.45-70 lever guns

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  • chickama

    Member
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    0   0   0
    Feb 28, 2014
    7
    1
    Alexandria, LA
    I’m considering a .45-70 government lever gun and asking for your suggestions. I like the Henry rimfires; I have a .17 hmr and a .22 mag which I love to shoot.

    I had a Marlin 336 in 30-30 which I just didn’t like. I’m no expert, but I generally can shoot a rifle. I didn’t like its inaccuacy or its build quality and gave it to my son who’s a better shot than I and who’s not one to look a gift horse in the mouth.

    I’m looking at the Henry. I like what I’ve seen in the all-weather model. The brass receiver model looks good, but I don’t know how it will hold up.

    I also like the looks of the Winchester 1886 which I understand is a John Browning design. It is more expensive.

    Do any of you have any experience or opinion as to where I should go? I’ll probably do some hog and deer hunting with the rifle but mostly use it for recreational shooting-or, as some say, plinking. Probably a helluva plink. If you think a Marlin or some other brand is a better deal, tell me.
     

    Jmfox3

    Well-Known Member
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    7   0   0
    Dec 27, 2009
    456
    18
    There's a Facebook 45-70 club that has quite a bit of information. I have 3 45-70s. Two Marlins and a Thompson Center. The Marlins and Winchesters will have side loading gates. The Henry's do not and load through the magazine tube. No up or down side to either mechanism simply personal preference. I love the 45-70 cartridge for its versatility. You can load it from mild to wild. A lever gun will never measure up to a bolt action for accuracy but inside 100 yards you will have no issues. You can tweak a lever action and get it to 200 yards accurately but is potentially some work. Good luck.
     
    Last edited:

    Bigchillin83

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    94   0   1
    Feb 27, 2012
    6,188
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    Livingston
    45-70 is my go to round for south LA hog/deer hunting.. Like said above you can load it from mild to wild! 405gr @1100fps -1900fps+ or go with a lighter pill like a 300gr @1100fps-2200fps... it is a reloaders dream to reload, ever you have ever reloaded straight wall cartridges then you know what im talking about, factory ammo is kinda pricy but can be reloaded for around .30 a bullet using factory bullet and your brass.. if you cast it can get a lot cheaper. the 45-70 has tremendous knock down power and energy transfer and even if you shoot hard cast no real need for expansion being your already at almost .5" diameter.. the marlin 1894 in 44mag is also a heavy hitter for such a small cartridge 240gr pills going around 1800fps.. its a fun carry/pack gun but kinda leaves off where the 45-70 starts with ballisitics


    I have several 45-70s I prefer the marlin over the henry, not that the henry is a bad gun, but I was started on marlins also lol.. I just like the option of adding bullets when I want through the side gate vs taking the tube out holding the tube and sliding rounds down tube and then putting tube back. One plus for the henry that I have heard is that when you leaving the woods you just pull the tube and dump the rounds in you hand and cycle the chamber and your empty.... with the marlins you can either push in on the loading gate and take them out 1 at a time or do like I do, just point it in a safe direction, apply safety (if its not a presaftey model) and cycle the action and then pick them up

    I have had several others in the past but this is what I have now

    marlin 1895(JM) GBL W/grey stock,xs rail,trijicon RMR,
    marlin 1895g(JM) w/Nikon 2-7, dnz mount
    marlin 1895g(REM) w/Leopold 1-4pigplex,5/8x24 threads, silencerco hybrid
    marlin 1895G(JM)PORTED w/ skinner tactical winged peep sights
    T/C encore 20" w/Nikon 3-9, 5/8x24 threads, silencerco hybrid
    marlin 1894S (JM) 44mag w/xs sights
    marlin 1894(JM)44mag stock
    marlin 1894(JM) 44mag w/ bushnell banner 1-4
    ruger 77/44SS 44mag w/3-9 threaded 5/8x24 with silencerco hybrid

    I guess I can say im addicted to leverguns and straight wall cartridges lol:mamoru:
     

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    topgunz1

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    18   0   0
    Sep 13, 2006
    4,086
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    Prairieville
    I have a marlin 1895gbl with a Leupold scout scope on an xs rail, it's an amazing woods gun. Very fast, short length, and insane power. I got two deer with it last year.
     

    Barry J

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    2   0   0
    Dec 5, 2011
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    Thibodaux
    I have two Marlin lever guns. Neither one shoots lead bullets worth a crap, but shoot jacket bullets great. I remember reading somewhere that the "Micro-Groove" rifling process that Marlin uses is not good for lead bullets. My favorite hunting rifle is a 45-70 in single shot. I can use it during primitive season.
     

    topgunz1

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    Sep 13, 2006
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    I'm on the lookout for a 357 lever gun, but not a henry as I want to suppress it. They aren't the most common thing out there, or the cheapest.
     

    Bigchillin83

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    94   0   1
    Feb 27, 2012
    6,188
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    Livingston
    I've had to pass on quite a few good deals on the 1894 .38/357 because of funds at the time, around $650-750 price range.. That sucker cut down to 16" threaded with .38 special and a suppressor would be a super quiet plinker and very good to get a young child or lady friend interested in shooting, or hell even me lol... I had a ruger 77/357 and was gonna get it threaded but traded it along the way, and ended up with a ruger 77/44 and got it threaded.. its a little bit quieter than my 45/70s suppressed with the hybrid running a 300gr hard cast, but when shooting the 45/70 405 suppressed that's a big diff in the sound on the steel!!!
    I'm on the lookout for a 357 lever gun, but not a henry as I want to suppress it. They aren't the most common thing out there, or the cheapest.
     
    Last edited:

    NOLAGT

    Well-Known Member
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    3   0   0
    Jul 1, 2016
    110
    18
    Lafayette
    I've had to pass on quite a few good deals on the 1894 .38/357 because of funds at the time, around $650-750 price range.. That sucker cut down to 16" threaded with .38 special and a suppressor would be a super quiet plinker and very good to get a young child or lady friend interested in shooting, or hell even me lol... I had a ruger 77/357 and was gonna get it threaded but traded it along the way, and ended up with a ruger 77/44 and got it threaded.. its a little bit quieter than my 45/70s suppressed with the hybrid running a 300gr hard cast, but when shooting the 45/70 405 suppressed that's a big diff in the sound on the steel!!!

    I want to get my 45-70 chopped and threaded. I sent a PM to the guy on here I think you recommended but I never got a reply.
     

    Akajun

    Go away,Batin...
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    43   0   0
    Apr 10, 2008
    1,915
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    Brusly
    I have two Marlin lever guns. Neither one shoots lead bullets worth a crap, but shoot jacket bullets great. I remember reading somewhere that the "Micro-Groove" rifling process that Marlin uses is not good for lead bullets. My favorite hunting rifle is a 45-70 in single shot. I can use it during primitive season.
    micro groove rifling shoots cast just fine, but it needs to be the proper diameter and hardness so you really need to cast your own. Most store bought cast bullets are undersized , and more importantly too hard because of too much tin in the alloy that the commercial casters use to reduce rejected bullets and make casting easier.
     

    Akajun

    Go away,Batin...
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    43   0   0
    Apr 10, 2008
    1,915
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    Brusly
    I want to get my 45-70 chopped and threaded. I sent a PM to the guy on here I think you recommended but I never got a reply.

    I plan to do the same thing when I get mine in December . I'll let you know how it ends up
     

    chickama

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    Feb 28, 2014
    7
    1
    Alexandria, LA
    I pulled the trigger and got the Henry H010, which is the basic model. The price was right, and if I like it, I’ll get a different model for my wife.

    Any of you have any recommendations for deer rounds that won’t set me on my ass with recoil? I’ve shot a 12 guage all my life, and I don’t have a recoil problem with that.
     

    Bigchillin83

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    94   0   1
    Feb 27, 2012
    6,188
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    Livingston
    You won't have an issue with recoil of you shoot a pump or single shot 12guage... If you don't reload I would stick with 405gr corlok or hsm cowboy, or 300gr hp's
     

    chickama

    Member
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    0   0   0
    Feb 28, 2014
    7
    1
    Alexandria, LA
    I really like this Henry H010. This is the basic steel in 45-70. The brass and the hardened steel versions and the all-weather are more expensive. I got the H010 for a decent price.

    The recoil is not really a problem. I’ve gotten used to it, but it reminds me it’s there every time I pull the trigger.

    The iron sights are buckhorn, and my eye are too old for that. I put a Leupold VX R Hog, 1-4x20 on it. So far it’s right on. I sighted in at 50 yards and I can get about 2 minutes of deer at 100 yards with some holdover. I’m still looking for the right cartridge; the Hornady Leverevolution, 325 gr, FTX looks good so far. I’m also shooting Federal 300 gr, soft point, power shok and Hornady Leverevolution, 250 gr, monoflex which is lower on recoil than the others. The ammo is expensive, and I plan to work up some handloads to provide some cost relief and get the right recipe for the rifle. I haven’t taken it to the stand yet, but I hope to in the next couple of weeks. I am still experimenting with this, but it’s everything I expected so far.

    If any of you are thinking about going this route, I certainly recommend it.

    4 stars (I’m still looking for a 5 star.)
     

    Bigchillin83

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    94   0   1
    Feb 27, 2012
    6,188
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    Livingston
    The 45-70 had grown to be my #1 go to rifle for checking traps, hog hunting,deer hunting,swamp boat riding, ridding 4 wheelers, the recoil is a little hard on my hot loads but I know without a doubt it's double on the receiving end lol, but to be honest, I have killed quite a few deer with my 405gr subsonic suppressed hard cast loads and was very impressed with the results.... You don't need all the speed, but it is nice!!! Think about it, we almost whiped out he buffalo with a hard cast 405gr going 1200-1300fps at the muzzle and was dropping buffalo from 500-600 yards, the bullet prob wasn't even doing 800fps way out there and whiped them out lol
     

    FishingFool

    Calls the shot
    Rating - 95.2%
    20   1   0
    Jun 29, 2009
    747
    16
    Metairie
    405 gr @ 1300 FPS out of a Marlin 1895gbl shoots really soft. It’s ridiculous how easy it is to shoot.

    The same bullet @ 1700 FPS..... not so much.

    If I had to do it over again I would get another GBL and slap an aimpoint micro on top.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
     

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