Is .45-70 worth it if you're not using it to hunt?

[TTv2]

I tested out a .45 ACP adapter in my over/under shotgun yesterday to see if the POA and POI matched and with a 250gr Speer bullet over 6.5grains of Unique it did. Having seen that it convinced me that it's worth the $100 to get the .45-70 adapter because I'll be able to play with the large amount of bullet weights to find a load that works with my POA.

Now that I've got that figured out I'm wondering is there any reason to get tooled up to load .45-70 if it's not going to be used for hunting? The main reason I want to get into it is I'm enamored with .45-70 cuz it's old and if I bought two adapters I could effectively have a .45-70 double rifle that cost me under $750.

 

[Jimster]

I get the biggest smile when shooting my 45-70 blackpowder reloads out of my Pedersoli Sharps! If you love history, you’ll love the 45-70. Or you should.

 

[George Dickel]

If you derive enjoyment from it why do you need a "purpose" for having one? I have a .44 Mag revolver that I get a kick out of firing full power loads through it. Love the fireball when it goes off but I don't plan on using it for hunting.

 

[BullRunBear]

The 45-70 is a very satisfying round to shoot, especially with black powder handloads. I don't hunt anymore but making a steel target ring at 200 yards using iron sights is a lot of fun. Recoil is not stout and there is a aroma of BP smoke. An inexpensive lee press will handle any reloading needs (case lube is a big help for full length resizing).

A while back we took our niece and her husband, both Army and knowledgeable on current weapons, to the range to try some of my 'old stuff'. That included a Rolling Block repro in 45-70. I had prepared 80 BP rounds for it figuring that was plenty. They went through them in short order. These young folks (late 20s) LOVED that rifle and caliber.

Jeff

 

[troy fairweather]

45-70 are very fun, lots of different loads to mess with. More so in a bolt action or single shot. I even shot some power belts one day kinda as a joke, could not believe how good they shot.

 

[LoonWulf]

Ive seriously considered having full length 45-70 inserts made for my Citori to turn it into a pseudo double....I have an 11" 9mm Insert and gobbler sights on my little flip down 20ga, and it gets shot kinda alot. Since I already have a .458WM im already stocking bullets, and for the MOST part a .45-70 at trapdoor levels makes more sense to for me.

 

[edwardware]

I'm wondering is there any reason to get tooled up to load .45-70 if it's not going to be used for hunting?

Yes, of course.

But this is from a guy who loads and shoots (but doesn't hunt with) a .375H&H M70 for fun. . . so salt to taste.

 

[jmr40]

I've owned 4 different rifles in 45-70 starting with one of the early Marlin's made shortly after they re-introduced the rifle in 1973. Finally sold the last one about 10 years ago. I shot them some, hunted with them a little, but always felt the round was over rated.

No real history either. It is old, but not used much down through history The round was introduced in 1873, and was all but dead by 1890. Marlin reintroduced it in 1973 with some colorful advertising on it's 100th anniversary. Even then it was slow to catch on. I'd guess it has been used more in the 21st century than the 19th and 20th combined.

It's only redeeming quality is that it is the most commonly available black powder rifle cartridge still being made. But hunters and shooters back in it's day preferred much bigger rounds.

 

[welldoya]

I’ve got one rifle chambered in 45/70 - an H&R 1871 Buffalo Classic. I don’t have any use for it, I just like it.

 

[Swing]

I used to have a Marlin 1895 "Cowboy" model in .45/70. Balanced great, 9+1 .45/70 rounds on tap, octagonal barrel, and just worked. Never hunted with it; just enjoyed shooting on sunny days. Seems like reason enough.

 

[tubeshooter]

I have the shorter (6+1) version of the Marlin 1895 "Cowboy".

I'm no reloader, but... if you know you don't plan to hunt, and cowboy loads will (very likely) do everything you would need and more, then why bother getting "tooled up" to load it? Unless you just crave the recoil, I guess...


For a mere $100 - yeah, I'd say it is "worth it" if the performance is worth half a hoot. You'll have spent that $100 by your third box of shelf ammo.

 

[Carl N. Brown]

The guys shooting .45-70 at iron silhouette targets in the black powder cartridge matches do get a satisfying reaction when they connect.

 

[TTv2]

I have the shorter (6+1) version of the Marlin 1895 "Cowboy".

I'm no reloader, but... if you know you don't plan to hunt, and cowboy loads will (very likely) do everything you would need and more, then why bother getting "tooled up" to load it? Unless you just crave the recoil, I guess...


For a mere $100 - yeah, I'd say it is "worth it" if the performance is worth half a hoot. You'll have spent that $100 by your third box of shelf ammo.

Because it's easy enough to reload, it's something different, and I have more control over what's available to me. Price is the big factor, I'm not into paying $1 a round during normal times, so if it's 35 cents for the powder, primer, and bullet that's fine to me, worth buying the dies.

And then there's the stuff that's not made by anyone, like the 3 round ball load.

 

[TTv2]

Ive seriously considered having full length 45-70 inserts made for my Citori to turn it into a pseudo double....I have an 11" 9mm Insert and gobbler sights on my little flip down 20ga, and it gets shot kinda alot. Since I already have a .458WM im already stocking bullets, and for the MOST part a .45-70 at trapdoor levels makes more sense to for me.

What makes me want to turn my Mossberg into a double rifle is I have a rail on the top barrel I can mount an optic to, so I could get a red dot and use a QD mount, that depends on how the regulation between the two barrels is at 50, 75, 100 yards. With the .45-70 I can go from 250 to 500 grain bullets, so if the upper barrel shoots dead on at 50 with one load, but the lower barrel shoots low, I'll use a heavier bullet in the lower barrel to get it closer or if one barrel shoots high a lighter bullet.

If I ever do get around to getting a .410/.22 combination gun I'd love to have a .38 and 9mm adapter for it. Given the smaller bore those adapters would be very light.

 

[ms6852]

is there any reason to get tooled up to load .45-70 if it's not going to be used for hunting?

YES, it is called FUN.

 

[792mauser]

Back in the before times.
I could load a 45-70 for about .26 cents.
The cases were cheap.
Primer was a pittance.
The bullet was cast lead scavenged.
And powder (BP) was homemade and cheap.

Made lots of fun at 300-700 yards on the cheap.

 

[StrawHat]

The 45-70 was fun to use until I discovered the 50-70. The more I shot the big 50, the less use I had for the 45.

Kevin

 

[tubeshooter]

Because it's easy enough to reload, it's something different, and I have more control over what's available to me. Price is the big factor, I'm not into paying $1 a round during normal times, so if it's 35 cents for the powder, primer, and bullet that's fine to me, worth buying the dies.

And then there's the stuff that's not made by anyone, like the 3 round ball load.

Sounds like somebody just answered their own question.
[EDIT: And mine as well - thanks]

 

[Charlie98]

I've never hunted in my life... and I have all sorts of crazy 'hunting' rifles, including a .45-70.

There is something immensely satisfying about handloading the big .45... dumping half a can of powder into that big coffee can of brass (or thereabouts.)

I shoot steel with my .45-70 Pedersoli 1885... it's just a hoot to shoot. I also bought a 'baby' .45-70... an H&R HandiRifle in .45 Colt; I don't know why, but it's about as much fun to shoot as the Pedi, but a lot easier to handle. It also reminds me of a baby M79 40mm grenade launcher... without the explosive part.

 

[ilmonster]

Another 45-70 fan. Have a Marlin 1895 that is only a range gun. I have approx. 600 rounds through it and it is a hoot. Has the trajectory of a mortar round, and makes a resounding "clang" on steel at 200 yds. Through a spotting scope, you can see that big chunk of lead (300 gr. boolit) moving downrange. I also reload for it, so it is super cheap to shoot and very easy on the shoulder (300 gr. RNFP at 1190 fps). Go for it!

 

[Dave DeLaurant]

Plenty of good answers re: why 45-70.

Regarding drop-in insert barrels/adapters, give it a 12-o'clock registration mark (a little notch on the insert's rim with a file) and make sure it is aligned consistently between shots.

 

[PapaG]

I have had a Ballard, a Trapdoor, a Marlin, built a Rolling Block, a H&R Buffalo, and now have a Rio Grande, all in 45-70. I only miss the RB. Rio and H&R were brutal. RB was a match rifle with a ,1 1/8" across the flats 32" octagon barrel. All were a hoot to shoot RB did a couple of sub 5" 200 yard groups with aperture sights . I didn't "need" any of them and unless Illinois comes out of the dark ages and legalizes straight wall rifles, still don't.

 

[dh1633pm]

45-70 All the Government I will ever need. As I sat in the Operations Center for Iraqi Freedom in 2003, bored in the mid afternoon. Busy between 0430 and 0830 and again at 1430 to 1930. I thought and pondered the question 444 or 45-70. I read the Gunblast 1895G review a zillion times. Cheaper and more plentiful brass and more loading options finally swung the debate to 45-70. That plus my local dealer being in possession of a slightly used 1895G in 45-70 for $350.00; that he took in from someone who didn't like the recoil. I sent my wife by to see him with some funds to hold it until I got back to the US. When I returned I picked it up on a Friday, shot a deer with it on Saturday after an overnight light snow. The deer walked right up with 15 yards to my deep woods position. The deer was more surprised than I was and just stood staring at me. From a sitting position, I shot him from the front. His legs dropped right out from under him. He moved due to gravity and never took another step. The jacket was recovered from his neck, the lead near his tail. Yes you need a 45-70.

You can load light weight for those old rifles or just for the fun of shooting with lighter recoil. You can load up medium for lever guns made to handle the load, or get a Ruger No 1 and load it up to hurt both the game and yourself. Sometimes the face smack from the round hurts a bit, but its all part of the fun. My 30-30 carrying friends call it a cannon. I call it fun.

I have since added a Roller and a Trap Door.

 

[eastbank]

i have owned as many as 10, but i,m down to seven now. they can be loaded to kill any animal alive on earth today, i,ve killed many deer with them from 30 feet to 140 yards. my favortie load is a 300 gr hornady flat point with 50 grs H-4198 at 1900-2000 fps a class 2 load(not for trapdoors). my trackers name is ray charles.

 

[someguy2800]

Marlin 1895 loaded with trail boss and cast bullets is the funnest gun I own. Smiles for everyone.