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Old April 6, 2013, 08:14 AM   #26
Dr. A
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Part of the fun of leverguns has been that they inherently are lower pressured firearms than is typical for a rifle. With handloading, and particularly using cast bullets, you can lower the velocity, shoot cheaply, and find a load that just about everyone can shoot. Here is my 11 year old son at the time shooting different 45-70s. We usually go through 200 rounds or so. Then we start in on the 30-30's and 45 Colts.







For more serious work, I have a 308MX. I don't vary its load much, but it still has mild recoil, though has similar ballistics to a 308 Winchester:





Its one of the few calibers actually made for longer distances in a lever gun.

Last edited by Dr. A; April 6, 2013 at 08:21 AM.
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Old April 6, 2013, 10:08 AM   #27
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Dr. A, Thanks for the quick education! The 45/70 looks to be quite a versatile round.
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Old April 6, 2013, 10:51 AM   #28
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It is, but very expensive unless you reload. Also, its not always easy to find the easy shooting cowboy rounds in every community. Usually the hunting rounds are available at most gun stores around here. The 30-30 can be loaded up or down as well, and is generally easier to master. It pays to reload this caliber as well, though components are significantly cheaper. The 357 44, and 45 easy enough to find as well, and probably would be somewhere to focus if you want to plink a little cheaper. (357)
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Old April 6, 2013, 11:01 AM   #29
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I do reload; currently in 45 Colt. I have seen lever guns chambered for 45 Colt, but wondered how anemic that round might be in a rifle? Although, the cowboy ammo is pretty powerfull stuff in the revolver.
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Old April 6, 2013, 11:23 AM   #30
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With my Marlin and Rossi levers, I can get a 300gr. bullet going about 1650fps (Marlin) to 1800fps (Rossi). The Rossi can take more pressure than either a Ruger or a Marlin. They are not pleasant loads! Both those loads are in Trapdoor 45-70 territory.

Leverguns in pistol calibers are very particular as to length of the cartridge. Revolvers, not so much.
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Old April 6, 2013, 11:39 AM   #31
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OK, not so anemic. Would not want to mix up the pistol ammo with the rifle rounds!
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Old April 6, 2013, 01:24 PM   #32
Hawg
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Quote:
Besides having taken more game than all the other chambering combined, the .30-30
The 44-40 might argue that point.
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Old April 6, 2013, 02:37 PM   #33
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Quote:
The same goes for a 44 mag and a 444 Marlin. Totally different.
This is partially true and partially not. Let me explain. While the 45 Colt fires .452, and the 45/70 fires .458 (or .460 with lead boolits and you don't want to lead your gun) the boolits are not interchangable, no way no how.

The 444 Marlin and 44 Mag bullets both shoot .429J/.430L but while the sizes are the same, the pistol bullets should not be fired in the 444 Marlin because the bullets are not built to handle the velocities generated by the 444. This would not be a problem with hard cast lead in the 444. All Marlins I've seen like fat boolits with lead so if to load for 444 I'd def go with .431

You can even get the microgroove barrels to shoot lead good if you size them fat.I'll tell you another thing, if you were to get a 45/70 do not shoot any cowboy factory loads out of it. Most if not all were sized to .457 and will have you cleaning lead out of your rifle for a week. Ask me how I know.
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Old April 6, 2013, 02:47 PM   #34
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My Marlin guide gun,1895 in .450 is great fun.
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Old April 6, 2013, 03:23 PM   #35
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The 45-70 looks to be quite a versatile round.

Not only that...you can still find it on the shelves ! Handloading is the way to go with the 45-70....I use mostly bulk ordered cast bullets !
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Old April 6, 2013, 03:44 PM   #36
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Just to better understand; given a purchase choice between a lever action chambered for 45 Colt vs. 45/70; 45/70 would be the wise choice.

45 Colt is a pistol round and the 45/70 is a rifle round and can be loaded light or heavy depending on your needs. Ie: plinking to hunting. OK!
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Old April 6, 2013, 03:52 PM   #37
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45/70 is as easy to load as any straight walled revolver round, just 4 pounds more powder, lol.

The only frustration to loading the 45/70 is accidently dropping a pc of brass or a bullet. The cases always get smushed at the mouth and will need resized again, and the boolits either land base first or nose first, virtually destroying them. At least they can be recast, butterfingers.
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