Who hunts with a 45-70?

[superdown]

I picked up a winchester 1886 lever rifle in 45-70 a few weeks ago and plan on using it next year for deer season.I haven't hunted the modern season in about  four years.So i am curious if anyone uses the old 45-70 and what your experience has been? 

[Fl0und3rz]

150 to 175 yards with open sights (+3-5" at 100 yards), maybe slightly further with optics.  It has a rainbow like trajectory, even with 300 JHP at approximately 2000 fps.

It's light and handy, but adding optics takes away from the handiness, IMO. 

[JimmyHoffa]

Such a great gun.  Did you get one of the originals or the reproductions? 
One of my buddies uses an 1873 trapdoor from time to time and also has a Marlin Guide in .45/70 Gov.  It might not be flat shooting but can make a serious impact when the bullet finally gets there.

[superdown]

Such a great gun.  Did you get one of the originals or the reproductions? 
One of my buddies uses an 1873 trapdoor from time to time and also has a Marlin Guide in .45/70 Gov.  It might not be flat shooting but can make a serious impact when the bullet finally gets there.

I got a reproduction made in 2011 it was "used" but you cant tell by looking at it.I was told it only had ten rounds fired through it which i believe .I posted the pictures in another thread but what the heck hear they are again.

[boneaddict]

Looking forward to hearing how you like it.  Its a caliber I have always been interested in.   I love lever guns.    Way to take your hunting to a new level.

[superdown]

Looking forward to hearing how you like it.  Its a caliber I have always been interested in.   I love lever guns.    Way to take your hunting to a new level.

Thank you I hope to share some success this coming year 

[superdown]

One weird thing i noticed while looking at the rifle is the front and rear sight are adjusted just about the same amount to the right I am going to put a Williams fp-71 peep on it.

[BULLBLASTER]

I shot an elk with a 45-70 once. It was fun and really whalloped that elk! Now my dad has the gun.

[wildmanoutdoors]

I hunted 3 days this season with my 1895GS but did not get a shot.
I was going to sell the beast recently but couldent. I like it too much and the wife does too. She said no way and gave me the other 1000 bucks for the new boat down payment. 

However my first Deer ever was with a 45-70 lever gun at 60 feet. What a wallop!

[pianoman9701]

I picked up a winchester 1886 lever rifle in 45-70 a few weeks ago and plan on using it next year for deer season.I haven't hunted the modern season in about  four years.So i am curious if anyone uses the old 45-70 and what your experience has been? 

If you hit the deer in one of the front hooves, you should be able to save the other front and two hind quarters.  Have fun with it. That's a nice gun. Which bullet do you use in it for deer?

[superdown]

I picked up a winchester 1886 lever rifle in 45-70 a few weeks ago and plan on using it next year for deer season.I haven't hunted the modern season in about  four years.So i am curious if anyone uses the old 45-70 and what your experience has been? 

If you hit the deer in one of the front hooves, you should be able to save the other front and two hind quarters.  Have fun with it. That's a nice gun. Which bullet do you use in it for deer?

Thanks,I haven't shot it yet but i did pick up some 325grn lever evolution as it was the cheapest thing sportsman's wherehouse had at the time.

[idaho guy]

I have a marlin 45-70 that I bought for bear hunting with hounds. I have shot bears and they usually dont move when they come out. I also shot a lion with it which was way overkill but was the gun I had at the time. Kills things stone cold dead never tried deer or elk hunting with it just hound hunting which typically arent real long shots. 

[wildmanoutdoors]

I picked up a winchester 1886 lever rifle in 45-70 a few weeks ago and plan on using it next year for deer season.I haven't hunted the modern season in about  four years.So i am curious if anyone uses the old 45-70 and what your experience has been? 

If you hit the deer in one of the front hooves, you should be able to save the other front and two hind quarters.  Have fun with it. That's a nice gun. Which bullet do you use in it for deer?

Thanks,I haven't shot it yet but i did pick up some 325grn lever evolution as it was the cheapest thing sportsman's wherehouse had at the time.

I have about 8 boxes of those 325's. Man was I surprised how much the kick!

[JimmyHoffa]

I picked up a winchester 1886 lever rifle in 45-70 a few weeks ago and plan on using it next year for deer season.I haven't hunted the modern season in about  four years.So i am curious if anyone uses the old 45-70 and what your experience has been? 

If you hit the deer in one of the front hooves, you should be able to save the other front and two hind quarters.  Have fun with it. That's a nice gun. Which bullet do you use in it for deer?

Thanks,I haven't shot it yet but i did pick up some 325grn lever evolution as it was the cheapest thing sportsman's wherehouse had at the time.

I have about 8 boxes of those 325's. Man was I surprised how much the kick!

Try out the Buffalo Bore, then. 

[gundogr]

Yessir on the 430gr Buffalo Bores! and then there are the Garrett Hammerheads if you still have teeth left. I shot a buck with mine at about 45yards. Took two steps down the hill (thought I may have missed)... then collapse and didn't quiver... through near-side rib, heart, and had a bit bigger exit (@1") with outside rib sticking out. Shot with Hornady 325g FTX handloads (about the same ballistics as factory Hornady's but I think a bit more accurate.

Cheers, you won't want to pick something else up after hunting with a big bore. Course my eyesight is getting worse as I get older so the peeps are about the only thing I can shoot through or a scope. But this black rifle had some firesights on it and I could see those well. Anyway, I digress

[wildmanoutdoors]

I picked up a winchester 1886 lever rifle in 45-70 a few weeks ago and plan on using it next year for deer season.I haven't hunted the modern season in about  four years.So i am curious if anyone uses the old 45-70 and what your experience has been? 

If you hit the deer in one of the front hooves, you should be able to save the other front and two hind quarters.  Have fun with it. That's a nice gun. Which bullet do you use in it for deer?

Thanks,I haven't shot it yet but i did pick up some 325grn lever evolution as it was the cheapest thing sportsman's wherehouse had at the time.

I have about 8 boxes of those 325's. Man was I surprised how much the kick!

Try out the Buffalo Bore, then. 

I have. I have a couple boxes still. Just would not have thought the 325 leverrevolution would hit that hard.

[RG]

I had a Marlin 1895 I used when I guided Grizzly hunters in BC in the early 80's. I hand loaded 400 grain soft points. I never had to use it on a bear since the hunters all got it done themselves.  I shot a 6 point elk and 3 point muley with 300 grain hollow point hand loads. One hit did the job on them. I had a Williams peep on it since it lived in a saddle scabbard in bad weather and was used for very close range shooting.   Great gun great caliber. 

I swapped it for a Model 94 in .356 Winchester to get a little more range since I don't grizzly hunt any more.

[superdown]

I was thinking of getting one of these peep sights and i ran across this Beach combination front sight that i looked cool.

[netcoyote]

I've got a Marlin 1895 Guide gun with Skinner sights on the rear and red fiber on the front which works well for my old eyes. Check out Skinner sights: http://www.skinnersights.com/1895_sight_4.html

I also have a Ruger #1 in a 45-70 but use a low power scope on it. Have carried them both but haven't brought down anything yet.

[superdown]

I've got a Marlin 1895 Guide gun with Skinner sights on the rear and red fiber on the front which works well for my old eyes. Check out Skinner sights: http://www.skinnersights.com/1895_sight_4.html

I also have a Ruger #1 in a 45-70 but use a low power scope on it. Have carried them both but haven't brought down anything yet.

Those are very nice sights but my rifle is already drilled and tapped for the Williams style on the side of the receiver like in this picture.If i get any more holes drilled in it it will be for a scout style scope mount.I really wish they made something that would use the holes that are already there.

[Revwrangler]

I have one and love it! But have never used it for deer. Seems like massive over kill. However my plan is to bear hunt with it, just haven't had the chance to put the plan into action.

[superdown]

I have one and love it! But have never used it for deer. Seems like massive over kill. However my plan is to bear hunt with it, just haven't had the chance to put the plan into action.

I used my knight bighorn in 50cal with a 45cal sst and a 100grns of black powder on my little whitetail this year which seems pretty close to a 45-70 classic load. what rifle do you have?

[T Pearce]

You will like it. Ive owned 2 Marlins and 1 Ruger. Shooting Jaebok Young 430 gr Hammer Heads at 1800fps IIRC. The factory stuff you bought will hammer what ever you shoot though without the recoil.
I shoot a 45 Colt in lieu of the 45-70 now.

[KenPCPilot]

it is my go to grouse gun

[T Pearce]

it is my go to grouse gun

I bet it plucks a chicken!

[wadu1]

I have a marlin 45-70 that I love for bears and a H&R Handy Rifle in 45-70 with a red dot. Good bear medicine or anything out to 150 yards. I load my own 350 or 405 grain bullets not as hot as the Buffalo Bore's but just as good. Some of the BC guides I know use the  Buffalo Bore's  as back-up for clients on blackies and have switched to 416 for back-up on griz. On my bucket list is moose with one of my 45-70's

[Revwrangler]

I have one and love it! But have never used it for deer. Seems like massive over kill. However my plan is to bear hunt with it, just haven't had the chance to put the plan into action.

I used my knight bighorn in 50cal with a 45cal sst and a 100grns of black powder on my little whitetail this year which seems pretty close to a 45-70 classic load. what rifle do you have?

What 45/70 do I have or what rifle do I use for deer?

I'm an archery guy.

And my 45/70 is a Ruger. Owned by my grandpa. I actually didn't even know he owned it until after he had passed away. It was still in the box in his closet when we cleaned the house out. Pretty cool find, which is why I want to find a bear to shoot with it.

[BigGoonTuna]

i burned my cabelas' points and gift cards on a remlin 1895 last year.  i haven't had any of the horror stories to report on other than the fact that it started jamming up tight randomly when feeding a round out of the magazine after i had shot it a few times.  my fault though, i didn't clean it when i bought the rifle and the magazine follower had gotten gummed up which caused it to delay feeding long enough to jam up the carrier.

i would love to make this into my all-around westside gun if i go back to modern rifle hunting, as its effective point blank range is more than adequate for just about anything over here(and not necessarily a handicap on the eastside either if you think about it).  there is just something cool about a lever gun.  those 430gr HSM bear loads kick a little though   haven't decided if i want to scope it with a low power scope like an FXII 2.5, or just go with a peep sight.  the factory sights suck, more so with my crummy vision.

[syoungs]

I bought a marlin 1895 with the big loop earlier this year, but havent had a chance to do anything with it just yet. I plan on using it for bear, and certain times I will pull it out for elk when im in the thick and nasty pushing.

took a lot of looking to get a pre remlin that was in like new shape, finally found one at a pawn shop with a vortex viper scope on it. the scope is going on another gun, I might get  a 1x4 of some sort to put on the marlin.

havent decided on a load just yet, gonna play around a little with some hand loads and see what I can make it do.

[ndcasla]

I bought a 45-70 No.3 Ruger in 76, yes I said 1976, still have it, still love it. I used  out of the box 405grs on pigs and stopped them in their tracks. I have been using Beartooth hard cast gas checked 425gr, really like em. They got a 525 gr bullet they call the piledriver, painful at both ends. Love shooting 45-70 with black powder, a little dirty, messy but fun. Enjoy your rifle.

[superdown]

I bought a 45-70 No.3 Ruger in 76, yes I said 1976, still have it, still love it. I used  out of the box 405grs on pigs and stopped them in their tracks. I have been using Beartooth hard cast gas checked 425gr, really like em. They got a 525 gr bullet they call the piledriver, painful at both ends. Love shooting 45-70 with black powder, a little dirty, messy but fun. Enjoy your rifle.

That's a cool rifle i wish ruger would bring it back out.I had the short ruger no.1 in 45-70 for a little while i only ran a couple of boxes through it with a low power simmons shotgun scope on it before let it go

[MP123]

I love my Ruger #1 in 45/70.  Great little rifle, especially if you handload.  You can load it down like a 45 colt or up like an elephant gun.  It even gets it's own section in the loading manuals!

[Kittman]

Mine is a H&R Buffalo Classic 45-70.  Took it out on bear hunts a few times, but the only thing I've nailed with it was a coyote at about 50 yards broadside-so far.  That was very interesting.  I've never seen so much going on at once!  It shot straight into the air and summersaulted backwards 4-5 times and hit the ground dead. and you can always tell where the bullet landed.  Very fun rifle to shoot, and with a 32" barrel length with peep sights, it is a very unique & pleasurable shooting experience.

[superdown]

Mine is a H&R Buffalo Classic 45-70.  Took it out on bear hunts a few times, but the only thing I've nailed with it was a coyote at about 50 yards broadside-so far.  That was very interesting.  I've never seen so much going on at once!  It shot straight into the air and summersaulted backwards 4-5 times and hit the ground dead. and you can always tell where the bullet landed.  Very fun rifle to shoot, and with a 32" barrel length with peep sights, it is a very unique & pleasurable shooting experience.

I really like that rifle too i met an older gentlemen during the late hunt in 2008 who live's on Petersen swamp shooting one chambered in 38-55 and he was darn good with that rifle.

[Firedogg]

Took a nice 4x4 bull in Winston with my Marlin 1895 when you could drive up behind Riffe Lake. Garrett hard cast lead bullet went through both shoulder sockets dropping that raghorn so he could not run in front of another hunter. Haven't shot at another animal with it since. Probably one of the nicest guns to carry in the brush, although I didn't need it, running that lever for a second shot is pretty quick plus you can keep it on your shoulder while doing it. A nice thing for me since I shoot lefty.
  It's set up with a Redfield Widefield ( when Redfield still made their own optics) 2-7 on see through mounts.

[jrebel]

I have shot two deer and a bear with mine and absolutely love it.  I have the marlin xlr version.  It is scoped and is a 300 yard rifle.  Currently I shoot the leverevolution 325 gr ammo with great accuracy and success.  I have to disagree with some post on here about being over gunned for a deer......it isba slow round that does not cause a ton of shock damage.  It is like shooting a bowling ball at something which is very effective by the way.

[T Pearce]

I have shot two deer and a bear with mine and absolutely love it.  I have the marlin xlr version.  It is scoped and is a 300 yard rifle.  Currently I shoot the leverevolution 325 gr ammo with great accuracy and success.  I have to disagree with some post on here about being over gunned for a deer......it isba slow round that does not cause a ton of shock damage.  It is like shooting a bowling ball at something which is very effective by the way.

agree!
Not over gunned at all. Eat right up to the hole. I shot primarily the 350gr Hornady, iirc at 2200fps. Would get your attention when shot from a light rifle but usually left a blood trail that looked poured from a bucket. Penetration was unbelievable. If I were to do this again.
If I cant find an 1886 like yours, I would cut down the marlin cowboy to 20" and shoot the Hornadys again. The sledge hammers are for escaping circus animals....I still have over a hundred of them though just in case.

[Bigshooter]

I have a marlin 1895 that I have shot 4 or 5 bucks with, a bear, and and the heads off of 30 or more grouse.  I shoot a 522gr cast bullet out of it at about 1300fps.  Back when I use to really pound the reprod for blacktails it was my go to gun.

[mikeybuck]

Love my marlin 45-70 guide gun.

I loaded up 405 gr Speer sp slugs for timber elk hunting. Dead on at 100 yards.

They don't move after being hit and you eat right up to the bullet hole.

Not only a great caliber, but a more comfortable gun to pack in the deep woods. Plus I really don't think recoil is that bad. Just a big push.

[superdown]

Nice elk mikeybuck  I figured there would have to be a good amount of people who hunt with the 45-70 considering the popularity of the guide gun and the length of time the 45-70 has been around. I was surprised at the lack of talk about it around here.It's nice to see pictures and read of the experiences you all have had with it.

[jrebel]

45/70 with my first / only bear. 

[birddogdad]

1895 is a great brush gun for N. America. I use a cast 500gr bullet , max load data.
 this works equally well on elk and deer. speed and cast hard loads minimize meat damage with great penetration.

For the acceptable range of this gun, stock sights really are good enough. if you want a peep ring is an option. I have one with a low power scope for father who cannot see well enough to look thru open sights but in a quick shoot/ jump situation, cant beat open sights on target...

only thing to research is the type of rifle grooving. Marlin went thru a couple processes and they react differently to cast stuff. if you shoot factory ammo, disregard.

[jeepster]

Last time I was at cabelas in marrysville, which probably was about a year ago, they had a 45/70 revolver in the gun library... I thought my 44 mag had a kick, I can't imagine a 45/70 pistol...

I really want to get a 45/70 lever gun in stainless for taking with me to Alaska as bear medicine. I usually carry a magnum 12 gauge with a 28" barrel but that gets pretty heavy and I like the comfort and reliability of a long gun. I know my 44 can do the job, but I know I can consistently hit something with a long gun, the 45/70 has probably killed more bears than any other cartridge