Tough 2 Gun Choice 45-70

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Billy Jack

Billy Jack

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I have been looking for a lever action or single shot 45-70 or 44 mag for several months now. I've looked at an H&R Buffalo Classic, Marlin Guide Gun, and various other lever guns in 44 mag and 45-70.
A friend passed away and our mutual friend is selling all his guns for his wife.
He has a Ruger # 1 in 45-70 that is mint condition except for 2 "boo-boos"; a little gouge in the rear of the stock going into the rubber kick pad and a 1" scratch in the cheek part of the stock, otherwise it is clean and new looking. It does not still have the scope rings with it, but does come with 6 boxes of 45-70 ammo, about 1/2 PMC and 1/2 Remmington, some soft nose and some hollow points. ( I would probably shoot up a bunch of it and start loading a large cast lead WFN Boolit.)
It just isn't one of the guns that I had been looking for......but I got to shoot it this afternoon and it is one hell of a shooter.
I can get it all for $740. I want it and will have to make a decision soon to take it or leave it.
Should I hold out for that classic lever gun, like an earlier Marlin, or go for the single shot Ruger #1?
 
Personally, I'd go for the Marlin GG. I've got one, a real Marlin not a Remlin, and it is awesome. It's so much fun to launch close to an ounce of lead with that thing down range. The Ruger #1 just isn't my cup of tea in that caliber.
 
$750 will buy a used Browning 1886 lever action. Then again 6 boxes of factory 45/70 is about $300 now at retail,,,,
A few marks on the stock, who cares. The Ruger rings are easy to replace if you want to scope the rifle.
 
Well, first you need to decide if you want a repeater or a single shot. once you decide that, the rest becomes easier. If a single shot really is what you want, then that's a screaming deal. If you really want a lever, then this is just a cheap gun you don't really want.
 
Actually as far as repeating vs single shot, I'm not that set either way. I think my main fascination has become older heavy slow, but terribly effective cartridges like the 44 mag and now the 45-70. Any quality gun that feels good in my hands should work for me.
It's just that I don't buy a lot of guns so I like to make each purchase meaningful.
I passed up a H&R Buffalo classic for $400 that really felt good, but I kept reading that it was basically just a shotgun platform with a rifle barrel and then some yehoo bought it!
The newer Marlins are getting horrible comments on quality. The few new ones I've looked at the wood doesn't even fit the metal. I haven't seen a used one lately and I don't much care for buying on-line from "afar".
I love just about any Ruger, I want a 45-70, single shots are cool, I love free ammo, it was a hunting friend's gun, it carries well, ..................I think I'd better pull the trigger before word gets out it's for sale.
Done deal.
 
I love my (Remlin) 45-70. That said, I think helping out your friend's widow and having 'a piece of 'him'' for your memory is well worth it.
You are also reading from a guy who doesn't own a #1 (yet). With that action you could turn that 45-70 into a real monster.
Go for it and don't look back!
Greg
 
I've had two Ruger #1's and they are a great rifle...also harder to find in 45/70 than the Marlin...plus they are the best looking rifle being built today IMO. The ammo is just icing on the cake.

I would have already bought the Ruger.
 
JUMP on that #1. NOW.

I've had one for a long time. Fantastic in 45-70. Handload and it goes from a mild mannered fun gun to 'insane' level if you can stand it!
 
Billy Jack said:
Actually as far as repeating vs single shot, I'm not that set either way. I think my main fascination has become older heavy slow, but terribly effective cartridges like the 44 mag and now the 45-70. Any quality gun that feels good in my hands should work for me.
It's just that I don't buy a lot of guns so I like to make each purchase meaningful.
I passed up a H&R Buffalo classic for $400 that really felt good, but I kept reading that it was basically just a shotgun platform with a rifle barrel and then some yehoo bought it!
The newer Marlins are getting horrible comments on quality. The few new ones I've looked at the wood doesn't even fit the metal. I haven't seen a used one lately and I don't much care for buying on-line from "afar".
I love just about any Ruger, I want a 45-70, single shots are cool, I love free ammo, it was a hunting friend's gun, it carries well, ..................I think I'd better pull the trigger before word gets out it's for sale.
Done deal.
Click to expand...
Think you're making the right decision to jump on that Ruger, to my eye it's oneof the best looking rifles available. Also getting it in .45-70 just seems to fit, it seems like the perfect chambering for that classic. I'd be curious to see what percentage of No 1's were made in .45-70, I'm guessing it is quite high.

Best of luck with your new acquisition!
 
The reason I love my Winchester 1886 extra light weight is,
It weights the same as a Springfield Trapdoor Carbine, 7 1/4 pounds
It carries five shots instead of one.
It will handle loads that far exceed safety levels of even a modern single shot Trapdoor replica.

The Ruger single shot will handle even heavier loads than the 1886, like 458 Magnum level loads, but it will kill the brass fairly quick too.
 
i used to know someone who would deer hunt with a rifle in .444 marlin. .444 marlin is essentially a 44 magnum stretched out.. ballistically its very similar to 45-70, but chambers 44 magnum too.. in fact this friend of mine hunted exclusively with the 44 magnum, the .444 was just for fun
 
I feel Like I would jump on that Ruger if I were you. You'll actually be giving about $500 for the rifle and if you don't like it you can always get more out of it than you paid. Then, if you like the cartridge, you can pick up a nice 1886 Browning later on.:D
 
I recently purchased a Rossi Rio Grande in 45-70 after I compared it to two Marlin models in 45-70. Now the ones I looked at where both new guns as was the Rossi. The Rossi had better fit and finish externally and once home and cleaned it was also a very well finished gun internally unlike my Rossi 92 rifle in 45 Colt. Both of those guns combined are cheaper than the Marlin or Ruger. If I'm not mistake the Ruger is a single shot too isn't it?
 
From a purely monetary point of view, the deal on the Ruger seems too good to pass up. Personally, though, I would pass it up as my interest would be more in either a lever action or a Sharps/High Wall style reproduction single-shot in .45-70.
 
To conclude, I bought the Ruger #1 and all the ammo with it. Last night my friend called and said he found the scope rings that went with it, so the deal got even better.
I have cleaned it and checked it out, added a sling, a cartridge sleeve to the stock, and a Butler Creek slip-on kick pad to both protect the stock and allow me to shoot hotter loads without shoulder concerns.
Now if someone could just point me toward a Buffalo I would appreciate it!
 
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