I just obtained a old Marlin 1895 .45 -70 in trade from person I did some fence work for. I say old because it doesn't have that ugly cross bolt safety on it. I thought about maybe taking it to the deer woods here in couple of weeks, and I was wondering what type of load would be appropriate for the thin skinned white tail. I know that the .45-70 packs a wallop, but how severe is it from an approximately 7 lb rifle with a 22 inch barrel?
Marlin 1895
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Not an afficionado of the 45-70 at all myself, but the regular factory loads, say by Remington, are far milder than what the rifle is capable of. While it does pack a wallop, the slow moving bullet does more crushing than exploding, and while cleanly killing deer when placed correctly, is not a destroyer of meat. I'd suggest taking a regular factory load and becoming familiar with the ballistics. While it should have enough power at a number of ranges, its trajectory will be pretty curved. Accurate assessment of range will be crucial.
Regarding how much of a wallop it packs into you, I've found that leverguns have unusually painful recoil, I guess due to their structure and shape. I'd look into a serious buttpad.
Regarding how much of a wallop it packs into you, I've found that leverguns have unusually painful recoil, I guess due to their structure and shape. I'd look into a serious buttpad.
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The punch isn't that bad, I've found it to be slightly sharper than a 12 Ga 2 3/4 slug
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I am totally comfortable with the likes of the 30-06, 7.62x54mm, and 8x57mm Mauser in bolt actions with metal buttplates. But dog gonnet, every 30-30 levergun I've fired has hurt like the dickens! I'm just suggesting from experience with other leverguns that a 45/70 should have a decent buttpad. I've found slip-ons to be decent on pump shotguns.
State of Misery, huh? That's pretty good coming from a Yankee. 
I picked up a box of 300gr. Federal power-shock today that oughta get the job done. According to the ballistic chart, zeroed in a at 100 yards, it'll shoot 0.7" high at 50 yards and drop 11.7" at 200 yards. I can count on one hand how many shots I've taken over 100 yards in 21 years of hunting deer, so it'll do fine.
By the way, do you know where the world record non-typical white tail was taken? Yup, in St. Louis County, Missouri.......hit by a truck in 1981. :jaw:
Us ******** ain't to "suhfistuhmuhkated" down here.
Good luck this season!!! :right:
I picked up a box of 300gr. Federal power-shock today that oughta get the job done. According to the ballistic chart, zeroed in a at 100 yards, it'll shoot 0.7" high at 50 yards and drop 11.7" at 200 yards. I can count on one hand how many shots I've taken over 100 yards in 21 years of hunting deer, so it'll do fine. By the way, do you know where the world record non-typical white tail was taken? Yup, in St. Louis County, Missouri.......hit by a truck in 1981. :jaw:
Us ******** ain't to "suhfistuhmuhkated" down here.
Good luck this season!!! :right:
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