Any one else in love with the old standby as much as me.....? I am the most happy with my Browning Saddle Ring Carbine with the ladder sight. I like being able to shoot loafer-loads like the 405 gr. at @ 1150 fps or stepping up to a 460 gr. hardcast at 1900 fps. I really enjoy the buffalo bore 430 gr. LFN at @ 1925 fps. It is really satisfying to be a mediocre shot and shoot off-hand at 300 yds and hit a 2' x 3' piece of steel. I believe that is better than minute-of-moose. I passed on a (Farmdale?) Sharps in 45-110 that I regret, but I'm a fan of the afore mentioned Gov't round. If you are interested in the .45-70 also, show what you got......I'll post a pic or two of mine after @*&%(WORK) Wednesday.Finally got a few pics posted..........

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Go big or stay home

I have two .45-70 rifles, and I love that cartridge. One rifle is a Springfield made in 1879, and I load black powder cartridges for it with 405 grain lead hollow base bullets. The other rifle is a Browning Model 1886 that I bought in 1987. I load smokeless powder loads with 300 grain copper jacketed hollow point bullets for the Browning. Sometimes, just for plinking, I use 300 grain cast lead, gas check bullets in the Browning.

Mine is my primary summer bear gun. It's light, packs a punch, short, and handy. Marlin came up with a real winner with the stainless guide gun. Wild West Guns tuned it up some for better reliability and sights.

Yes, I love that old cartridge! I have owned an H&R single shot (Topper?), and a newly manufactured Marlin 1895 in this chambering in the past. Currently I have an Uberti replica Winchester Highwall in 45/70.

One deer season, in New Hampshire, a friend loaned me his original Springfield carbine for my hunt. He and I loaded some duplex loads (black powder with smokeless powder at the base, held in place with a tissue over-wad) with a 405 gr medium-hard cast bullet. It was a good combo and I got sub 3" groups at 100 yds with it. No deer that year, but I knew I could clobber one out to 150 yards if I did my part.

Peace,

A couple of years ago I wandered into a small gun shop up in the mountains in New Mexico just to pass the time. There on the shelf was a Wild West Guns Marlin just like akviper's. Couldn't put it down. Really love that thing. Mine looks just like ak's except it doesn't get cold enough down here for me to need the large loop.

Bob

Good Morning, Akviper:
Re your photo: That's summer? Holy Cow!

I believe that the military bullet weights were 500gr for infantry rifles and 405gr for cavalry carbines??

I'm another fan of the old 45-70 Gummint round.

I have taken elk, mule deer, antelope, and a myriad of pests with the old sledge hammer and a "modified" 1879 Springfield.


jimmyj, you are correct the old rifle round was 45-70-500 and the carbine round was 45-55-405.



Shiloh long shooter, presently converted to .22 LR with a barrel insert.

I'm a fan of it. I shoot an ancient, old, original Trapdoor Springfield when the mood strikes me. Don't have much hunting experience with it though, having taken only a single deer with the rifle. It does work efficiently.

I've had a trapdoor Springfield and a Buffalo Classic single which both went down the road to fund other projects; still have an H&R single and a Thompson Contender in 45/70. Loads of fun . . . .

Love those Marlin guide guns - just haven't been lucky enough yet to find myself in proximity to one I could afford or snag . . . . .

One of my top favorite all-time cartridges. I've owned Trapdoors and had a Marlin lever but this current pet is my favorite. A late 1978 prod. Ruger #3 45-70 with a Leupold compact 2x7. With the light weight and 22" bbl. I added a pad for comfort. Night shooting with this is really spectacular! Quite a flamethrower!

I also am a fan of the 45-70 round. I shoot all 4 of my rifles. I started out with blackpowder cartridge loads in the Springfield carbine and the infantry rifle and liked it so much that I had 2 Remington Rollingblocks made for the caliber. I wanted a Creedmore style rifle and had one made up using a rollingblock action and a 32" heavy barrel with tangsight. It hits consistantly at 300 meters using the 500gr bullet BP load. The other one is a lighter version with a 26" barrel. No photos at this time, still recovering from the fire and my good computer is not back from the shop. A great caliber and loads of fun to shoot. One of the guns (short barrel)was madeup by a gunsmith in Anchorage about 1996.

Got a couple of these myself! One is an 1883 dated Springfield Trapdoor that has rung a few gongs at 500 yards! And #2 is a Marlin Guide Gun, that used to do truck duty till I moved back to Il.
The old Springfield get a diet of blackpowder loads that I homebrew; 405gr cast bullet (Lee mold) Goex brand 2F (about 65 grains to a case. The Guide gun lives on 300gr hollow points (usually Winchester factory stuff) and more than a few times I wished I had this instead of an M-4!

At last count I have 10 rifles in this cal. They range from an original trapdoor to modern Marlins and two Bolt action conversions. I guess it is my favorite rifle caliber. When I lived in Alaska the Marlin was the gun I always had along and killed most of the game critters up there with it except a big bear. Just never got the chance for the bear but I certainly wouldn't hesitate.
Bob Ray 1815

As far as guns go I have only a plain vanilla handi-rifle, got all of them in all calibers they make. But as for the 45-70 it was the first one I got. I have taken over 2 dozen deer with the load I put together and I have never seen a deer take one single step after being hit by it. Most fall straight down, as far as i'm concerned it should be made the national cartridge for 0 to 150 yard shots at deer. Just simply a great cartridge.

If I were forced to choose a three rifle battery, it would be a .22 LR, a .30/06, and a modern .45-70. If I were allowed to add some "specialty" rifles, there would be others, but I can't think of many tasks that I couldn't accomplish with those three.

Bob

IIRC I read an article where the Army did some long range testing when the 45-70 was the service round. They fired at (large) targets at ranges up to a mile. Once dialed in, they were able to stay on target.

Marlin 1895 GBL for me.

Popped a 2.5x Leupold FX II scout scope on the ghost sight rail with quick release rings and I can go with or without glass as the needs dictate.

Waiting on my group buy moulds from Castboolits, a 350g and a 425g.

Really excited about this rifle.

The old timers knew what they were doing when they designed the 45-70 and now we have smokeless powder and modern alloys to strengthen the actions.

I haven't seen one of these yet. I like shooting this at the range it always draws attention.

I have a Browning 1886 takedown, and had a Trapdoor that i gave to my brother. Somebody (Bond?) makes a 45.70 derringer....

Hey 625Smith, nice Contender! I like mine, and you are correct that it can clear out the firing points beside you at the range quickly. They can be phenomenally accurate. I have several favorite loads, but the Rem 300gr JHP driven by a max load of Varget seems to want to cluster into at least a 1 1/2-2" group from the bench at 100 yds every time I take it out.



I have a 16 1/4" barrel for it as well. When fitted with the buttstock I have to admit that with a 405 grain JSP heavy load it is one of the more unpleasant things I've ever fired, and the big bore rifles don't really bother me much.

I also have one of the Browning 1886 SRC (oops, should have been 1886, not "5") and a B-78, both superbly accurate as well. I think at some time everyone who owns one of those has to try the Ruger/Browning "elephant" loads, at least a few times anyway. Lots of fun to chunk lead way out there at steel gongs.

Nothing slouchy about the ole 45-70, the very definition of a venerable cartridge!

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" I said, good DAY! "

I have fired a couple rounds from a TC in 45-70, and it is a handfull. Not really my cup of tea.

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H Richard
SWCA1967 SWHF244

My 1888 Trapdoor Springfield and my 1975 vintage Marlin 1895. One of the early ones with Douglas barrel cut for cast bullets.



Previous owner tried to cold blue the barrel/receiver. I think I'm gonna plum brown it.

I sure like the caliber. I have only two, a trapdoor rifle and a carbine. I only use black powder in them and soft cast bullets. Groove diameters run about .462, so I have an ovrsized mould; works wonders.

When I got the carbine, it was a wreck: the firing pin was broken and the front part jammed in the hole in the breechblock. This may have accounted for the scorched wood around the receiver. The hammer was welded to the tumbler and I had to replace both. Surprisingly, the three-piece cleaning rod was still in the butt trap.

I actually have more 50-70s: an 1866 trapdoor, the one without a receiver (!), a Springfield rolling block, and a Sharps carbine relined. I use smokeless in the latter two. 'Punkin rollers' are fun.

I really like the 45-70. Plum brown would look nice.

I have my Grandfathers 1888 trap door like yours and had the same Marlin. I moved to some wide open spaces and ended up trading off the Marlin. It was a bad mistake. I bagged many Whitetail with it. When the bullet met the deer it sounded like a 2x4 hitting them. They expired quickly. I've been looking for another to trade for. They've gotten pricey.

In the late 1800's my Grandfather rode guard on small wagon trains for folks that were moving from VA to KY. This is where he also met my Grandmother. There were outlaws in the Smokies who robbed travelers. He shot several robbers with the trapdoor. Every time I clean it I think about it's history.

Marlin 1895 XLR .45-70 Govt., barrel cut to 20 inches, large loop lever, all metal parts bead blasted to a dull grey color, topped off with a Leupold VX-III 1.75-6X32mm. It loves to shoot Buffalo Bore 300 gr. JFN at around 2300 FPS and is a ton of fun to use for shooting wid hogs.

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"Life is short, hunt hard"

Can't wait for 2011 to go to Kodiak Island again for deer.........The Browning SRC will be the lever of choice backed by my 625-6 45 Long Colt mtn. gun. The mtn. gun will be used out to 75 yds. and the 45-70 out longer than that. Most deer are at 50-70 yds in that country. Nice to have some 430 gr Buffalo Bore at 1925fps for the bears that rarely sleep on Kodiak. 325 gr at @ 1325 fps will be ample for deer and.......More than likely, 300gr at @ 1100 will be deer fodder.

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Go big or stay home

I just got my first 45-70, a 7.5 inch Magnum Research BFR. Does anyone have a suggestion for a factory load that won't put the front sight in my teeth?

I'm right fond of the ol' Gal myself...


'86 Takedown model shortened to 20 inches.



She goes every trip to the North Country.


Su Amigo,
Dave

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"IN GOD WE TRUST"

That's a tough call......a revolver in 45-70 that doesn't kick much.......you aren't asking for much are you? I would start with the standard Remington 405 grain soft point. The 300gr. and so on will be faster and seem like more kick.....IMO.

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Go big or stay home

I'm leaning towards cutting my 26" Octagon down to 16.5". It is a Browning. My friend cut a Lightweight (1886) down to 16.25 and put on a large front sight, Williams rec. rear sight, and a soft pad. It still shoots a 400 grain at @ 2000FPS. At any rate, that is a fine looking take-down. I have the 1892 Limited take-down in 45 Long Colt. What a fun and portable Carbine to shoot.

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Go big or stay home

I shot a BFR in .45-70 with 300 grain bullets in handloads. Recoil wasn't that bad.

I own a Marlin Guide Gun in .45-70 with the XS Ghost Ring sights. It's got some recoil but is fun to shoot.
It also has a scout scope mount. I bought a Leupold Scout Scope but want to wring it out with the peep sight before scoping it.

I thought I'd posted my 2cents on this one. Got an 1895GBL a few months ago. Most fun gun I've had since they took away my full autos. and my thump gun.

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Pete.

I just bought an 1895 Marlin and took it to the range over the weekend.
Was amazed at how soft it shot with this ammo.
AMM-906 - Ammo .45-70 Government BVAC RFP 405 Grain 1600 fps 20 Round Box
I was grinning the whole time, and I MAY have lost it to my wife.
We have "our" rifles... but it looks like she wants an 1895 in .45-70 as her very own personal rifle.
Her only criticism was that it needed more thump.
I told her to wait till I start loading for it.
My .300 WM is going into the back of the safe... the old Gubmint may get its own pillow in my bed.
Looks like time to start looking for another one.


Jim

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Big bullets leave big holes

If she wants a bit more thump and you still are shooting factory, try the LeverEvolution 325grs. You'll notice the difference.
Since you're saving brass the LEs have shorter cases.

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Pete.

Too much cartridge for me, I prefer this:

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Sure you did

My current 45-70 Govt. is a Winchester 1886 Extra Light repo that I traded into several years ago. It is a fine hunting rifle.

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195th Session FBINA

I have several original trapdoors in .45/70. A Model 1879 infantry rifle, a Model 1888 ramrod-bayonet rifle, and this Model 1879 cavalry carbine. This particular carbine is a pretty rare bird. Only 501 carbines were made in 1881, and this is one of them.

John

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- Cogito, ergo armatus sum -

Sweet!! "THE" first scout rifle!! Forward mounted sight and shorter barrel.........very cool John!!

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Go big or stay home

I have 2 45-70's. One is a Italian Sharps like Quigley's & the other a Marlin Guide gun. Both shoot very well. The Guide gun is my Elk rifle for in the dark timber & brush.

I was digging around in my ammo room and found over 400 rounds of ammo for my .45-70 Gov't. I found some of the thumpers from CorBon--460 grain Hardcast!! Gotta get to the range again....

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Go big or stay home

Spre ... What a great find! 400 rounds in today's market is quite a chunk of change. Have fun sending those 400 down range!

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I'm with the banned ...

The rest of the story mc5aw...,I found 1400 rds of forgotten 9mm also. Actually, I was doing a bit of cleaning and wanted to move a cooler back to the shop, but it was heavy. I opened it and HOLY MOLY!!! 2500 rds of .22, 200 rds of 10mm, 400 rds of .45 Colt, 300 rds of .38 special, and various types of hunting ammo and shotgun shells. I had packed it up to make room for relatives for several weeks last year. Christmas all over again.......

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Go big or stay home

I wasn't sure that I would like the 45/70 when I lucked into a deal on a new SS Guide Gun. I has turned out to be my favorite center fire rifle. Since then I have gotten an 1895CB with a 26" octagonal barrel.

I have used the Guide Gun for boar hunting with a Bushnell Holosight mounted on it. It is very fast in the brush with this set up.

Tom

Just got mine. It's a "Remlin" but I could not find one issue with fit/finish/action.

Anyone know when Big Critter Season opens in Ohio?

"Anyone know when Big Critter Season opens in Ohio?"

When they get some?

I'll play:
Sharps Repro


Original 1886, made in 1889 with New Service:


Browning 1886 in 45-90 (Express version of 45-70)


Over the years had several others including a Trapdoor, Marlin 95, etc. BTW, the Sharps repro hits a 500 yard steel pig more often than my scoped 300 mag does, at a friend's ranch!

YUP! I've got a Marlin Lever Rifle in .45-70 with an octagon barrel, pistol style grip and a full length magazine (shush). One of their LTD. Editions. I also have one in .38-55 which is the same set-up except it does not have the pistol grip. Both GREAT RIFLES and I feel that between the two there is no Game in my neck of the woods that I could not take with them.

I have learned to re-load for both calibers to make them more shooter friendly when I want to shoot 100 or so rounds in a day. Full house .45-70 are not fun for plinking!

blujax01 In Ohio, you can shoot wild pigs and coyote (and coy-dogs) all year long.
I have an 1873 Cav. carbine, Dixie's SN list puts it in 1875 (only 5 made that year), I also have a Browning 1886 (from 1987 and the smoothest lever gun I've cycled) and a modern Winchester 86 in 45-90 takedown (from 2005, worst/roughest lever action I ever cycled), a Shiloh Sharps that I run BP only, and an older Marlin Guide Gun with the ported barrel. I have my Marlin set up something like a scout carbine, with a Sightron red dot. I use a hot 400 gr. hard cast over 3031(load out of Lyman #45). A few years back I sighted it in at 50 yards. I put a 6" bull pistol target up at 50 yds, and ran 5 as fast as I could to see if I could keep them in the bull. Yep about 3.5". Dad walks over a says he would like to see that again, so I did! I was only wearing a tee shirt, I had tears running down my right cheek and 2 or 3 days later one of those big green/yellow bruises on my shoulder. But the gun will do the close kill if I need it to. Ivan

I used to have a Ruger #3, and now have a #1. I have loaded all kinds of stuff. A .457 lead ball with some Unique under it, makes a great big bore BB gun.

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Wayne
Torn & Frayed

Here's my only 45/70... (and it's an original..)

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Dean
SWCA #680 SWHF #446

Yet another thread with a bunch of nice weapons in it, and one I'm going to have to spend more time in later.

My Guide gun with its brass peep site, all dressed up in its leather.


And the other side of the butt stock cover