45/70 marlin like a cannon

[howtow]

Lever actions aren't really my bag so I could be overlooking something here...

At the range today anyway, and some bloke was there with what looked to be a pretty average lever action and a box of 45/70 marlin shells.

Nothing special to look at. When he fired though, Jesus... It was like a cannon.

I thought 45/70 was somewhere in line with a 30-06 in terms of recoil and so on at the shooters end. This thing hardly seemed to be knocking the bloke round at all considering the bang it was putting out.

Shooting crazy loads or something maybe?

[Lorgar]

Not just a shorter barrel than you are used to?

Shorter barrel = more blast.

As you say, 45/70 isn't exactly a monster cartridge.

[Blackened]

Not just a shorter barrel than you are used to?

That was my first thought.

Shorter barrel is louder, not that loud though...

[Blackened]

Oh, didn't just have a muzzle brake on it?

That will add about 50% volume for you...

[howtow]

Didn't have a muzzle brake as far as I saw, just a regular muzzle.

[teedo]

Didn't have a muzzle brake as far as I saw, just a regular muzzle.

Probably had an integrated brake.

Notice a few holes drilled around the end of the barrel?

That's my bet.

[howtow]

Probably had an integrated brake.

Notice a few holes drilled around the end of the barrel?

That's my bet.

Ah, that will be the one.

Yeah, it had a line of 4-5 holes drilled on each side of the barrel near the muzzle.