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45/70 barrel length?

Kempire

Kempire

Junior Member
99
15
Fin is running a decent special on Marlin 45/70's and I'm thinking about picking one up for deer season. They have an 18.5" and a 22" barrel priced the same and I'm debating between the 2. In my head shorter is more mobile but longer increased accuracy. Any suggestions?
 
M

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
If you use iron sights the extra barrel length will give a slight longer sighting length. But don't get hung up over the 3.5". difference. If you put a scope on the rifle the longer barrel will give no extra accuracy what so ever.
But you can figure on a slight increase in velocity with the extra barrel length. The rule of thumb has always been about 25 FPS for ever inch longer or shorter. So 3.5" will be about 88 FPS faster.
Me I would go with the 22".
I just bought a 20" TC Encore barrel but that's all they make. I'm too cheap to buy a custom 24" barrel at $5-600 when I paid $269.
I always go with bigger and faster when it comes to deer hunting.
 
Kempire

Kempire

Junior Member
99
15
Appreciate the response. Honestly I think I'm leaning towards the shorter guide gun. In the deer woods I'm hunting it would be rare for me to ever need to get out past 100yds so I don't figure the longer barrel will be all that noticeable whereas toting a shorter rifle through the brush and/or up in a stand would be appreciated. Found out that I have a family member with an 18.5 that is going to let me give it a test drive over the weekend before I impulse buy.
 
Kempire

Kempire

Junior Member
99
15
Thanks for that link. Good stuff. Not sure however which I'm more impressed with....the finished rifle or that mustache in the video! Respect to both.
 
A

antiqucycle

Junior Member
506
36
East Ohio
I would keep looking for a 444 over a 45/70 any dsy. 325 and 375 grain bullets are awfull heavy for 100lb doe shot.I have a Marlin 444 and a Contender with a 430 JDJ barrel. and a 45/70 well over 100 years old.
 
MountNMan

MountNMan

Junior Member
75
7
Licking County
I have owned both barrel lengths in a Marlin 45-70'. I prefer the 22", which I now own. With reloads, it seemed to preform better groups. I usually don't shoot past 100 -150 yards though, so I load mine with 400 or 405 grain flat nosed bullets.
Devastation on anything it hits!
 
Bowhunter57

Bowhunter57

Senior Member
5,161
181
Roaming the country side....Retired.
I've always preferred longer and heavier barrels, in a rifle. Ballistics and accuracy are the reasons for my choice.

I just purchased a Marlin 1895 Cowboy in 45-70, which has a 26" octagon barrel. All rifles are easy to carry through the woods, if they're carried vertically. :smiley_bril: You'll hit every tree in the woods if they're carried horizontally. :smiley_chinrub:

I picked my Marlin up through Buds Gun Shop for $616 + a $25 transfer fee.
Bowhunter57
 
M

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
Bowhunter57 said:
I've always preferred longer and heavier barrels, in a rifle. Ballistics and accuracy are the reasons for my choice.

I just purchased a Marlin 1895 Cowboy in 45-70, which has a 26" octagon barrel. All rifles are easy to carry through the woods, if they're carried vertically. :smiley_bril: You'll hit every tree in the woods if they're carried horizontally. :smiley_chinrub:

I picked my Marlin up through Buds Gun Shop for $616 + a $25 transfer fee.
Bowhunter57
Click to expand...

I agree 100%.

Just remember it's not possible to over kill a animal. Dead is just dead.
I'm a firm believer in heavy and fast bullets to get complete pass through for 2 bleed holes. Never understood the silly idea of a bullet stopping in a animal to get the complete energy from the bullet. When a bullet stops in a animal there is no energy. Just zero and that's the reason the bullet stopped moving.
Just think would you rather be hit with a small hammer or someone swinging a sledge hammer at your chest? In my mind almost same effect on a animal with small and heavy bullets.

Also remember if you read it on the internet is almost always partly or total BS. Except when read on the TOO forum because we know each other. My son has always said 'someone posting at 3:00 AM setting in their underware does not make them a expert'.
 
Jackalope

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,859
260
I have always subscribed to the fact that heavier is better. With the limitations we previously faced in Ohio with shotguns or muzzleloaders there was always a give and take. You can have the accuracy of sabot slugs for longer distances but you were drastically giving up the ability to punch through anything remotely resembling cover. Or you can choose to go with the good old-fashioned 1 oz pumpkin ball that would slam through 5 ft of brush and still hit home, but was not known for its long-range accuracy. I personally spent quite a bit of time on the Range finding a 12 gauge sabot slug that woukd make an acceptable group at 200 yards. Only to fire three shots at a deer standing perfectly broadside at 75 yards that was standing in tall grass and have every bullet miss. On the other hand I've seen boys in Southern Ohio jam a 1-ounce slug through some ungodly thick stuff and smack a deer.. In short it's been my experience that those lights super fast sabot bullets are thrown off course with even the slightest interference.

Enter the pistol caliber rifle era and I would still subscribe to the big bullets win philosophy.
 
Kempire

Kempire

Junior Member
99
15
Well you boys talked me into it. I went in planning on picking up the 18.5" and after having both in hand I walked out with the 22" barrel. It just felt better. Just put a few rounds through it to break the barrel in and couldn't be happier (although my shoulder may beg to differ). 20170702_165848.jpg
 
Kempire

Kempire

Junior Member
99
15
Since you all were so helpful in getting me this far I was wondering if I could open a new can here and ask for ammo suggestions? Just curious to see if anyone has found anything particular this rifle prefers. I agree with what most everyone is saying regarding heavy bullets for the k/e, at least that's the thought I've prescribed to with arrows. I picked up a box of federal 300gr and some Hornady lever revolutions which are even ligher. I heard mention of 400gr, but are those only available for handloads? I don't make my own, although I do understand that's the way to go, and was wondering if there are any factory 400gr rounds on the market that anyone has any experience with?

Happy 4th btw to everyone out there. Only been on this forum for a couple weeks now, but you all seem like a good lot. I appreciate the input.
 
M

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
Kempire said:
Since you all were so helpful in getting me this far I was wondering if I could open a new can here and ask for ammo suggestions? Just curious to see if anyone has found anything particular this rifle prefers. I agree with what most everyone is saying regarding heavy bullets for the k/e, at least that's the thought I've prescribed to with arrows. I picked up a box of federal 300gr and some Hornady lever revolutions which are even ligher. I heard mention of 400gr, but are those only available for handloads? I don't make my own, although I do understand that's the way to go, and was wondering if there are any factory 400gr rounds on the market that anyone has any experience with?

Happy 4th btw to everyone out there. Only been on this forum for a couple weeks now, but you all seem like a good lot. I appreciate the input.
Click to expand...

I've hunted with the Hornady Levermatic bullet the last 3 yrs with 4 one shot kills. 25-35-75-150 yd shots. I did reload all my own ammo.
No need for the 400 gr bullets as it will only lead to more bullet drop at longer range. But if I was in serious bear country I would go with 400 gr for safety.
You will get alot of good info on the TOO forum as we all know each other so no BS enters as someone will call them out.
 
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MountNMan

MountNMan

Junior Member
75
7
Licking County
Kempire said:
Since you all were so helpful in getting me this far I was wondering if I could open a new can here and ask for ammo suggestions? Just curious to see if anyone has found anything particular this rifle prefers. I agree with what most everyone is saying regarding heavy bullets for the k/e, at least that's the thought I've prescribed to with arrows. I picked up a box of federal 300gr and some Hornady lever revolutions which are even ligher. I heard mention of 400gr, but are those only available for handloads? I don't make my own, although I do understand that's the way to go, and was wondering if there are any factory 400gr rounds on the market that anyone has any experience with?

Happy 4th btw to everyone out there. Only been on this forum for a couple weeks now, but you all seem like a good lot. I appreciate the input.
Click to expand...

I reload 400 grain flat nosed bullets by Speer. They shoot great out of my rifle. I killed a buck last year at a little over 80 yards. He dropped in his tracks.Hit the right front shoulder ( crushed it) .I also have cast some 405 gr. They are not quite as accurate as the 400 grainers though. You can shoot lighter bullets too if you want to. I prefer the heavier bullets myself. If I want to go lighter, I will use my Savage 220F with sabots, which is very accurate out to 150 yards, but I never really have the opportunity to shoot past 75-100. The 45-70 with the 400 grainers is perfect at that range.

P.S. Congrats on your new rifle!!
 

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M

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
MountNMan said:
I reload 400 grain flat nosed bullets by Speer. They shoot great out of my rifle. I killed a buck last year at a little over 80 yards. He dropped in his tracks.Hit the right front shoulder ( crushed it) .I also have cast some 405 gr. They are not quite as accurate as the 400 grainers though. You can shoot lighter bullets too if you want to. I prefer the heavier bullets myself. If I want to go lighter, I will use my Savage 220F with sabots, which is very accurate out to 150 yards, but I never really have the opportunity to shoot past 75-100. The 45-70 with the 400 grainers is perfect at that range.

P.S. Congrats on your new rifle!!
Click to expand...

My cast Lyman 405 gr lead bullets would put 3 shots into one 50 caliber hole at 50 yds. And just over 1" in at 100 yds. That was qith a 3 power scope.
 
Kempire

Kempire

Junior Member
99
15
No doubt. If you are shooting 1 moa with a lever action hunting rig, there's not too much better than that.
 
M

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
MountNMan said:
That's great. Why would you use anything else?
Click to expand...

I enjoy searching for the unknown. I find what I'm looking for and move on to a new search.
At present I sorta semi retired the Marlin 45-70 and working on a TC Encore 460 S&W speed demon.
 
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