I don't need it, can't afford to shoot it at two dollars a round, but, damn it's neat. The sound of cycling is seductive.

I had a 45-70 lever action. Think it had an octagon 20" barrel. Hated it. Worst gun to shoot I have ever owned. Kicked like a mule. Actually hurt to shoot it.
I have larger caliber rifles so recoil is not an issue for me. But that mother was horrible to shoot. Maybe it just was not a good fit for some reason. I have a 44mag lever gun and it is a pleasure to shoot.

That things is sweet. I have an 1895 Guide Gun...2" more barrel than that Trapper, but shorter mag tube. It's great fun to shoot, provided you use the right load.

The .45-70 is definitely a handloader's cartridge these days. Factory ammo is insanely expensive, and most of it is pretty stout. The cool thing about the cartridge, tough, is you can load it from mild "trapodoor" levels all the way up to insane elephant-stopper rounds. I load most of mine to right at the top of the "trapdoor" range, and it's actually pretty pleasant to shoot. I have some hot stuff worked up in case I ever need it, too...which in Indiana is unlikely. I have a local buddy who owned a .458 Win Mag at one point, and he told me that his little town was safe from elephants the entire time that he owned it...never saw a single one !

I cast my own, and while a 405gr pill uses a lot of lead, it's otherwise not all that expensive to load for once you have the brass. And the brass, being straight-wall, lasts a long time.

I have a 99 vintage stainless guide gun with the factory ports. It’s strait Stock wish it was pistol gripped. Found it used for a song. Previous owner paid good money to have a scout mount added and a leupold 1-5 on it with quick detach rings and some DRC iron sights front and rear. If anything ever escape the local zoo I’m ready. Factory powderpuff stuff all the way to Garrett hardcast. I suppose I could go after wild hogs down here in FL with it.

First thing I did with my Guide Gun 20+ years ago, after shooting it once to make sure it functioned, was send it off to be cut to 16" Then I thinned out the forend and chopped a little off the back end as well. So much easier now to just buy one and with a full length mag tube.

A DRC lever and sights and rails and scout scopes all followed later.




I hunted with it a bit, but stopped after having success with it a couple times. Going instead with things I haven't. For me, about the worst thing that can happen with a new hunting rifle is I actually shoot something with it.

It would be a great handy every day rifle to always have around... if I were living different life.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: cas,

Cowboy or handloads make the 45-70 a pussycat to shoot.

Love my 1895. I’d kinda like to have the receiver color case hardened.

I've got the original model 45/70 1895G model with the 20 inch ported barrel. Came with a straight stock and 5 round magazine tube. I purchased a mag tube for a 1895 cowboy model and cut the mag tube to match the barrel length. Then I hand cut a new under barrel dovetail for the magazine end stud. Finally I thinned the heck out of the original fat fore end and cut the long stock to fit my short length of pull needs. Also added rear receiver peep sight. With the 18 inch barrel, it is 35" in length, which is only 1/2 inches longer than the Trapper model with the 16 inch barrel and holds 7 in the mag tube.

I’ve owned two 1895s, a Guide Gun and the full length rifle.

As others note, factory ammo is ex-pen-sive. I hand loaded mine, using 33 grains of IMR 4198 to push a 400 grain cast lead bullet, for a cost of about $0.80 per round.

Issues I hard were, in order:

Cons:

• Recoil, even with reloads, was stout. Made my .35 Whelen seem tame.
  
  
• Loudest rifles I’ve ever owned, the Guide Gun especially. Even doubled ear protection was barely adequate.
  
  
• Accuracy was meh. At 100 yards, even factory ammo was 3-5 MOA from a rest. Ghost ring sights for them are a waste of money.
  

Pros

• Perfect gun for small tyrannosaurses.
  
  
• Draws everyone’s’ attention ire when shooting it indoors (see Cons, about noise).
  
  
• Fewer people want to shoot it.
  

I have a Marlin 1895 LTD IV 24" Full octagon barrel with a straight grip walnut stock and love it.

I have a Chiappa 1886 thats abeautiful gun , but has the curved brass butt plate. about 10 shots and i am done. I would love to trade it for a Guide gun......

quote:

Originally posted by kyoung:
I have a Chiappa 1886 thats abeautiful gun , but has the curved brass butt plate. about 10 shots and i am done. I would love to trade it for a Guide gun......

My guide gun has a factory rubber butt pad. The day I bought it I picked up a box of 20 of 325gr Hornady Leverevolution so I could shoot it on the way home. I got through 12 rounds before I was done, lol.

It is quite a bit easier on the shoulder from a standing position than it is prone or off a bench.

I have a shorter barreled, 18.6” Henry, then an older ‘Trapdoor’. Yes, 45-70 loads can vary a lot, from low pressure for the older trapdoor to almost unshootable in a modern, lightweight, stronger firearm.

Many reloading manuals list 3 power levels of reloads. One can even drop down to powder puff loads with powders like IMR-4227. While low power, still plenty for ‘home defense’.

If not a reloader, seems a 357/38 spcl would be a little easier, with factory ammo.

A similar power level 458 in a light semi auto is 458 SOCOM in an AR-15.

I friend gave me a Magna Ported JD Jones 45-70 Contender barrel. I scoped it, but it wouldn't work on my early frame, so maybe mercifully, I've never shot it.

This is my custom 1895. It started out as a Broker buy of standard Remlin Guide gun with some nice add ons (Leupold scout scope, XS sight rail) for a song. Unfortunately, it had a severely canted front sight. Had the barrel cut down to 14.5” and the attached muzzle brake welded to the legal length. Action slicked up and a duracoat black matte finish. Eventually I’d like to get enough nerve to sand out the awful Remington checkering and stain in ebony or maybe bed liner.

quote:

Originally posted by Sig2340:

Accuracy was meh. At 100 yards, even factory ammo was 3-5 MOA from a rest. Ghost ring sights for them are a waste of money.

Did you ever bore check the 45/70 barrel? Marlins are known to often have pinch restrictions at the front of the barrel where the dovetail is punched for the magazine tube stud. Mine was a 4.5 inch gun at 100 before I hand and fire lapped the constriction out. It then dropped to a 1.5" 100 yard gun with 405gn gas-checked hard-cast on a lot of Reloader #7. It could probably have done better, but I start flinching after a few shots when shooting from the bench...

I have a Marlin SBL in 45-70 that I had Ranger Point Precision (the Langdon Tactical for Marlins) customize. I don't shoot it a lot because of cost but is very fun to shoot and easy to handle. I have it accessible when we go camping.

I have +P bear loads for when we are camping. The recoil with these loads is impressive. To tame it, I have a slip on recoil pad. https://www.amazon.com/Allen-R...471055-7540746?psc=1

Yes. I'm a wimp. I double pad the SBL when shooting +P loads. It's a light gun and my shoulder notices it.

Mine shoots better than most of the bolt actions and all the single shots I own. (As well as all the other lever actions)

I have a 26" octogon-barreled Winchester/Miroku 1886, and it's a thumper to shoot. Fun, but your shoulder definitely knows it's been smacked. A lightweight trapper is something I think I'd pass on, thanks anyway.

ETA: A good friend of mine concurs. He has or used to have a trapper-length .45-70 at his FIL's place in the mountains and after getting it sighted in, said he would only shoot it again in self defense (they do occasionally see black bears and cougars in the area).

This message has been edited. Last edited by: Expert308,

Ever since Ruger bought the rights to Marlin and started manufacturing the 1895 SBL I have been wanting one. The Remington years weren't that great to Marlin and It's great to see Ruger put them back into the forefront.

The cost of the rifle and ammo is for sure a deterrent but one of these income tax returns I'll pull the trigger.