45/70 for elk ?

[Rooster52]

Anyone shoot a 45/70 for elk ? Seems it would make an interesting hunt. I have a Marlin 1895 with a 24 inch barrel.Great shooting gun.Maybe next trip to Colorado I will try it.

 

[Coyotes-R-Us]

I Do and love it. Don't under estimate it as a elk getter...
I use a marlin CB 28" barrel ( I think ) A 300 gr hp., Hornady smoking at 2400 fps.
:hump:
Many elk have fallen to it, deer, and antelope to, AND an occasional coyote.

 

[Sawtooth]

Both my great grandfather and my mom's uncle shot 45/70s back in the day. They shot some nice bulls with those rifles and I don't remember them having any trouble tipping any bulls over. Most of their hunts took place in the thick timber in central Washington so shots were inside 150 yards.

 

[Ben Long]

My hunting mentor, Gary Sloan, has killed scores of elk and the .45-70 in Marlin lever-action is his go-to rifle for timber. Definitely a cartridge that has withstood the test of time. Seems to me he has a special lever to fit a gloved hand.

 

[ElkNut1]

Yep, I have friends who love that as a great brush gun for elk, no experience with it myself though!

ElkNut1

 

[Coyotes-R-Us]

If you get rid of the idea of the old trapdoor antique guns and embrace the modern technology in ammo and rifles the 45/70 is not just a "Brush" gun. 200 and 300 yard shots are very doable I use a 4 X 12 Redfield on mine and shoot that far very handily . Buffalo bore make some very impressive loads and if you reload you can get some very impressive groups at 200 yards. Check it out ...:hump:

 

[johnp]

Oh yeah, killed my first elk in 1979 with my marlin 45/70 . Was falling timber by Ovando Mt. One of the guys on the crew invited me to hunt with him and his family . We hiked up the back side of Marcum mountain from deer park , as we found tracks each person went off on their own . a couple hours later a big cow steps out , took 1st shot, looked like a hit . Took a 2nd shot and over she goes . As I was gutting
her out , the other hunters came by . They also had a elk down , I was introduced to packing out quarters that day. Great memories. Now I use the gun mostly as a loaner for new hunters, it really doesn't have too bad of a kick and quite a few whitetails have been killed with it.
John

 

[Rooster52]

I only shoot standard loads in my Marlin. I tried some of the hotter loads but the recoil was too much for me. now shooting a Hornady 300 grain HP over 55 grains of Accurate 2015. Get great accuracy.Going to try some 350 grain round nose sometime.That should be a good elk bullet.

 

[Rooster52]

You who handload for the 45 70, do you crimp your loads ? Thinking maybe I should for the marlin 1895.

 

[Coyotes-R-Us]

My CB will not shoot 350 gr bullets for what ever reason .
If your going to use the Evolution 350's you HAVE to trim your brass shorter or that will NOT chamber...
Yes I do crimp my reloads. :hump:

 

[Gr8bawana]

45/70 great gun to show people it's not necessary to shoot 800-1200 yards to kill an animal, just takes a little skill.

 

[gman82001]

Ayup... 350gr hornady RN reloaded to around 1950fps out of my ported gg. Yes I crimp since I figure while it's not a boomer type of load it's still hot enough and I don't want it to set back and cause higher pressures and kaboom my baby

 

[Rooster52]

Love It !!