What is the minumum length that one can go & still get complete powder burn from a 45/70? Is 16inches enough?

It really depends on the powder, 16" is the minimum without a SBR permit. You don't really lose that much with a shorter barrel if you use the right powder.

Grizzly Custom Guns is making modified "guide guns" on the 336 .30-.30 and 1895G .45-70 with 16 1/2" barrels, there is an article on them in the January issue of "Rifle" magazine.

Depends what you mean by complete powder burn, I guess. Are you speaking of blast/flash? If so, then 16" is not enough, I know this because my guide gun is not long enough (quiet) at 18". If you are talking velocity, then certainly not. Depending on the powder, I believe that top velocity is between 24 and 30 inches.
Andy

P.S Here is an article on a 16 inch Guide Gun. http://www.cylindersmith.com/45-70.html

andy - I'll bite, what gun/load made that muzzle flash? That's an impressive picture.

I'm guilty of pic-o-stealus on that one, I got the pic from the article, all I know is the rifle is a 16 inch .45-70 Guide gun. I agree, its impressive, especially when you can see the heat distortion in the pic.
Andy

That was a great article. Thanks for sharing. His sight combination is pretty intriguing. :cool::cool:

Dan

I put the Williams Firesights on my Guide Gun. a red dot flanked on both sides by two green dots. They are truly outstanding sights, very easy to pick up and accurate. More recently I have been looking for a similar configuration for my CZ 550 Full Stock and sent in for a Williams Gun Sight Company Catalog. In it I found a side mount scope system. model SM-71 for the 1895 Guide Gun. The side mount system can be used with special rings that keep the cross hairs of the scope over the center of the bore AND allow use of regular sights by viewing unobstructed under the scope. To my way of thinking this is much better than any see-through scope mount I've seen on the market. I don't know how original this idea is but it sure is slick.

What is the minumum length that one can go & still get complete powder burn from a 45/70? Is 16inches enough?


My guess is it depends on the powder used and what velocity tou are wanting .

I shoot a lot of Unique and I would say , probably so . But these are not fast loads .

God bless
Wyr