The 45-70 Government is still relevant

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  • Mgderf

    Grandmaster
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    43   0   0
    May 30, 2009
    17,877
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    Lafayette
    Last year I thought I saw a change coming in the Indiana deer hunting regulations, and I saw a deal on a rifle that I couldn't pass up.
    I picked up a brand new H&R Handi-Rifle in .45-70 just before they were discontinued.
    Even though the rules don't allow it, yet, I'm still not sorry I bought it.
    I'll bide my time, and put in some range time, and hope soon I can add it to the hunting line-up.

    Thank goodness I started reloading last year!
     

    Hoosier45

    Snowman
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    143   0   0
    Aug 13, 2009
    10,202
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    Eastbound and down
    First gun I ever bought myself was a Marlin 1895ss. I was 18 years old. It was 1994. At Lengle's in Wabash. $400 cash and they threw in two boxes of ammo and a cleaning kit. I still have it.
     

    TheWabbit

    Master
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    2   0   0
    Dec 9, 2011
    1,698
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    In my lair
    There is some 45-70 action going on in the lair...

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    NKBJ

    at the ark
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    4   0   0
    Apr 21, 2010
    6,240
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    After my 1884 disappeared hadn't got another.
    Now I'm shooting the molds soft cast from a modified TC New Englander (45-70 with caseless rounds).
     

    Diesel24v

    Sharpshooter
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    4   0   0
    Feb 27, 2012
    638
    43
    Central
    One of my buddies has a handi rifle chambered in 45-70 and I can say ever since he got that thing I have admired that round. It will surely make some steel sing.
     

    m82mike

    Sharpshooter
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    18   0   0
    Nov 28, 2009
    329
    28
    Milton,In.
    I have a reproduction (Taylor&co) 1874 sharps all that weight of the 32 inch barrel, very little recoil. But, I can't shoot the same level of loadings that the 1895 lever action can.
     

    ghuns

    Grandmaster
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    2   0   0
    Nov 22, 2011
    9,308
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    There is some 45-70 action going on in the lair...

    attachment.php

    I need one of those really bad.

    My dad has a Springfield 1873, complete with sling and bayonet, that my great-great uncle carried in the Spanish/American War. It's still one of my favorite guns to shoot.

    Due to some convoluted family agreement about how the gun gets passed down, it will skip over me and end up belonging to my son someday.
     

    stymie12000

    Marksman
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    17   0   0
    Jun 18, 2010
    191
    18
    Bripple
    My wife just got me a 1895g for my birthday. I absolutely love the gun and the 45-70 round. I've already loaded 350gr @1050fps all the way to shoulder bruising 405g @ 1900fps. I don't know of many rounds that have that range of bullet weight and velocity range. So much fun to shoot!

    Unfortunately the gun is going back to Remington/ Marlin due to a canted barrel and shooting way right and way low. However it does shoot decent groups for open sights. We'll see what happens. I've heard good things about their warranty repairs.
     

    Leadeye

    Grandmaster
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    4   0   0
    Jan 19, 2009
    36,690
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    .
    The Century 100s are very heavy and surprisingly accurate, made right here in Indiana. KJQ had no problem hitting targets with it at the Paragon shoot.
     

    phatgemi

    Expert
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    16   0   0
    Oct 1, 2008
    1,217
    63
    Metamora, IN
    Last year I thought I saw a change coming in the Indiana deer hunting regulations, and I saw a deal on a rifle that I couldn't pass up.
    I picked up a brand new H&R Handi-Rifle in .45-70 just before they were discontinued.
    Even though the rules don't allow it, yet, I'm still not sorry I bought it.
    I'll bide my time, and put in some range time, and hope soon I can add it to the hunting line-up.


    Thank goodness I started reloading last year!

    You could always trim some cases and load of some 45/70 lights which would be deer legal.
    Info is available.
     

    Broom_jm

    Master
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    0   0   0
    Dec 10, 2009
    3,691
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    You could always trim some cases and load of some 45/70 lights which would be deer legal.
    Info is available.

    It is sometimes referred to as the 45 Libertarian (45/70 with less "Government").

    You basically trim to 1.800" and use slightly reduced charges of a fast(ish) powder for that cartridge. As you said, there is some data available.

    Since the legislature made 24's and 30's legal this year (on private land, anyway) I think a lot of folks will use those rounds until the knuckleheads downtown finally get their crap together and make more or less all cartridges legal.
     

    teddy12b

    Grandmaster
    Trainer Supporter
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    40   0   0
    Nov 25, 2008
    7,661
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    The 45/70 is a great round and no target it hits would say it's anything short of relevant.

    I've owned a marlin guide 45/70, a marlin 22" 45/70 and neither one shot very well for me and I sold them. Since then I kept my 45/70 reloading equipment hoping to fall in love with a 45/70 again some day and when I heard that H&R was not going to be producing rifles anymore I knew it was time for me to pick up a buffalo classic. Something about the buffalo rifle always made me think of pioneers and days long gone by even though it's really nothing like those guns other than a really long 32" barrel with iron sights.

    Not every gun we own has to be the most practical/functional/utilitarian/tactical or whatever. Sometimes what makes a gun or cartridge special is just the fact that we like it.
     

    Bfish

    Grandmaster
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    13   0   0
    Feb 24, 2013
    5,801
    48
    You need to get it threaded for your hybrid too QUE! Then I'll be over here drooling... I'm really wanting to suppress a side loading lever gun!
     
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