M14 Forum

4570govt · September 25th, 2007, 03:14 PM

I bought another 45-70 Govt. caliber rifle today, it's a Marlin Guide Gun. This is the shortest 45-70 I have ever owned, but I believe it will be a very handy rifle in thick brush, and with my loads it will be able to perform well at 175-200 yards. I have not received it yet, I bought it on Gun Broker from Bud's Gun Shop...I'm waiting on my Armscorp Tanker, should be here Friday...then the Marlin should be here next week, that's a pretty nice feeling knowing I have two fine rifles to look forward to!

dubltap71 · September 25th, 2007, 03:32 PM

The Marlin Guide Gun is a great rifle.I have one in 45-70 also. There a blast to shoot and accuracy is exellent.I picked up some Buffalo Bore ammo for mine last year and it kicks like a mule.

Congrats on a great purchase.

flcracker · September 26th, 2007, 05:05 AM

A friend of mine has the stainless steel guide gun in .45-70 and mounted a Trijicon Reflex on it - not very conventional-looking, but the critters in his freezer ain't laughing at it.......

OLD208X3A · September 26th, 2007, 08:18 AM

I have that exact rifle and it's great. It's a nice feeling to have a go-to rifle in the safe that's ready for anything from deer to bear. I'm still experimenting on loads though because the bullet weights vary so much. Congrats!

MoMoPacksa45 · September 26th, 2007, 08:45 AM

I have Marlin guide Gun in 45/70 , and love it ! Tremendously accurate , very handy easy to carry , and a joy to shoot. I reload Hornaday 350 grain flat point, interlocks with a healthy dose of IMR 4198. I have a Leupold Scout scope mounted on it , which makes it very fast on target. This is the rifle I hunt the thick brush with. I think you will really enjoy your's once you get it.

Mike,

4570govt · September 26th, 2007, 11:38 AM

My usual loads for hunting is a 420 grain Cast Performance LBT heat treated solid over 52 grains of AA 2230-C. FPS at about 1850, crimped with a Lee factory crimp die. I know some will say that is too much for deer and hogs, and in a way I guess it is, but if you go for bone you will certainly drill a .458 caliber hole through and through! In Oklahoma two years ago, a friend of mine shot a big hog with this same load...bullet entered the hogs head and exited the right rear ham, the hog dropped in it's tracks. I have heard of this same performance even on really big game.

dubltap71 · September 26th, 2007, 12:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by 4570govt.

My usual loads for hunting is a 420 grain Cast Performance LBT heat treated solid over 52 grains of AA 2230-C. FPS at about 1850, crimped with a Lee factory crimp die. I know some will say that is too much for deer and hogs, and in a way I guess it is, but if you go for bone you will certainly drill a .458 caliber hole through and through! In Oklahoma two years ago, a friend of mine shot a big hog with this same load...bullet entered the hogs head and exited the right rear ham, the hog dropped in it's tracks. I have heard of this same performance even on really big game.

There's no such thing as over kill.

Zachary · September 27th, 2007, 09:19 PM

My very first rifle was a Marlin 1895SS purchased brand new in 1992 when I was in the eighth grade. (My uncle's .22 had been at my house since I was six, but the 45-70 was truly mine.) I am glad to see the renewed interest in this cartridge lately. A rifleman with a 45-70 is well equiped for almost anything except dinosaurs, but I haven't seen any dinosaurs lately.

There is a book titled [U]Forty Years with the .45-70[U] authored by Paul A. Matthews that is a very good read. Midway carries this book.

M1A's r BEST · September 28th, 2007, 02:56 AM

My best friend in the Army bought a 1895 Marlin lever actionin 45-70 caliber for his dad. He said his dad grew up on a dairy farm in Wisconsin with several brothers. This was prior to WW2 and I guess bears were a problem. His dad told him that whenever they had a problem with a bear killing their cows/calves they would get the old trap door Springfield off the wall, load it up and go after the bear. His dad told him that trap door Springfield in 45-70 never failed to drop the bears with one shot, no matter how big they were or which brother was doing the shooting. One of the other brothers had ended up with the rifle when the farm was sold (sometimes after they'd all come back from the war) and his dad had wanted another 45-70 ever since. We sighted it in and he took it home to his dad.

Bravo 26 · October 1st, 2007, 08:46 PM

I have the same gun in .450marlin. great rifle, short, handy, ported barrel, and I went and put some of those nice fiber-optic peep sights on her, and WOW..talk about fast aquisition.. snap shots are really quick out to 100yds.

I'm using the 350gr factory loads right now ( wife bought me a case of 200 for my birthday) but we have loaded up some 400gr loads that I have yet to try out.

gatorshooter · October 2nd, 2007, 06:29 PM

got the 450 and it is a blast to shoot. got a 5 pt running, year before last with it. shooting the factory 350 grn sp. I have the XS peep sight set up. quick on the target and great in the thick woods. I installed a limb saver butt pad to tame the beast.
You will enjoy it. Big bore fun!

Sustinemus · October 3rd, 2007, 04:42 AM

Yup!
Everyone needs a lever action carbine!

For an accurate plinking/GP load, try a LazerCast 300 grain .459 diameter over 43 grains of IMR3031.

Steve k · October 5th, 2007, 07:09 AM

I bought Marlin guide years ago and then sent it here http://www.wildwestguns.com/ to be copiloted. I'll tell you the 45-70 is one hell of a round. IT took a russian brown bear down in one shot at 100 yards

The russian guides thought I was nutts using a carbine. The russian guides kept telling me to switch with the other hunters and use one of their high powered rifles .300wm or the .338 rem. The hunters using the high powered rifles took 2-3 shot to bring their bears down. The 45-70 did it in one.

4570govt · October 5th, 2007, 09:22 AM

That is an outstanding account of the power of the 45-70! What type bullet were you using? Hard cast, I assume?

tugsus · October 5th, 2007, 10:59 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Steve k

I bought Marlin guide years ago and then sent it here http://www.wildwestguns.com/ to be copiloted. I'll tell you the 45-70 is one hell of a round. IT took a russian brown bear down in one shot at 100 yards

The russian guides thought I was nutts using a carbine. The russian guides kept telling me to switch with the other hunters and use one of their high powered rifles .300wm or the .338 rem. The hunters using the high powered rifles took 2-3 shot to bring their bears down. The 45-70 did it in one.

PLEASE TELL ME THAT'S YOUR GUN ROOM!!!!