Lever-Action Question

J

joeshredd

Joined
May 8, 2002
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Had a Rossi in .357, and found it to be a nice house gun. We just saw a thread on the .30-.30 lever action...

I've been pondering a lever-action in lite of the anti-assault gun type laws. The piece I'm interested in is a SS Guidegun in .45-.70 (but I forget the model # and manufacturer as I've only seen one at a gunshow...)

My question I guess is how this caliber stacks up for a general purpose lever-action rifle, both for hunting and ease of use in case of more serious needs...

Also, are these easy to maintain as I'm not the most mechanically gifted nor inclined (hence the preference for stainless steel!)

Any help appreciated!

Thanks...
 
Nothing wrong with a lever gun, short, handy, and quick. But I'd think twice about a 45-70, unless I lived waaay out in the sticks...

You have to think about overpenetration, especially in urban or built-up areas. The typical 45-70 load would zip through a bunch of wallboard!

Don't they make several in pistol calibers like .357 mag?
 
I hear you on the caliber size and urban woes of over penetration... But if I ever have to use something in my apartment, it's between the CETME in .308 (definite overpenetration there! LOL!:D ), my SAR-1 or my 20 guage with Rottweillers...
I'm more looking for a "non-threatening" piece I can carry in the pick-up with little worry, or to actually carry into the bush... So, my concerns are more for the value in this particular caliber in this style gun. I know 45-70 is great for long distance buffaloe hunting (something I will most likely never do...)... And how easy it is to maintain...
 
I'm not sure a 45-70 would be too good for long-range anything. They make a great brush gun, but that's about all. According to Remington's chart, if you zero at 100 yds with a 300 gr. bullet, the projectile drops almost 79 inches by the time you get out to 300 yards.

As far as HD goes, the recoil may be a tad too harsh to pull off a quick second shot. If you're dead set on a lever-action, Marlin makes a fine one. Light, quick, built like a tank, and just as easy to maintain as a bolt-action IMO.

Good luck.
 
Originally posted by joeshredd
The piece I'm interested in is a SS Guidegun in .45-.70 (but I forget the model # and manufacturer as I've only seen one at a gunshow...)
Click to expand...

Marlin makes the gun you're talking about. Go here for the Marlin big-bore discussion. Has a lot of info on these guns.
 
pyrguy... thanks for the link... some excellent food for thought!

okay... an Enfield in .308, a CETME in .308, .20 guage pump and a SAR-1... Distance, fire power and reliability... But a lever gun just appears less... dangerous? :eek:

Oh well... if I can't decide, I'll just buy another knife...

:D
 
Check out leverguns.com. Lots of good, knowledgeable people there. I have a 30/30 and a 44mag. Love both, shoot the 44 more just 'cause I haven't started reloading bottleneck cases yet. 45/70 is an awsome caliber. It also has plenty of kick when you touch it off. There are lots of good choices out there, have fun looking.
Bob
 
My brother-in-law inherited a trapdoor Springfield, and we determined to shoot it. Being an avid reloader at the time, I knew that modern jacketed ammo would be innapropriate, so I read up and constructed 50 rounds of 45-70 with the 500gr Lyman cast bullet over a light charge of pistol powder held in place with dacron wadding.

Worked just fine, but the bullets were keyholing only 25 yards from the muzzle! Seems we didn't examine the bore beforehand...it was a little loose. I ran a slug through, and it actually dropped about a foot in one area, miking out at about .463 in the tightest spots...

Seems my Brother-in-law's grandad had been in the habit of shooting .410 shotgun shells through the thing, using it for bunny rabbits.
 
I have a wood/blue Marlin lever-action 45-70, model 1895. I LOVE this gun, and so does everyone else who sees it and shoots it, including my wife. While this isn't the exact model you mention (SS Guide Gun), it's pretty close.

It's got a tremendous amount of knock-down power at close range, and as another poster mentioned it's a great brush gun. I've got mine zeroed at 50 yards and wouldn't want to go much beyond 100 yards with it, as the bullet just drops too much. I haven't used it hunting yet (but may this week), so I can't speak to its abilities - but my guess is that it would do very well.

I happen to like this rifle because it's short and easy to handle, and I find the stock iron sights easy to use and quite accurate.

As to ease of care, I'd say it's no more difficult to maintain than any other wood/blue rifle - you just have to give it a little attention and a light coat of oil.

My guess is that if you buy one and use it you'll love it and wonder why it took you so long to buy one.

Also don't know if you reload, but there's a wide range of bullets available for the 45-70 that can serve just about every situation.

Edited to add: check out the discussion forums at the Marlin (Marlin Talk) website - there's lots of knowledge there.
 
I own the exact Marlin you are thinking about. I have a stainless steel 45-70 with the muzzle brake. And this is a great gun for EVERYTHING.

As for key-holing, any firearm will key-hole, if the bullet is NOT sized for the individual barrel and the twist. Even a .224 centerfire will key-hole.

The .45-70 with Ballard rifling begs for cast bullets. Slug the barrel, and use a vernier dial calipers to measure your individual barrel. If your gun is the optimum .458, then size your slugs at .459 or .460 and it will perform just fine.

I use a 300 grain jacketed bullet for Wisconsin whitetail, however my true love is the cast 405 grain flat-point.

With a knowledgible handloader, the .45-70 is great from 'mice to moose.' And if I could have only one rifle, you could have my flat-top AR-15, just leave me the Marlin. With my .45-70 and a hundred pounds of linotype, I'd have all that I ever needed.
 
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