how accesable is 45 70 ammo

[southernjeep80]

just curious i was thinking about getting the marlin 1895 but didnt know how accessible the ammo is for it.

right now i have a 12ga so im used to being able to go into walmart gandermountain where ever and picking some shells up

 

[ACP230]

During the 2008-2009 ammo panic they had some of it at the local mom and pop that sells alcohol, tabacco and firearms.
It was also available from some vendors at the local summer gun show.
Also available from some mail-order outfits.
I did not check to see if Wal-Mart had any.

 

[BullRunBear]

Can't speak to Wal-Mart or Gander Mountain but in my area there's no problem getting the ammo at local gun stores. If you reload, the 45-70 is easy as it is a straight walled case. The commercial ammo is accurate out to 200 yards in my rolling block repro (as far as I've tried). I usually load black powder for the cartridge but have used smokeless in the past.

Jeff

 

[TonyAngel]

I'm down in south Louisiana and .45-70 and .444 Marlin are quite popular. Every place that sells ammo has it.

 

[Leaky Waders]

Doesn't cabelas sell like bargain bins of it in ammo cans? I hate their new website and refuse to go to it, but you can check them or midwayusa or some other place online and see what's available.

I just bought 500 pieces of starline and some missouri bullets and loaded up for mine.

 

[chas08]

I've had mine, an 1895 Guide Gun, for two hunting seasons now, and in my experience ammo has been easy to find. It really likes the Hornady Leverevolution ammo. So I bought five boxes all of the same lot number. That will do me for a few seasons. With the internet, ammo is available at your fingertips.

 

[Red Tornado]

Your location may determine availability, too. You probably won't see as much in the flatlands as you will elsewhere. I'd expect Gander Mountain to carry at least some.
RT

 

[CraigC]

If it's available online and in myriad flavors, who cares what Walmart carries???

 

[hardluk1]

And you can always order direct from Double Tap and Buffalo Bore if others are out of stock. Check to with Midway, Natches and Georgia Arms. You can buy some fairly hot marlin/ruger loads that get real close to a 458win mag loads. Also one of the easier to handload for easy to shoot loads.

 

[natman]

It's not quite as available as 30-30, 30-06, 223 or 22LR. However any decent gunshop will have some, there's plenty available mail order and it's not seasonal.

It's not hard to find.

 

[dodge]

A 45/70 is not a straight wall case. It has a slight taper to it and this is why you can't find carbon dies for it as you will for pistol rounds. It's still a very easy round to load as I do due to the cost of factory ammo ($35 +/-).

 

[Old Scratch]

For an 1895, you really have to hand load to realize the 45-70's full potential. The factory stuff sold (or not sold) at grocery stores is underpowered for the 1895. Careful hand loads can be amazingly accurate and POWERFUL.

One technical point: if your 1895 has micro-groove rifling, don't waste your time and money on cast bullets...only the jacketed variety will work properly. I have had great results with Remington's 405 grain SP.

 

[geo57]

Probably the biggest reason to handload this cartridge is to be able to shoot & enjoy it much cheaper than buying factory ammo, unless you just plan to fire a few rounds a year. As far as having to reload it hotter than conventional or non premium factory loads, that is up to the shooter, but one does not need to load it any hotter to be very effective in the big game hunting field. I've taken 8 head of whitetail deer with my 45-70, all with my handloads loaded @ trapdoor levels. I would not feel underpowered to hunt elk, moose, bear or bison with it. Most find the milder loads much more pleasant to shoot in a range session as well.

 

[ETXhiker]

Totally agree with Geo57. There is no need to go hotter than trapdoor loads for whitetail, etc. The recoil from a 300 grain at 1800 fps is quite reasonable in a 1895, ditto the 405 gr. @1300 or so. The Buffalo Bore stuff or hot handloads are for good for the big critters like moose, bear, or elk, but the old, slow, 405 gr. loads would probably do just fine - think of all the bison that have been dropped with that loading.

The fun of the hot "+P" loads, is to show your friends what it feels like to shoot something near a 450/400 Nitro Express in a 7.5 lb. rifle

 

[Onmilo]

The nearby Dunham Sports always has a few boxes of .45/70 in stock as does the Gander Mountain.
The stuff isn't hard to find and there are always the online dealers such as Midway.