thing should work and since we cannot have 30 round mags, being able to top off the tube every so often would be helpful.

Is this just too much recoil and weight to be used in this capacity (as a riot gun, etc)?

Am I crazy?

 

[cratz2]

With a bit of practice, a lever gun in 45-70 is going to be almost as fast as a semi auto if were keeping the shots reasonably accurate. The muzzle will move and you can work the action as the muzzle gets back into line.

I think a shotgun would still be more effective than a 45-70 for most riot-type scenarios. From 20 yards or so, most shots are going to result in multiple targets hit. Granted, the 45-70 will probably do the same by going 'through' the primary target but then in police or military use, someone will probably sue due to contracting a disease while being said secondary target after going through an infected person.

And it probably wouldn't do anything against most body armors but leave a nasty bruise.

 

[BigG]

I think it would work, in fact, I seem to remember one of Browning's early machine guns was in 45/70. Probably the big reason it hasn't been tried is 45/70 was at the tail end of the black powder era and the newfangled smokeless ctgs like 30/40 etc. was what allowed the designers to finally make a workable self loader. Black powder was just too dirty. Good idea!

 

[Gewehr98]

Stay tuned...

Working on a Saiga Kalashnikov .410 shotgun conversion to .45-70. Should be a kick in the pants, literally and figuratively. Dunno about availability in California, though.

 

[Jim K]

Well, there is one gun in .45-70 that would do even better, and that is a good old-time Gatling, which is not an NFA weapon (unless you motorize it) and further is a C&R.

Jim

 

[jsalcedo]

I would want to be the first one on my block to own a 45-70
semi auto. The Saiga idea is making me drool.

My favorite gunshop has winchester 45-70 leverguns for 900 bucks each. when I asked why they said it was the huge demand for Cowboy action shooting and they couldn't keep them on the shelf for more than a few hours.

 

[Kahr carrier]

Marlin has a lever gun in 45/70.

 

[fallingblock]

I've been thinking about that, too...

Pendragon.

Wouldn't the Benelli 'inertia-recoil' action make a slick and fast-cycling .45/70?

I wonder if the action could handle 'mid-level' .45/70's?