anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

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anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

Post by Member-Deleted » 27 Jul 2018, 4:16 pm

I have the best kind of problem. I have a current PTA for a 308 and I know (knew) what I was going to buy. Then I went hunting again for the first time in 30+ years. The property I have access to is huge (and lightly hunted) but there are not too many line of sight shots past about 200m because of scrub, and even when opportunities do present themselves at longer ranges I don't yet feel comfortable taking a hunting shot at a longer distance than 200-250m (others might, more power to you).

My 223 with 55grain OSA factory Gamekings was a revelation and will easily cover the rabbits, roos, foxes, cats and dogs seen over those distances. Most shots taken were 100m or under. Didn't see any pigs this trip but they are there. The 223 is going to be too light-on for most pigs I think. I'd like to target deer in future but that's another property.

I was thinking a 308 because it's versatile but now I'm wondering whether I need that and if I wouldn't be better off with a 45-70. Both will manage pigs and deer up to 200m. The 223 will do anything smaller.

Bigrich started this with his new CVA - I'd like both but can only sneak one into the safe for now. I've fired both calibres and the 45-70 to me is more fun than a barrel of monkeys. I will reload. My son has put in his $0.02 and would like to see a 45-70 lever (I like the Henrys) but I also like the thought of a single.

Having rekindled my hunting interest, I don't really have any desire to range shoot in competitions - I would only be range shooting to practice and for fun in between visits to the farm (at a 1200km round trip maybe 5-8 times per year).

If you have both, but could only pick one, which is it and why? As you can probably tell I'm leaning towards the 45-70 but I'm willing to be told if that's a mistake.
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Re: anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

Post by Noisydad » 27 Jul 2018, 4:27 pm

A .45-70 is never a mistake. Ever!
Check out Hickock45’s videos on single shot .45-70s. He comments that there’s something special about big bore single shot rifles and he’s right! They are quite addictive!
There's still a few of Wile. E Coyote's ideas that I haven't tried yet.
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Re: anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

Post by Pythonkeeper » 27 Jul 2018, 4:51 pm

Hard decision, I’ve got a 308 in the safe and it hardly sees the light of day, it usually gets bypassed for the 30/30 or 243, it’s not that I dislike the 308 I just seem to gravitate towards the others before it.
For my next rifle I think I’m going to go with a 45/70 Marlin lever rifle in one of the big loop versions, I’m in love with my 30/30 Marlin so something similar with more oomph would have to be more awesome right??
Maybe sort out a decent quality budget 308 like a Ruger American or Howa first then work on the 45/70, or go for the big dog straight up if that’s what your heart desires and then work on the 308.....moral of the story though, is you really should get both... :D
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Re: anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

Post by Member-Deleted » 27 Jul 2018, 5:02 pm

Oh, I'm pretty sure it will be both, eventually. 8-) In 308, it is (was) going to be a Howa.
For now though, I have one vacant spot in a 3 gun safe (always buy a much bigger safe than you think you'll need! - I wish I'd read that thread here before i bought a safe) :D
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Re: anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

Post by No1Mk3 » 27 Jul 2018, 5:20 pm

G'day Member-Deleted,
I have some of both, and would always lean towards the 308 if I was limited to only one. My reasoning is the versatility of the 308 for hunting every type of game animal in Australia, with better accuracy at all practical ranges. The ability to load for specific game with the 308, it ease of carry and use, ease of scope mounting and choice win out over any 45/70. Not as much fun, though. And you must consider fun. Cheers.
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Re: anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

Post by in2anity » 27 Jul 2018, 6:08 pm

45/70 is a lot of gun for a lightweight carry
At what point does lack of maintenance become patina?
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Re: anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

Post by Daddybang » 27 Jul 2018, 6:27 pm

A 45/70 will give ya a chubby every time ya shoot it!!!!! :shock: :D :drinks:
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Re: anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

Post by bigpete » 27 Jul 2018, 6:39 pm

in2anity wrote:45/70 is a lot of gun for a lightweight carry

What makes you say that ?
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Re: anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

Post by bigpete » 27 Jul 2018, 6:41 pm

I own both. I must admit I love love love shooting my 45/70 but I tend to think the 308 is a bit more practical in most situations for me
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Re: anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

Post by Wm.Traynor » 27 Jul 2018, 7:06 pm

Buy the one you like and swear by it :thumbsup:
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Re: anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

Post by bigfellascott » 27 Jul 2018, 8:02 pm

My mate shoots heaps of pigs with a 223 and some ol cal (can't think what it is now) it's all about shot placement for the majority of the time. :unknown:
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Re: anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

Post by Member-Deleted » 27 Jul 2018, 8:21 pm

Ok, that's interesting as it would extend the useful range of the rifle I already have and like using, my Howa 223 if I could take pigs with it too. I'd always bought in to the view that 223 didn't have the punch for pigs, especially the bigger ones. I had wondered if a slightly heavier pill like the 65 grain Gamekings would get the job done, with proper placement., since the 55 grainers are devastating on lighter game. Anyone tried them on pigs? Or the Hornady TAP in (I think) 70 grain.
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Re: anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

Post by Member-Deleted » 27 Jul 2018, 8:27 pm

Thanks for the replies fellas. I think the general consensus is that there's really no wrong answer since they're both good choices. But if I can only get one now (and have to delay getting the other) then the most practical answer is the 308. But the heart wants what it wants
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Re: anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

Post by bigfellascott » 27 Jul 2018, 8:31 pm

Mate I've rolled pigs with a 204, like anything you use it's about placing the shot in the right spot, if ever in doubt poke em in the brain, nothing goes far if whacked there. :D

Personally I would go a 308 out of the 2 cals you are looking at, mainly cos it's cheap to run, easier on the shoulder and better for the longer shots as a rule and you can watch what you hit better than the bigger cal and there's a good range of off the shelf ammo and pills of all different weights to choose from and generally just cheaper to reload.

But end of the day buy what you want to use as both will kill pigs just fine. :thumbsup:
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Re: anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

Post by yoshie » 27 Jul 2018, 8:38 pm

I have a 30/06 and a 444 marlin. In my opinion every safe needs a lever action.
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Re: anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

Post by Pythonkeeper » 27 Jul 2018, 9:10 pm

Mate the 55 grainers should take even large pigs not a problem.
Unless you’re a crack shot I probably wouldn’t advise shooting them on the trot, but a relaxed slow moving/still pig doing its own thing out to a distance you’re comfortable shooting at will be lights out if you hit them in the kill zone.
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Re: anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

Post by Rod_outbak » 27 Jul 2018, 9:31 pm

Heh... Not a .45-70, but a .45-90??

Firstly, my overseer carries a .223 rifle when checking dog traps on his motorbike most mornings, and he shoots a LOT of pigs with it.
55gn V-Max's or Ballistic Tips will nail a pig just fine, if you bother to place the shot.
Overseer seems to have taken a shine to the 55 V-Max's, and was all mopey when I ran out of time the other day, and had to source 100 rounds of 55gn SP factory loads to tide him over, until I can load up some more V-max's for him.
He tells me the V-Max's were pretty impressive for knockdown.

Secondly, a .308 is hard to beat for versatility, as others have said. 110Gn V-max pills are sweet on small game, and I'm finding the 125gn SST loads I'm using at present are seriously destructive , and very accurate for 0-~400 metre shots.
Even a 1:12" twist barrel will nail nigh anything in Australia at distance with some 168gn pills. And there is such a huge range of options for projectiles.
If your .308 has a faster twist, then you have even more options to choose from.

Thirdly, I now have a Winchester 1885 High-Wall in .45-90WCF, and that thing just plants a whacking big smile on your face when you fire it.

For myself, I'd take the .308 first out of those options, any time.
[And then I'd save up and buy a .45-70, and claim it's part of my anti-depression therapy...]
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Re: anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

Post by in2anity » 27 Jul 2018, 10:19 pm

bigpete wrote:
in2anity wrote:45/70 is a lot of gun for a lightweight carry

What makes you say that ?


Well it’s a big pill over crap load of powder :D
At what point does lack of maintenance become patina?
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Re: anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

Post by Member-Deleted » 27 Jul 2018, 10:58 pm

Rod_outbak wrote:For myself, I'd take the .308 first out of those options, any time.
[And then I'd save up and buy a .45-70, and claim it's part of my anti-depression therapy...]

:clap:
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Re: anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

Post by straightshooter » 28 Jul 2018, 7:17 am

Don't underestimate your 223's effectiveness on pigs. Average run of the mill sized pigs no problem for your typical 55 grain soft point loads. Big, heavy, angry pigs would need careful shot placement and/or better constructed projectiles with a back-up being able to run fast if necessary.
As others have noted a 308 will do everything particularly if you are able to select loads for the task.
However I would suggest rather than a 45/70 you may get a lot more enjoyment and fun from a 44mag lever action. It's somewhat overlooked as a suitable caliber for 150 meter shots.
Look at the advantages. Lever actions, like a Marlin for example, have a magazine capacity of 10 shots. Various factory ammo is readily available and not too expensive. If you handload, projectiles and brass are plentiful and also relatively cheap.
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Re: anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

Post by bigpete » 28 Jul 2018, 7:56 am

in2anity wrote:
bigpete wrote:
in2anity wrote:45/70 is a lot of gun for a lightweight carry

What makes you say that ?


Well it’s a big pill over crap load of powder :D

Very enjoyable in a 7lb gun:D
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Re: anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

Post by Supaduke » 29 Jul 2018, 8:54 am

I own both.

A Henry 45-70 and a Howa .308

The Henry is A LOT of fun. The 45 pill is medicine for any living creature that walks this planet.

For practical purposes however, I would have to lean towards a scoped .308 for hunting.

Not that a 45-70 is a bad choice. Simply that a .308 is a better choice.
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Re: anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

Post by SCJ429 » 29 Jul 2018, 11:21 am

The 308 is very practical and capable, I do not have one. I do have a 45/70 in a Ruger #1 and it is heaps of fun. It doesn't give up much more than 200 fps over other more modern 458 cases. While you do know when you have touched off a shot it is not intimidating in the field. I have hit things out to 200 metres, seated using shooting sticks. I have never had to trail anything I have hit, that said my biggest target has been a pig.
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Re: anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

Post by AZZA'S HJ47 » 29 Jul 2018, 12:49 pm

I have shot things out to 200 with my 45-70 its not my preferred rifle for the job but easily do able. Have chopped a few foxes in half with it. But as a few people have said 308 i prefer for distance 45-70 for scrub.
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Re: anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

Post by in2anity » 29 Jul 2018, 5:52 pm

If you do get a 45/70 and are expecting to practically use it across a variety of distances, be aware you’ll need to practice with it quite a bit to learn the drop - that luepold CDS feature can help with this - once you’ve nailed down your load order a little CDS turret to match it
At what point does lack of maintenance become patina?
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Re: anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

Post by bigrich » 31 Jul 2018, 4:41 pm

No1Mk3 wrote:G'day Member-Deleted,
I have some of both, and would always lean towards the 308 if I was limited to only one. My reasoning is the versatility of the 308 for hunting every type of game animal in Australia, with better accuracy at all practical ranges. The ability to load for specific game with the 308, it ease of carry and use, ease of scope mounting and choice win out over any 45/70. Not as much fun, though. And you must consider fun. Cheers.


this statement pretty well sums it up i reckon. seeing as how it was my cva that got ya thinking BBSS, i'll add a bit more. 45-70 is a lot of fun,when ya see big geysers of dirt exploding behind ya targets at the range it makes me giggle :lol: my cva with scope is about 8 1/2 pound, recoil is a tad more than my 12 ga with clay loads. i haven't had a chance to use it on a hunt yet, with a 1.5-4.5 x 20 scope i would limit my shots to 120-150 yards.but by christ it'll be the hammer of Thor when it hits :lol: i bought it as a replacement for a 30-30 mod '94 i had, thinking it would anchor game on the spot a bit better in scrub country. as a all rounder, IMHO ya 308 choice would be more versatile, and MUCH cheaper to shoot if you don't reload. a mate of mine has a new 308 steyr that shoots mighty impressively . my own all rounder for deer/pigs on down is 6.5x55. been working up loads for that recently and am really impressed at what it can do. but ya just can't have too many toys. 1976 mod 70 winchester xtr in 222 on it's way as we speak. :lol: :thumbsup:
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Re: anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

Post by Member-Deleted » 04 Sep 2018, 10:59 pm

Just by way of an update fellas, I thank you all for your input. After weighing it all up I went with the.308, for which I had an existing PTA. I hope to do more hunting with it than range shooting and I think 308 offers me more versatility there than the 45-70. I picked it up today, a Howa 'Gunsite Scout' with Williams peep sight, 10 round mag, 1:10, 18.5 " heavy barrel. It's not a 'scout' rifle as that term is enforced by the cognoscenti but it feels and handles like it's going to be a useful scrub carbine able to poke holes in things out to 300-400 with 'minute of boiler room' accuracy or better.
I picked up some Hornady Whitetail 150gr SP and some OSA 135gr HP and can't wait for the weekend to break it in.

and in unrelated developments, my dad is downsizing and is giving me his Anschutz .177 air rifle (the rifle I learned to shoot with) and his safe - just as well since my 3 gun safe is now full
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Re: anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

Post by bigrich » 05 Sep 2018, 8:14 am

Timely post BBSS, I traded my 45-70 cva in on a 308 Ruger Gunsite Scout . As others have said, more versatile, especially in a stainless, laminate package. It’s essentially a modern scoped 303 Jungle Carbine. Quite accurate and reasonably light as well
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Re: anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

Post by Member-Deleted » 05 Sep 2018, 1:46 pm

oooh, I see a future shoot-off at Ripley in the cards
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Re: anyone own a 308 and a 45-70?

Post by bigrich » 05 Sep 2018, 2:19 pm

Member-Deleted wrote:oooh, I see a future shoot-off at Ripley in the cards


Anytime mate, always good fun to have a friendly competition. I don’t mind chatting guns with people either. Name your time. You sir , are hereby challenged! . Lol
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