I'm on the verge of taking ownership of a 45-70GS. I know my shots will be limited to 125 yards. Where should I start for factory loads? I have heard a lot of good about the leverevolution rounds but I've also heard a lot about the bad. Let the opinions fly about factory rounds. From what I've been reading it doesn't seem Winchester is loading the 300 partition golds. Where should I start? Thanks

Teacherboy
Buy the gun.The 45/70 is fun to shoot.But it is best with ammo that you make yourself.It's an easy cartridge to load for,and cast bullets bring out the best in it.
Sorry,I can't help you with factory stuff;I haven't shot any in 30 years.
Frank

I'm on the verge of taking ownership of a 45-70GS. I know my shots will be limited to 125 yards. Where should I start for factory loads? I have heard a lot of good about the leverevolution rounds but I've also heard a lot about the bad. Let the opinions fly about factory rounds. From what I've been reading it doesn't seem Winchester is loading the 300 partition golds. Where should I start? Thanks

Lets see where to begin :rolleyes: first off when you get your GS home, start off at the bench and see how your grouping at 25 yards, then 50 and so on. Work at it and don't accept fodder shots where your target looks like you used a shotgun for practice.

I'm like Frank, I haven't purchased factory in years, but if I were shooting factory, I would start out mild with Remington in 405-gr JSP ammo, unless your wanting to use a lighter grain bullet of say 300-gr JSP's. But rolling your own is much more rewarding, at least to me it is.

Just my .02 on the matter

I'm on the verge of taking ownership of a 45-70GS. I know my shots will be limited to 125 yards. Where should I start for factory loads? I have heard a lot of good about the leverevolution rounds but I've also heard a lot about the bad. Let the opinions fly about factory rounds. From what I've been reading it doesn't seem Winchester is loading the 300 partition golds. Where should I start? Thanks

As far as factory ammunition is concerned, my guide gun is most accurate with Federal 300gr.

The leverrvolution stuff has never been that accurate for me. I stopped buying it once I found out that the cases are shorter than standard .45-70 brass, so they are not very useful for reloading.

Like the other posters, I now shoot exclusively handloaded ammo.

Chris.

Reloading is the way to go, I reload for my 45-70. I use 405 gr. hard cast bullets with gas checks and I am smoking them out of my Marlin SS guide gun. Last your it took 2 black bear. As for the 125 yards, I shot my at 150 yards all the time. It is more of knowing what you and your rifle are capable of. Factory ammo is not on the same level as my reloads. But they will work great when you find one that shoots well in your gun.

Thanks guys, I wasn't limiting the gun to 125 yards its just most spots where I hunt have less than 125 yards of visiblity. I know reloading will be the way to go but I need to get the gun first. The next purchase needs to be reloading supplies.

+1 for the Federal ammo. It was very accurate in my Guide Gun. Like the others, I load my own. I favor the Hornady 350 grain RN bullet.

Conley Precision Cartridge
http://www.cpcartridge.com/45-70marlin-P.htm

They have a 300 grain Nosler Partition load at 2100 fps. Should be good for anything in NA.

The gun is mine but it's not in my hands yet. I really need to reload, ammo prices are outrageous. The cheapest ammo by me is the Leverevolution at 25.99 from Sportsmans warehouse. Remington and Federal "cheapies" are $31 and $32.

Like I said reloading is the way to go, it is like custom ammo and you have the satisfaction that you loaded it yourself. I like hard cast bullets more then anything else in the 45-70.

http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech_notes/archive_tech_notes.htm/49

Thanks for the link. I will have to read it later.:D http://www.beartoothbullets.com/tech_notes/archive_tech_notes.htm/49

IMO the Remington 405 grain factory load is very tough to beat. It's highly accurate and very pleasant to shoot.

I'm glad they make those hot loads though. They are the reason there are a lot of used .45-70s on the market that have barely been shot.

IMO the Remington 405 grain factory load is very tough to beat. It's highly accurate and very pleasant to shoot.

I'm glad they make those hot loads though. They are the reason there are a lot of used .45-70s on the market that have barely been shot.

I would have to disagree with both of your statements. With my reloads I can tailor my loads to shot more accurately then just factory loaded 405 gr. bullet. Not every gun will shot accurately with just one load. Also I can duplicate the factory 405 gr. loads for a lot less than a new box of the $25.00 to $29.00 box of Remington's.

Explain to me why I see just as many used 30-30, 35 Remington's and 444 Marlins on the market. For that matter why do I see thousands of used .22 cal rifles for sale in every gun shot I go to, it sure is not because they have to much recoil. You find used guns in every caliber every where, so how do you answer that?

It is possible to make loads that are as accurate as the Remington 405 grain load. It would be pertty hard to make one that is more accurate at least in my rifles. Yes you can save money and that's a good reason to reload.

The light kickers are mostly sold off because folks need cash to pay bills and they are 10 times more common than the .45-70s. I've only ever seen one .444 for sale and I bought it. Many .45-70s are sold because people have trouble handling the recoil. I hear people complain about the .45-70s recoil a lot. I don't really notice it myself. I just buy the gun from them.

Swampman, I just seen a guy buy a brand new Marlin 45-70 and 10 days later take it back, not because it recoiled to much, but to by a bigger gun. He bought a Sako 375 H&H.
But there are a lot of guns out there sold because some people don't like the recoil. I have seen people complain about the recoil of the 30-06, and 270 Winchester. So it is not just the 45-70.
Price is not the reason I got into reloading, I don't save any money, I just get to shoot more. But the reason I got into reloading, I can custom load for every gun I own. No two guns shoot alike, I can buy to exact guns and if I am lucky they will shoot very close with the same load, but if I want the most accuracy, I need to see what the gun likes and factory loads just don't offer me that choice.

Unless you are happy with close. ;)