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Dave C.
10-29-2009, 07:59 PM
I am in the market for a new 45-70. It will be used with cast boolits only and only to punch paper. I have killed my share of deer and the woods in this part of country are a dangerous place to be in deer season. Accuracy is the most important item in choosing this rifle. I would like to tap into this boards vast expirience in making my choice.


Dave C.

dubber123
10-29-2009, 08:16 PM
I would go with one of the Sharps replicas. I also have never heard a bad word spoken of the Ruger single shots in 45-70 either. If you go with the Sharps, I'd buy the best you can afford. Some of the less expensive ones seem to be more trouble than they are worth.

stubshaft
10-29-2009, 08:19 PM
Ruger #1 and Sharps replicas are good choices, but mine would be a 1895 Marlin either in standard or Guide Gun garb. Light, handy and accurate even if you are only gong to shoot paper and a multituda of boolit designs for them.

dubber123
10-29-2009, 08:26 PM
I just noticed this is in the handgun section. Might make my choices less than useful....

afish4570
10-29-2009, 08:29 PM
For black powder I would go for a Sharps or Rem. Rolling Block. For sheer power a Ruger. I have the old #3 which is a plain jane version of the #1 and discontinued about 20 yrs. ago. It is one of my hunting rifles with either lead or for the first time last year with 300 gr. JHP at 2330 fps....awesome on both ends in a light rifle. If I was a paper person only a Marlin 1895 Cowboy ( long barrel and heavy to soak up recoil) would be a neat choice too. Just my opinion.afish4570:coffeecom:coffeecom

jack19512
10-29-2009, 08:41 PM
I have a Marlin 1895 CB and really like it. Also have a Contender with the 14 in barrel and like it. Some might think the CB is too long or heavy for hunting but I wouldn't have a problem deer hunting with it. Both like my cast boolits.

wiljen
10-29-2009, 08:52 PM
I have a ruger #1 in 45-70 and wouldnt get it as a first choice for paper punching as it has NO throat so limits your choice of boolits pretty severely. I love the gun no doubt, but it does have that one rather large limitation.

stubshaft
10-29-2009, 08:57 PM
I just noticed this is in the handgun section. Might make my choices less than useful....


Hokay, Then an Encore! :bigsmyl2:

dualsport
10-29-2009, 09:05 PM
What kind of guns do you like? Old stuff, new stuff, lever actions? Any preferences? I like the 45=70 Gattling Gun, puts down wild pigs in a hurry.

Lloyd Smale
10-30-2009, 07:39 AM
hard to beat a guide gun for bang for the buck

Doc_Stihl
10-30-2009, 07:50 AM
An NEF - handi rifle makes a good woods gun. Short money, quick handling and plenty accurate. If you can find a gibbs conversion I'd suggest handling one.

wiljen
10-30-2009, 09:36 AM
what about a buffalo classic ? Handi with better wood and better sights - hard to beat for the average asking price.

GabbyM
10-30-2009, 01:59 PM
Member Duke Nukem has a sharps over on swapin and sellin section here.
Not chaep but I'd have confidence it would be a better investment that holding green backs right now. Plus you know it would look great hanging on the wall.

Put a globe front and soule rear on it and you'd be ready for BPCR shoots.

Potsy
10-30-2009, 03:34 PM
I've got a #1 and love it; but the throat issue is very real. I like shoot Ranch Dog 350's and have to trim my brass accordingly.
Were I not going to hunt with it, I'd just have to have a sharps.

Lead Fred
10-30-2009, 04:04 PM
Even tho I have a 45/70 Handi Rifle for brush. I will get a Buffalo Classic some day.

Its a whole lot of shooter, without a whole lot of fancy, and is priced accordingly

EOD3
10-30-2009, 05:01 PM
I have a Marlin 1895 Cowboy that's a great shooter and a lot of fun but, my Browning Hi-Wall is my true love. :D BOOM (one thousand one, one thousand two) CLANG. [smilie=w: [smilie=w:

softpoint
10-30-2009, 05:54 PM
I'd go for a single shot to punch paper, I have 2 Marlin 45/70's and I like them, but if I were just going to punch paper, I like my Browning B78. I actually like the B78's and the 1885 Brownings a little better than the Ruger#1's, Downside is, they don't make the B78 any more, and the Browning-Winchester Hi Walls are scarce as well., but you could get a Ruger pretty easy. JMO...:coffee:

dubber123
10-30-2009, 06:40 PM
For anyone with the short throat problem mentioned on the various guns, a throating reamer is around $50, and takes about 2 minutes to do by hand. You are only removing mere thousandths of an inch.

Ramsgate
10-30-2009, 06:54 PM
I doubt anyone buys a .45-70 rifle for practical reasons. I assume that you are attracted to the history and provenance of this very special cartridge. Your choice of rifle should be something that evokes an emotional response and what suits me might not suit you. I enjoy shooting my B78 enormously. It looks good, mounts perfectly and yes the crescent butt plate works very well. Light loads are fun, just plain fun, and accuracy is sooo easy. I even get great brass life. Maybe the only downside is that you do dispense a considerable weight in lead with every shot.

Lead Fred
10-30-2009, 07:10 PM
I doubt anyone buys a .45-70 rifle for practical reasons.

Got mine for making big {edit} holes in stuff.

Yea tho I walk through the valley of death, I fear not.


Fore I am the biggest mother in the valley :holysheep

John Taylor
10-30-2009, 07:54 PM
I like all 45-70s but the 1885 would be my choice for a paper puncher. Look here http://www.americangunllc.com/1885hiwall.htm
American made.
Tell them I sent you. It probably won't help any as they already treat me good.

Lucky Joe
10-30-2009, 09:48 PM
I like my H&R Buffalo Classic.

Dave C.
10-31-2009, 10:39 AM
Thanks for the info everyone! I am now at least informed and unsure about my choice!

Dave C.

cajun shooter
10-31-2009, 11:05 AM
As you can see the answers are as broad as the question. You have to decide what the rifle will be used for most of the time and go from there. The poster that refered you to the Shiloh Sharps must have a huge bank account or is wishing for himself. $3800 is not in the starter gun bracket. If you have never loaded or fired 45-70 and want to play around then the H&R Buffalo Classic for around $400 is where to start. You can use this gun to load BP or smokeless loads and decide what you want to do from there. If you want to go into BPCR then a Pedersoli will have you started for $1000 to $2000. It only becomes harder from here. Many of your target matches will not allow the BC or the Ruger #1 rifle.

hunter_usmc
11-04-2009, 02:23 AM
Marlin 1895 Cowboy it is a heavy long barreled gun for recoil control and it looks really cool to, have fun making your choice.[smilie=b:

Idaho Sharpshooter
11-04-2009, 03:21 AM
Lead Fred,

you need to come out here and shoot my 550 Gibbs. It redefines big. In September I shot a friend's four-bore double rifle. It redefines B-I-B!!!

Ask Ed K, he wouldn't even touch the thing... Mom always said he had the brains in the family.

Rich

wellfedirishman
11-06-2009, 11:42 AM
Pistol:
Contender 45-70 with 14 inch barrel and scope, wins hands down. Accurate as heck and convertible to any caliber you want.

Rifle:
NEF Buffalo Classic (a whole lot of rifle for $350 approx)
or
Sharps replica (I have a Uberti Sharps Hunter, very nice and perfect for hunting, not too long or heavy, cost $660 at Tanner Guns on Gunbroker).

All of the above shoot cast bullets very well. including pointed and flat nose.

StrawHat
11-06-2009, 12:28 PM
I am in the market for a new 45-70. It will be used with cast boolits only and only to punch paper. Dave C.

You can not go wrong by choosing a Trapdoor Springfield. Originals in shooting condition are still available so you get to use a great old cartridge in one of the original platforms it was designed for.

Two good sites for trapdoors.

http://www.trapdoorcollector.com/

http://www.trapdoors.com/

jack19512
11-06-2009, 03:47 PM
Pistol:
Contender 45-70 with 14 inch barrel and scope, wins hands down. Accurate as heck and convertible to any caliber you want.

Rifle:
NEF Buffalo Classic (a whole lot of rifle for $350 approx)







I have a Contender in 45/70 with the 14 inch barrel and scope and really like it.

Gunlaker
11-07-2009, 09:08 PM
I've got a handful of .45-70's in different rifles (1874's, 1885's, Marlin 1895G, Ruger #1).

I couldn't really pick a favorite. The Marlin is probably the most versatile, but for punching paper with open sights (or a "period correct" scope), I'd choose an 1874 Sharps or 1885 High wall with a 30" barrel, especially if you get into BP at some time. If you want to use a modern style scope, the Ruger #1 or Browning 1885 would be great choices.

As far as accuracy goes, they all have the potential to be very accurate. My Marlin is probably the least accurate, but I think mostly due to the very short sight radius on the 18.5" barrel.

Pretty much any of these will work well with cast bullets. In my Ruger #1 I had the throat reamed so it could work with a wider variety of bullets.

This info might be useful to you. When I bought my new Ruger #1 it was with the knowledge that the throat would need to be reamed right away, but I did some tests with various bullets first. I made up a bunch of dummy cartridges and seated the bullets to the oal listed in my various manuals. Here are the ones that could be chambered and those that couldn't. It was a surprise to me, but easily fixed up by my local gunsmith:

Will chamber

350gr hornady RN
405gr Remington
525gr cast Postell, (from the Bullet Barn)

Won't Chamber

350gr Speer
350gr hornady FP
400gr Speer
400gr Barnes
405gr cast gas checked (from the Bullet Barn)
500gr Hdy FMJ

As far as accuracy goes, it's quite good. I have no problem shooting 1.25" groups @ 100 yards with the 405gr gas checked bullets. I haven't worked a lot with the rifle, just played with loads that worked well in my other rifles. I imagine that with enough experimentation I could shrink that, as the rifle has shot several cloverleaf groups. (using a 3x9 Bushnell scope).

hope that's useful.

Chris.

Dave C.
11-08-2009, 03:37 PM
OK don't tell my wife but I am going for the 1874 Sharps.
Who makes the best one? The "new gun" fund is good for about 2500.
"No it's not a new gun, it's just one that I havn't had out of the safe for a while."



Dave C.

Gunlaker
11-08-2009, 08:14 PM
OK don't tell my wife but I am going for the 1874 Sharps.
Who makes the best one? The "new gun" fund is good for about 2500.
"No it's not a new gun, it's just one that I havn't had out of the safe for a while."



Dave C.

Most will agree that Shiloh and C. Sharps are the ones to get. Pedersoli makes a fine rifle too. I've got some of each of 'em and would have to say they are all good. The only thing I don't like too much about the Pedersolis is that they are often a bit too ornate for my tastes, and the forearm is the wrong shape.

C. Sharps does have a sale on right now and they make a fine rifle. Shiloh has a huge following and makes very nice rifles, but be prepared to wait a while for them to build it.

You ought to be able to get into any of these for that price range. Be aware though, that a set of precision sights for these rifles will cost a bunch to be sure to factor that in.

The shiloh rifle forum is a good way to learn more about these fine rifles. Plenty of people there with amazing amounts of knowledge to share. BCPR.net is also very good.

Chris.

missionary5155
11-12-2009, 05:14 AM
Good Morning
If I could start all over with the 45-70 & only go with 1 rifle it would be the Winchester (or Browning) Light Weight 1886. It is Very accurate, a repeater, easy to carry ALL day long & will handle any load you would sanely chamber in it. It already has the flat shotgun butte so heavy loads do not try to seperate your shoulder joint when wearing light summer shirts.
With cross sticks I can hit anything I can see out to 150 yards. It would be limited in a long range match out to 500 yards But mine is plenty accurate. I think 50 rounds would be more fun than my 155 pounds would desire.
With round ball it makes a fun plinker. A 285- 300 grainer will handle anything here I see in Illinois. A 350 + grainer at 1900+ fps will put the hurts on any critter. It will shoot 425+ boolits but I just do not see that as a real need in my river bottoms.
If I want a single shot I can get out any of several Rollers. As many Buffs were popped with Rollers as with the Sharps. FEW parts & as simple a rifle as could be made. As accurate as any. Have you ever heard of a Rolling Block breaking a firing pin ? Or mud clogging up a rollers breach meachanism? And cost wise ... I can near buy 3 origonal rollers for the cost of one of the others. That is why many countries equiped their armies with the Remington in favor of others. Hard to beat a reliable rifle. The only advantage the 1886 Winny has over the Remington is that fast 5 shots.

Mike Venturino
11-12-2009, 06:47 AM
At times Shiloh has rifles right there on the rack, if for instance, someone has cancelled their order. Also there's a Shiloh dealer in Bozeman, Montana, named Bill Goodman who has rifles continously on order. Often he can supply you one in short order. His phone # is 406-586-3131. ( I think).

You can get into a Shiloh for under 2K if you don't go too fancy. As far as accuracy....... well that will depend how deep you delve. All their barrels are match grade. In fact the winner of the 2009 NRA BPCR Silhouette National Championship was shooting an off the shelf Shiloh.

MLV

Dave C.
11-14-2009, 01:25 PM
Thanks everyone I now have a good idea as to the type of rifle I want.
I still have some home work to do. I do have a TC 16.25" tappered nonported
that I have used to take several deer. I hope to buy a rifle by next spring.