Have to work up some 45/70 loads now

[AbitNutz]

In a previous post I alerted the media that I was trying to pick up a couple of somewhat odd rifles. Well, be careful what you wish for...I did.

The first one is a Greener-Martini that was incarnated by Navy Arms. It's a 45/70 and is really a sweet thing. It is color case hardened and the bore is mint. It's got a 26 inch octagon barrel and is pretty heavy. It desperately needs sights but it looks like I have that covered with a Lyman 20J front globe and a Marbles tang rear.

The second...straight from mother Russia via Remington is a Baikal MP-221 double rifle in 45/70. This is a shockingly nice rifle. As a long time AK hater I have to holster my prejudice. The chambers and bores are chrome plated and also in mint condition.

Now here's something that will tickle those of you who know what recoil is. This rifle weighs 6.8 lbs and has a thin stock. The rifle is good for pressure levels on the lower end of the lever action scale, which is still pretty stout. So we have a light rifle, with a thinner stock, with a heavyish recoiling caliber....and...wait for it...it has a Barska 3-12x50 IR scope on it. I was told it was never sighted in. I expect it was never fired at all based on the condition of the rifle and the fact the scope doesn't rattle.

I didn't even know there were scope mounts available for this thing...

[Victor N TN]

Congratulations !

[Maven]

Congratulations for snagging those rifles, Abi....! As I have nothing exotic as that I hesitate to offer advice, but I do own a lightweight .45-70 (Marlin #336). You'll find you can sense the difference in recoil with a given weight bullet for every 50 fps increase in velocity in the Baikal. To that end, you may want to try 12 -14gr. Unique with 340gr. - 405gr. CB's: Accurate, economical, and easy on the shoulder.

[mdevlin53]

I have one of these MP-221 doubles. i tried several loadings and weights and did not have very good results until i used trailboss and 340 gr lee cast in 20:1. the recoil is light and the hit at POA at 50 yards so i am happy. As the trailboss can is now empty i might try the Unique next time around.

[Wayne Smith]

Lyman 457122 - Gould hollowpoint. Would be the perfect boolit for that double. Still available new, too.

[bbqncigars]

You really should put a crescent metal butt plate on that to experience the true joy of a light weight rifle.

[AbitNutz]

I have a shooting vest with some wonder material in the shoulder pocket...I doubled it. You know why I doubled it? Because if I tripled it, I couldn't squeeze it back into the pocket.

[runfiverun]

the crescent plate ain't that bad, my 86 has one and I shoot 435's at 1600 fps.
I'd be more inclined to start at 10grs of unique in your Baikal and the navy arms rifles and go from there.