New toy - 45-70

[juststarting]

Lol

[brett1868]

P. S. I think I will place a quad barrel British Machine gun .50 cal rifle on order next week for the rabbits. Perhaps Brett can help out with some reloading data so I can load up a few hundred round at a good price. Way to go.

Here you go mate.....
Cutting Edge 798gr HP, 212.5gr of AR2218, RWS Primer, 5.709" COAL should be good for rabbits cause it's awesome on cats

[Oldbloke]

Grouse.

[KennyA]

Nice.
I too have got to a single shot 45-70.
Just getting into casting and reloading for this beast.
I shoot both smokeless and black powder.



Cheers and enjoy.

[Oldbloke]

A single barrel must kick like a mule.

[Wm.Traynor]

A single barrel must kick like a mule.

Assuming they are pretty light, I would think so too

[Member-Deleted]

Well Oldbloke if that's the case you some times have regret for lapses in memory well my whole life must be full of regret
I can't remember anything most times head like a sieve

[BRNO_Bigot]

A single barrel must kick like a mule.

Assuming they are pretty light, I would think so too

Yeah, I was thinking the same, and I think those Handi Rifles are fairly light, but I do admit I haven't actually seen nor handled one. Anyway JS - let us know how it goes.

[juststarting]

Will do.

[Oldbloke]

Yeah, bit of shot up the stock will help. Sort of defeats the advantage of the single break open though. Still looks great.

[Wm.Traynor]

I can see a heavy duty Past Recoil Shield in the OP's future

[Gamerancher]

For an accurate,( at least it was in my Marlin CB), light recoiling load, try 16gr of Trailboss behind a 370-400gr cast bullet. Used to use that load out to 200m for the rams in lever-gun silhouette. The mate I sold it to still uses that load.

[juststarting]

I was just going to ask... Any other powder suggestions?

[in2anity]

I was just going to ask... Any other powder suggestions?

2207. 2206H could work too.

[juststarting]

Thanks! Probably take you up on it. Need to buy molds first. I am thinking gas checking those is probably useless anyway? Thoughts?

[Oldbloke]

Thanks! Probably take you up on it. Need to buy molds first. I am thinking gas checking those is probably useless anyway? Thoughts?

gas checks.jpg (197.83 KiB) Viewed 6230 times

Straight out of "reloading simplifies by Cyril Waterworth

[in2anity]

Just thinking OP - given the length of that barrel, I reckon the faster end of the spectrum is gonna be most appropriate for you - you should also give 2205 a go. 2205 or 2207 is my pick.

[juststarting]

A single barrel must kick like a mule.

Assuming they are pretty light, I would think so too

Yeah, I was thinking the same, and I think those Handi Rifles are fairly light, but I do admit I haven't actually seen nor handled one. Anyway JS - let us know how it goes.

...as promised. Plowed through 2 boxes of factory PPU stuff. Off hand, it is very manageable. From the bench, I didn't find it bad at all. Literally, could shoot it all day. I think the recoil pad on that thing is freaking amazing.

[bigrich]

any opinions on marlin 1895G guide gun 18.5 " barrel ,versus marlin 1895 with 22" barrel . also looking at CVA scout rifle . and don't nobody say buy them all. not that wealthy

[juststarting]

any opinions on marlin 1895G guide gun 18.5 " barrel

Don't know about the rest, but I did shoot a couple of rounds from this one (above), only offhand though. Ammo, factory Hornady FTX. Recoil was very manageable, then again, I think all recoil is manageable. Small, compact rifle. Lite and very easy to carry.

After shooting that one, I knew I had to have a 45-70! If I didn't find that single shot, I would have gone for that exact model.

Can't really comment on its reliability or smoothness of lever action though. Not enough experience on it.

[bigrich]

both those rifles are for sale within half hour from me. was thinking a longer barrel will help with velocity/ energy build up. a guide gun with hornady 325 ftx would be fun for a hunt. and any passing army APC's

[sungazer]

Mate you are certainly getting a collection, a very nice one even with the odd old ugly but interesting rifle. You must have learn t heaps along the way with all the different actions, types of rifle, old technology, new technology ect. You've done your bit for the March campaign. I think I am joining the ranks of getting too poor to buy lots of toys. The last ones were cheap but all the extras added up to a bunch. Next rifle means a new safe to and that would have to be a big one to cater for expansion. It would be an under sight to just get a smaller one to cater for near future (money allowing). I mean I think I would like to get one of those about a meter wide. Thinking of building one myself. other than the vault type multi locking bar. I could do it reasonably. A couple of Lockwood dead latch type looks I think would meet the Vic regs? Still a lot of money if you use thick good steel.

[bigrich]

i got 8 now SG, traded a couple off that didn't work for me. as of now i have - CZ 452 2E supermatch , Krico 300 series (late 50's ? , out shoots the CZ ! ) Krico 400 deluxe varmit barrel with "match" trigger in 22 hornet, Krico 600 in 22-250 (awsome fully adjust trigger ), mod 70 chinwester "super grade" in 6.5x55 med s/s sporter barrel, m96 carl gustav 1909, Fausti 12ga u/o , 1974 made 30-30 mod 94 with williams peep, lot's of fun ! my collection is screaming out for a large bore 45-70. pigs/goats could be wearing body armour !

[bigrich]

hey SG , was talking to a dealer at ipswich gun fair on the weekend, he has a 2m high , 2.5m x 4m safe ! i had considered a 9.3x62 ( gud german round ya ? ) in a bolt action. but i reckon a marlin in 45-70 would be more fun. thinking longer barrel to help range/accuracy rather than a guide gun

[sungazer]

Actually that comment applies to both you and Juststarting. he has also done some new guns recently. Not sure I would go for a deep safe. I prefer the rack style on the inside so wide and high but 400-600mm deep is enough.
I think we would all like the strong room option with a work bench inside as well. That would allow for gun smithing to be done and locked up at night without moving bits that might need to be kept still.
The 6.5 sounds like the born killer to me perhaps a heavier barrel.

[bigrich]

was onto cheap norma factory ammo for me 6.5, 156 gr vulkans for $43 a box ( wanted a good collection of norma bras for reloads as well ) shot a big billy goat from behind his left shoulder, exited out right side of his chest. hit the ground kicked his legs once and that was it.other goats i have shot dropped just as quick. haven't come across pigs yet. have shot 12mm groups at 100. average around 20 mm. run a luopold vx2 3-9x40 scope. just wanted one good qaulity all round rifle and grabbed this second hand out of a gun shop. jackpot ! as for safes, if i win the lotto i'll build a bunker....

[bigrich]

have shot 2 " groups at 100 with my 1909 swede with that same norma ammo too ! with open sights anyway , back on topic, on page 2 of this topic is a photo of a CVA scout. check it out. i can get the same gun for $550 second hand. 26" barrell would get more out of 45-70 methinks !

[in2anity]

Bigrich have you considered the Marlin 1895CB? It has the long octagonal 26” barrel. I saw one stupidly cheap for $1180 new the other day - if it wasn’t for PCCLAS restrictions I would have got one of those instead of the 44mag.

[bigrich]

hey in2anity, 26" barrel is probably too big a unit than i want. i'm looking at those older "JM" marked marlins, or a newer one with the 22 " barrel and a half mag. i'll keep looking.....

[in2anity]

hey in2anity, 26" barrel is probably too big a unit than i want. i'm looking at those older "JM" marked marlins, or a newer one with the 22 " barrel and a half mag. i'll keep looking.....

Yeah fair nuff mate; just remember irrespective of whether the rifle is JM stamped or not, all (non-CB) rifles produced after 1954 have that microgroove barrel, which IMO for a handloader using lead bullets, just plain complicates things. As you may know, if you want to optimise lead through the microgroove, you generally have to swage them to like 2 or 3 thou over spec. This requirement is an outright PITA - I like to buy off-the-shelf (lead) bullets knowing they will just work (like they are supposed to!). This is why moving forward, I will only ever get ballard-rifled marlins - for a handloader it just simplifies things. Or alternatively, just avoid marlins altogether!