I am considering a 45/70 and am interesting in the ballistic difference between the various barrel lengths. I anticipate using it for deer and/or black bear hunting. I currently hunt in northwest Wisconsin (timber with some open fields), Pennsylvania (mostly timber) and Kansas (some timber and open fields).

You don't gain a lot of velocity in a 45-70 by going for a long barrel and a shorter barrel is handy for a brush gun. Anywhere from 18 to 22 inches should work good for what your talking about.

Not a .45-70, but it's a .450 Marlin:

My 1895 GG with an 18.5" barrel runs about 150 FPS lower than the published loads that use a 24" barrel.

It's a small price to pay IMO. Try handling both barrel lengths in your chosen rifle and get which ever one handles and feels the best.

I was doing some shooting and found that between a 26" and a 22" barrel on the .475 Turnbull I only lost 75 FPS. The velocities were in the 2100 FPS range.

As far as velocity goes, you can roughly guess 15-20 f/s per inch difference in barrel length in the larger bores at "normal" velocities.

Not very much to argue about...

Where the difference comes in is in the enegry difference. You can roughly figure 275-300 ft/lbs of energy per 100 ft/sec for a 300 gr bullet. I roughed out the figures from a Barnes Manual for a 300 gr FN bullet...any manual will give similar numbers.

The reason being kinetic energy if calculated on the square of the velocity.

A few inches difference in the mythical "handling quality of a shorter barrel" will result in a substantial reduction in energy. Doesn't take but a few inches to take a "gun" out of the "AZZkicker/mightylover" realm into the "also ran/yawn" catagory. You decide. :D

I have several 45-70 and my favorite for hunting is the 1895 GS . It has the 18 inch barrel and believe me there is no noticeable loss of power , range or accuracy over the 26 inch rifle I have . With a heavy cast 500 gr + loaded at 1500 - 1600 fps you can kill anything that walks this planet .

I was out today working on an 80 gr 243 Win load and musing between the wind changes. My favorite past time this time of the year is doping wind and range for various calibers on rocks, lichen spots, lizards or other likely targets from 300 yds out.

My thoughts drifted to the internet and it seemed most of us forget about the big picture and get all twisted up on minutia, being right about something inconsequential or the need to appear knowledgeable. I always remember the old boy I reloaded 100 gr 250 Sav rounds for his Sav 99, way back when I was smarter. He never took more than one shot, at least that I can remember, or shot anything over about 100 yards. He always collected a black bear, at least one deer, an elk and a moose (most years at least), and left the big, toothy stuff alone.

Now it seems you need a 338 WM minimum for anything larger than a small goat. I can just hear him now if he were to read some internet posts....He had his code and wouldn't tolerate anyone who broke it. I got ran off the mountain for several years...until he needed more loads...by doing a baddy...taking a questionable to him shot. He wouldn't let me back in camp until I proved the shot was not luck. Probably why I hunt alone.

I like my "Long Tom" smoker at 36" and my 45-70 at 32" equally well, but I also have just as much fun and collect just as many kills with my 10" TC Contender 256 Win, or any of my many other rifles and pistols no matter what the barrel length is. .

It's not the barrel length that does the job, but the bullet and where you place it. You just have to know your limitations...keep things in perspective...and not get you shorts all twisted up. :D

NFG...great post.

How's that 356 working out?

Leverite; That shooter is doing fine. Nothing larger than ground rats yet and still haven't started on the 250 gr Beartooths and STILL behind on the other projects...you know how it works...plenty of time but no money or plenty of money but no time.

Lost my father in a freak accident in May, just 4 months short of his 90th birthday, then some family members went south on each other...and just haven't gotten back in the groove other than some odds and ends. Life as usual...some days are diamonds and some months are stone. My take on life and what has value has changed considerably in the past few months. I take it one day at a time now. When the sun shines, I go shooting with a gun and camera, when it snows I pick a door or window and shoot pine cones, break out the camera or enjoy watching my dog play in the white. Must be getting old. :D

Enjoy

Leverite; That shooter is doing fine. Nothing larger than ground rats yet and still haven't started on the 250 gr Beartooths and STILL behind on the other projects...you know how it works...plenty of time but no money or plenty of money but no time.

Lost my father in a freak accident in May, just 4 months short of his 90th birthday, then some family members went south on each other...and just haven't gotten back in the groove other than some odds and ends. Life as usual...some days are diamonds and some months are stone. My take on life and what has value has changed considerably in the past few months. I take it one day at a time now. When the sun shines, I go shooting with a gun and camera, when it snows I pick a door or window and shoot pine cones, break out the camera or enjoy watching my dog play in the white. Must be getting old. :D

Enjoy

NFG...sorry to hear of your troubles. Hope you can get back into those projects by spring. I really appreciated your 356 Win info...love my rifle and shooting 158 gr revolver bullets is a hoot!