Who has a 45/70?

[SaxonPig]

Love classic single shot rifles and the 45/70 is a natural choice. Easy to load, very accurate, fun to shoot.

I have two 45/70s. Got this custom Martini at the Salt Lake City show when I lived in Utah in the 1990s. It shoots lead bullets into one hole groups at 50 yards and can shoot 250 grain, .454" bullets meant for the 45 Colt almost as well.




A couple years ago I saw this on GunBroker with a $450 starting price. I bid and won it at that price as nobody else bid. The seller was quite upset as he apparently anticipated it would get bid up higher. He griped so much in our email communications I offered to cancel the sale if it was going to cause him so much angst. He declined the offer and shipped the rifle. I still feel badly if he really felt he got taken, but to me it was worth about that much. Other auction watchers must have agreed since nobody raised my bid.

Not as accurate as that big 'ol Martini, it's a hoot with light loads. Full power stuff kicks too hard for comfort.




Feel free to share photos of your 45/70s. Must be some lever guns out there. Maybe even a double rifle?

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Most have seen this before...But I don't mind showing it off some more.

I bought this one last year (actually I haven't had it a year yet), I put a Skinner receiver mounted peep sight and laminated wood on it.



It shoots pretty good...



I have another one just like it except it is quite a few years older and it has the MicroGroove rifling...still has the original sights and wood. (sorry, no pic)

I'm looking around for a good deal on a Sharps...but haven't found what I want yet.

I would also like to get an 1886...someday.

 

[MCMXI]

I have three Marlins chambered in .45-70 Govt ... an XLR, SBL and Guide Gun. Last weekend I made up 61 rounds using Oregon Trail 405gr Laser-Cast bullets and H322 powder (thanks Ridgerunner665 for the tip). I'll be heading off to the range this Sunday to see how the two Guide Guns do. I moved the scope from the XLR to the SBL and installed a Wild West trigger, bear-proof ejector, DRC magazine follower and Long Hunter firing pin. This week I ordered a Montana sling and Galco cheek rest/ammunition carrier for the SBL. Once I get a good load worked up I plan on knocking down some pigs with that beauty. The magazine does actually hold six rounds compared to the standard Guide Gun which holds four.

 

[Ridgerunner665]

You're welcome 1858...I'll be looking forward to hearing the results of your range trip. I'll be getting home tomorrow and I hope to get out and shoot mine a few times too (hey, come to think of it I think I'm in your neighborhood right now...I think I remember you saying western NC somewhere...am I right?)

 

[fireman 9731]

Here's a few neat pictures my sister took of my H&R Buffalo Classic.

Its probably my favorite rifle.

Handloading is dream with extra light loads of Trailboss right up to shoulder-killer-near-458winmag-loads.

Since the pictures I have added a Smith Enterprises long range sight, its pretty sweet.

 

[browningguy]

I have a Browning 1885 in 45-70, 28: barrel with the tang sight. I shoot primarily handloads, fast 350 -400 grain loads. I'm sure the gun is more accurate than I can shoot it at 100 yards.

 

[Freightman]

I just have this old thing 2 1/0" (45/70) Shiloh Long Range Express. Also this M1867 Rolling Block

 

[Mule]

I shoot and occasionaly hunt with a mod 1873 Springfield..

 

[Leaky Waders]

I do but it's a lever action model 1886. To tell the truth I have a couple of boxes of factory shells and a lot of reloading stuff for it and haven't even got to shoot it yet...between working on cars and training dogs. Anyways here's a link with some pictures.

http://www.thehighroad.org/showthread.php?t=538009

 

[Ridgerunner665]

How'd it go 1858?

I fired 25 rounds today (about all my shoulder wanted), trajectory practice.

Painful...but a load of fun too. (405's @ 1,900 fps )

 

[Iggy]

I've posted these before, but I always like to show them off.



1879 Trap door. This one has taken Elk, Mule Deer and Antelope and scads of varmints.


Elk and Mule Deer

Shiloh Sharps presently doing duty as a .22 LR

Prairie dog and gopher gitter.

 

[Iggy]

SP you have learned why the Cavalry went to 45-55-405 rounds in their carbines.

Those old 45-70-500's kicked the snot out of the diminutive average trooper.

 

[Maverick223]

Count me in...Browning 1885 High-Wall:

 

[wleoff]

I've got these three......

Plus a Model 1884 Springfield Trapdoor......

 

[H&Hhunter]

Nice looking bunch of 45-70's here guys! I do yearn for an 1885 of some kind. The browning being high on the list.

Here is my favorite 45-70 at the moment. It is an 1895 CB that's been trimmed to 22" and slicked up. What a great little saddle gun.

 

[Chuck Perry]

I've got two: a Marlin XLR and a 14" Contender pistol. Really, really want one of those new shorty Marlin SBL's. Sweet little gun.

 

[dogsoldier0513]

I 'had' a Winchester LtWt. 1886 and a Marlin Guide Gun... Divorce is a 'puppy's momma' on gun collections.

 

[ACP230]

I have a Marlin Guide Gun blued with plain barrel. It has XS Ghost Ring sights and had a scout scope mount added before I got it.

Haven't shot it as much as I planned to, so far.
Should do something about that.

 

[content]

Hello friends and neighbors // I purchased this old beauty (at least to me) last month for $250.00 OTD.

It was a high end gun shop and I don't think they wanted this cut down rifle on the rack.


There was no main spring so I ordered one from Dixie Gun Parts and three days later it was ready to shoot. Loved finding the cleaning cloth stored under the butt plate.

I still have not found .45-70 200gr cowboy rounds locally and need to order them online. With snap caps the headspace looks good and the trapdoor will eject them right over my shoulder every time.

I intend to bag my second whitetail ( I need one in the freezer first) with the "old beauty" this season.

Saxon Pig the Martini looks fantastic... good eye, nice bargin H&R as well it, looks to be in like new condition.

 

[H&Hhunter]

content,

That's a neat find! Congratulations.

 

[Robert]

I have a bone stock Marlin 1895G. Well I added a Weaver K4 to it. Should make a nice short range elk rifle.

 

[eastbank]

here are my four 45-70,s. a ruger#3 in 45-70 with a 3x leupold, a ss marlin 1895 in 45-70, a browning 1885 with a older weaver target T-6 in 45-70 and a winchester 1885 saddel ring carbine in 45-70. eastbank.

 

[eastbank]

this is not a 45-70,but a 1876 win. in 45-60 that i shoot. a 350gr cast bullet at 1300fps. eastbank.

 

[MCMXI]

How'd it go 1858? I fired 25 rounds today (about all my shoulder wanted), trajectory practice. Painful...but a load of fun too. (405's @ 1,900 fps )

Not great ... I think I may have to rethink my load range. Hodgdon provides load data for a 400gr JFP with H322 and they used a 24" barrel. I'm using an Oregon Trail 405gr Laser-Cast bullet and the velocity from the SBL with the 50.0gr load (Hodgdon starting load) was more than 50 fps faster with 5-1/2" less barrel!! Lead bullets generate higher pressure right? IIRC, lead is less lubricious than copper and so results in higher pressure in the barrel. Is this correct? Anyway, I was shooting prone off a rest and the rifles were beating the snot out of me. After 26 rounds I said ENOUGH!! I'm moving to a bench from now on. In the prone position, the upper body stays planted to the ground and I think this affects accuracy too. I'm not even sure if I managed to zero either scope given the results on paper! Here's the velocity data from Sunday along with a photo of the SBL with a Galco ammunition carrier and a Montana sling. What doesn't kill you makes you stronger ... right?

 

[Ridgerunner665]

Lead is softer than jacketed bullets...it seals the bore quicker.

That may cause the pressure to peak a tad sooner, but I believe it equals out with the lead being softer.

To demonstrate...push a .458" lead bullet down the bore by hand, then try it with a jacketed bullet.