45/70 recoil?
 

How bad is the kick on a 45/70 Gov. Marlin 1895? I really want one and always have, however my shoulders have been repaired and I am worried about the recoil. I have a .308 and .44 mag that I shoot regularly with no problems, buthow much more recoil is there in the 45/70?

Thanks:patriot:

The Marlins are great guns, but you will notice a considerable amount of increased recoil over the .308. According to this table, http://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm, the .308 shooting a 150 grain bullet will have a recoil energy of 15.8 ft/lbs with a recoil velocity of 11.7 fps. In comparison, the 45/70 shooting a 350 grain bullet will have a recoil energy of 37.9 ft/lbs with a recoil velocity of 18.7 fps. I have the 1895M in 450 Marlin and have threatened to sell it numerous times because of the recoil, but I just can't make myself sell it.

45-70 recoil varies greatly. If you shoot your standard remington 405gr 20KPSI loads, its like 180gr out of a 308win. If you shoot higher pressure corbon loads, it can get sporting very quick.

I have loads with 300gr up to 2200fps that kicks like a mule. I have some 500gr lead loads at 1850fps that kicks like a 300win mag.

I'm shooting a VERY healthy charge of H4198 under a 350 gr. Hornady FP. It shoots excellent in my 1895 Marlin 22" bbl., but you better have ahold of it. It'll loosen your fillings. As bc stated... with the mild factory ammo, it is not bad at all. If you reload, your manual should give you load ranges for the early trapdoors, the newer Marlin type guns, and the Ruger type actions. The factory ammo is loaded to the early trapdoor requirements for obvious reasons. And I'm quite certain that load is perfectly capable of killing deer and black bear. If you want one, get one. They're a fun gun.

As stated above, the recoil of factory loads are fairly mild. However, with the 325 leverevolution ammo recoil is noticiably stouter. after a long sightin session with those caused by a bad scope, i went and bought a sims limbsaver recoil pad for it, bolted right on and was back to mild recoil. with this recoil pad factorys feel more like a 30-30 and the leverevolutions are noticiably tamed.

I would say that getting into a .45-70 and reloading go hand in hand. If you want to get into one consider getting into reloading then you can make the loads go as fast or as slow as you want to.

Tom

Thanks for the info-I'm gonna go for it. My son reloads and he said he will load some ammo that I can live with. Ive always wanted the 45/70 Marlin and am game enough to go ahead and buy one.

Thanks again!

i have hunted with my 45 70 for years. mine dose not kick bad but you need to hold it good because it jumps pretty good in the front

While it's true this round can be loaded light to reduce recoil to a very comfortable level it's also true that buying one and doing so makes no sense.This cal along with the .444 and 450 were not meant for that plain'n simple.

The 45-70 is the equivalent of shot-putting a projectile at a target.