New To Family Marlin 45-70

**Mac5.56** · 07-27-13, 22:49

So my father picked up a 45-70 with a Leopold 2-7 mounted on it. I haven't shot it yet but he loves it.

I think it was purchased more as a defensive rifle (he lives in CT so no more evil black rifles), and I have no issue with using a lever in a defensive roll, they may not be an automatic, but a competent shooter can do a lot with a pistol and a lever gun. I think many of us are in agreement on this subject.

Anyway I am trying to convince him to consider replacing the Leopold with an Aimpoint if he intends to use it defensively and at close range.

What are your thoughts? Are there other reflex optics that may be better for this caliber? Is the caliber to punishing for an electronic optic?

I know very little about this cartridge other then the "holy sh@t I don't want to be on the receiving end" moment I had when I saw both the gun and the cartridges.

Anyway what are your thoughts?

**Army Chief** · 07-27-13, 22:57

I'd ask Mr. Smith, as he not only builds these beasts, but I've seen him with an RMR on one of his own. I just stayed with a Leupold Scout scope, because it offers somewhat greater flexibility, and I honestly can't see myself firing the thing enough to warrant a more optimized approach. If I ever had to take a true defensive shot with the .45-70, I think I'd have to start the engagement with the old parental spanking adage that we all remember so well: "this is going to hurt me more than it hurts you."

AC

**Mac5.56** · 07-27-13, 23:02

Originally Posted by Army Chief

I'd ask Mr. Smith, as he not only builds these beasts, but I've seen him with an RMR on one of his own. I just stayed with a Leupold Scout scope, because it offers somewhat greater flexibility, and I honestly can't see myself firing the thing enough to warrant a more optimized approach. If I ever had to take a true defensive shot with the .45-70, I think I'd have to start the engagement with the old parental spanking adage that we all remember so well: "this is going to hurt me more than it hurts you."

AC

Well said AC, well said... I always knew the 45-70 was big but I didn't realize how big until I actually held it in my hand.

This rifle is a beauty, my dad's getting 2 MOA out of it on a bench, which I am reluctant to mess with I just personally shoot so well with a reflex optic and I personally don't have any magnified optics on any of my defensive firearms.

Maybe Mr. Smith will roll in here with his thoughts.

Glad to hear your feeling a tad better AC, I think of you often!

**Mr. Smith** · 07-28-13, 07:36

It is the ability to run a light and an optic at night that makes me use an Aimpoint H1.

Plus, the overall size is great with the H1. if you use it with an offset mount, you can run a light without a lot of trouble.

It's not about how far you can shoot the 45/70 -- it's about how far you can shoot to protect you & yours.

I have guns set up for both long and short range, but the 45/70 lever gun shines at short range with heavy bullets 325 to 405. That is a lot of love to put in one place on a target.

I hope I helped you.

**Army Chief** · 07-28-13, 09:13

Something of an aside here, but I've got two grown sons, and between the three of us, we have two .45-70s and a .30-30 -- all built by Joe/Mr. Smith. I had never seen a serious "prepped" lever gun in my life until I first visited his shop facility in Louisville, and the rest is pretty much history. Great guns.

I am still on the hunt for the right offset light mount, however. The one limiting factor when you rail these guns is that you need to give some thought to what you mount, and how it is mounted. Many conventional light mounts will block the sight line to the irons, and if you do go with a Scout scope, you need to find a light fixture with a very low profile to get everything to play well together. I'm guessing a GearSector mount or something along those lines would be ideal, but I just haven't walked that particular dog all of the way home yet. Will sort it all out soon.

Interestingly, I keep the .45-70 in my line of sight (usually in the family room) more than any other gun I own, just because it is such an interesting and well-sorted-out piece. Joe did a great job building this particular rifle for me from a 70s-vintage base gun (pre-crossbolt safety). I told him that I wanted a big bore lever gun, but in a near-SBR package, and he delivered one of those rare rifles that makes you just sit and giggle to yourself like an idiot whenever you look at it.

Then again, my EDC is a 5" custom 1911 that he also built for me (from an STI, no less), so I admit to an inherent bias. He also keeps some pretty good bourbon in the office, but I digress ...

AC

**montanadave** · 07-28-13, 10:03

AC, you wouldn't have a pic of that lever gun handy, would ya?

**Army Chief** · 07-28-13, 11:05

Originally Posted by montanadave

AC, you wouldn't have a pic of that lever gun handy, would ya?

Not at the moment, but I'll try to capture something if the skies ever break over here today.

It looks very much like the other levers Joe has showcased on www.superiorfirearmsllc.com, but with about two inches removed from each end. Think "youth-sized shoulder howitzer," and you're in the ball park.

AC

**T2C** · 07-28-13, 11:23

I think that the recoil is stout, but the 45-70 would not be a bad round for self defense if you were attacked by a bear, elephant or rhino. We were testing duty ammunition one day and had a few gelatin blocks left over after we finished. We had been setting the gelatin blocks on top of a sturdy table for testing. I had a Remington Rolling Block 45-70 rifle with me and we shot some Remington 300g factory hunting loads into gelatin.

The gelatin blocks jumped 4 feet into the air and landed 6 feet to the right of the table when shot with the 300g soft point. The projectiles penetrated all of the way through 3 feet of gelatin and left a huge cavity inside. The shock wave broke wood off the bottom of the table, which was constructed out of 2"x6" treated lumber. There was a lot of laughing after we saw the damage done to the table.

45-70 might be expensive, but I don't think follow up shots would be necessary.