The lever rifles Ruger is making.

[Straitshot]

If you have seen this posted on a different forum please accept my apology.

I have always stuck to the traditional style in my choices of lever action rifles since it is my admiration of the old west that drives my passion for its weaponry. However, on this occasion when I walked into my LGS and they showed me this I simply thought, I might just need one of these. I hope to get it to the gun some tie this next week.

The overall fit and finish is quite good. The metal finish on the Trapper has a bead blasted satin look and is not the polished stainless steel. I think I would prefer polished sides on the receiver and the satin finish on the top of the receiver and barrel. The furniture is stained laminated wood with nice checkering on the grip and forearm area. The butt stock is fitted with a fairly decent recoil pad that I believe will be very much appreciated due to the rifles shortness and 7 pound weight. The trigger breaks very clean with zero creep. I don't have a trigger scale so I cannot tell you the weight but if guessing I would say somewhere in the 5-4 lb. range. Again, guessing. I am not a big fan of the big loop lever but it was not a deal breaker for me. I might change it to a more standard one when parts become available.

My Winchester 1886 deluxe short rifle weighs a little over 9 pounds empty and my Browning 1886 SR carbine weighs a little over 8 pounds empty so at 7 pounds the trapper is the lightest 45-70 lever rifle I have ever owned.

[stagpanther]

Looks like a beauty and my money is on Ruger is doing it right. As far as the big loop is concerned, if you ever go hunting in the winter with gloves you'll get over that pretty quick.

[stinkeypete]

I thought I was done buying rifles, dang it!
That thing you’re showing trips all my buttons.

The big loop is practical for winter hunting, not any bigger than convenient.
7 pounds is nice to carry… but maybe my recipe for .454 Casull could be adapted…

Take a once fired case, fill it with lead skeet shot, stuff the biggest heaviest bullet you’ve got on there and crimp. One or two of these can be carried in your pocket until you get to your sitting spot then load in a dummy or two.

[44 AMP]

Take a once fired case, fill it with lead skeet shot, stuff the biggest heaviest bullet you’ve got on there and crimp. One or two of these can be carried in your pocket until you get to your sitting spot then load in a dummy or two.

Ok, sure, you can do that, but WHY???

[stinkeypete]

Because when I was shooting I could feel the difference between shooting single shot and shooting with a loaded magazine tube.

Simply adding weight. About 3 ounces per lead dummy.

What I discovered was.. There was no need to launch Thor’s Hammer. Mid level loads are just as good on game.

[bamaranger]

Folks will do what they want to do.......but i know dang well if I had any sort of dummy round in the magazine of any rifle, that it would end up in the chamber at the wrong moment.

[Hawg]

I don't get the whole dummy round either.

[Scorch]

I think I would prefer polished sides on the receiver and the satin finish on the top of the receiver and barrel.

Then change it. Or have somebody change it. It's just metal. I like the idea of polished sides, too.

Take a once fired case, fill it with lead skeet shot, stuff the biggest heaviest bullet you’ve got on there and crimp. One or two of these can be carried in your pocket until you get to your sitting spot then load in a dummy or two.

Why not carry loaded ammo if you're going out and about? And loading a dummy round up to look like loaded ammo is going to lead to grief.

I don't get the whole dummy round either.

Yeah, no, nope. If you want to add weight to the mag tube, take the cap off and put a piece of lead in there then put the mag cap back on. That way it won't wind up in the chamber at the wrong time.

And just what is "skeet shot"? I've seen lead shot, steel shot, tungsten shot, tungsten-polymer shot, even bronze shot. Never seen "skeet shot". If you mean #9 lead shot, say so.

[Straitshot]

This is a good video comparing the SBL and Trapper.

https://youtu.be/6kvGZBHqlQU

[stinkeypete]

Okay… let me try to explain… shoot a rifle. Add nine ounces and shoot it again. I notice the change in perceived recoil.

When hunting deer I have never got off more than 3 shots.. that leaves space in the magazine tube for lead.

Since the rifle is 6+1… it might be easier to always load it full as that much .45/70 ammo is heavy anyhow and just keep it full. But how hard is it to make a couple/three dummies? Point of interest-

The best solution is to stop shooting grizzly buster loads at Bambi.

Other point of interest- if I was going to grizzly country- this would be one of my top picks. Also for elk or moose.

[Scorch]

Okay… let me try to explain… shoot a rifle. Add nine ounces and shoot it again.

Yes, but you're not talking anything close to 9 oz with just 2 dummy rounds, more like 2 oz. Buy a 6" chunk of 1/2" tungsten rod and put that under the magazine cap, it will make a huge difference. I've done that for people. It's about a pound difference, and yes, it tames recoil quite a bit.

[stinkeypete]

A .45 70 is a big empty cannon shell with a 450 grain bullet. Just the slug is one ounce! I bet 3 of em goes 9 oz.

However, the tungsten rod is a better solution. But I no longer have access to a lathe.

[jmr40]

Have you actually put it on some accurate postal scales and weighed it. In my experience the listed weights of some rifles are far from accurate. Some are right on the money.

Laminated wood is heavy. As is a full length mag tube and the big loop lever. To me that looks like more than 7, but less than 8 lbs.