Hi guys I just decided to get me a new deer rifle. So I ordered a marlin 45-70. no I didn't get the guide gun version cause it has a ported barrel, instead it has a 22" pipe. two things, one where do I get those handy rear apature sights that were common on the winchester 48's? Second, can I shoot 45 long colt shells in it? I dont think that I will want to shoot 45-70's all afternoon

I don't know if barrel length really matters to you, but Guide Guns no longer have ported barrels. The one I bought new in Feb of 2004 does not have ports.

I don't know about the sights, but .45 Colt ammo won't work in the .45/70. The .45 Colt bullet diameter is .452" while the .45/70 bullet diameter is .458"

although your idea of using 45 Colt ammo is a nice one raoul is correct. You can just simply use cowboy loads, if you don't reload...

PMC as well as a few other outfits make nice light loads that CAS uses in their rifles.

Hope that helps a little. But..there is always a decelerator pad for the buttstock. :)

DB

Just about any of the mail order houses (Midway, Natchez, Midsouth, Cabela's, Graf & Son, etc) carry the Lyman and Williams receiver sights. There is also the Sighting Systems ghost ring set. The Sighting Systems will mount in the rear tapped holes on top of the receiver. The others are side mounted and the new Marlins don't come with these holes tapped anymore, or so I understand. My 1985 is an older version that has the side tapped holes.

The question of shooting .45LC has been correctly answered above.

I have found, for my 22" Handi rifle, 12.0 gr of Universal or Green Dot with 405 gr Rem Sp and Win LR will give me 1" to 1 1/2" groups at 100 yards using a 4X Tasco scope.

12.0 gr Green Dot
400 gr Rem SP
Win LR (standard)
R-P brass
1030 fps
1044 fps
1035 fps
1036 fps average
1055 fps MV
989 ft/lbs ME
9.67 ft/lbs recoil
27.61 Taylor KO
1.0" at 100 yards.
http://forums.handloads.com/uploads/Paul5388/2004-09-30_141021_scan0025.jpg

12.0 gr Universal
400 gr Rem SP
Win LR (standard)
R-P brass
994 fps
1021 fps
1011 fps
1009 fps average
1028 MV
939 ft/lbs ME
9.24 ft/lbs recoil
26.90 Taylor KO
1.5" at 100 yards

http://forums.handloads.com/uploads/Paul5388/2004-09-30_140956_scan0024.jpg

Coyote,

The sight for theMarlin is Lyman # 66LA available from Midway, Brownells, etc.

To the dsecond question, NO, YOU CANNOT SHOOT .45 Colt in a .45-70

Paul5388,
Are you using any type of filler in your reduced loads? I use reduced loads in my Savage 99 .300 Savage, 18.0 gr SR 4759 with a 110 gr. Hornady RNSP, but I also use 1 gr of poly fibre fill as well. Just curious, as that's an awfully big case with such small powder charges.

Mike,

I never have used any 4759, but I don't think it's a flake powder like Green Dot and Blue Dot. It seems that the flake powders are very easy to ignite and don't really need a filler to keep the powder close to the primer. I have done quite a few Blue Dot loads and have never noticed any position sensitivity, just like I didn't notice any with Green Dot.

I have used Blue Dot with .223 Rem, .243, .25-06, 7mm Mag, .30-06 and .45/70 and didn't use a filler with any of them. The 7 mm Mag is shooting 3/4" groups at 100 yards with 27.5 gr Blue Dot, 140 gr Rem PSP and RWS/Alcan LR primer at about 2200 fps. Green Dot hasn't been as successful as Blue Dot, until I got to the .45/70.

Universal is basically the same as Unique and I have seen several references to Unique reduced loads without fillers.

The recoil on both loads I posted are less than .30-30 type recoil in a 7.75 pound gun ( I actually weighed the gun last night at 7 pound 11.9 ounces).

BTW, the Green Dot and Universal loads have their origin at GMDR.com (http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm) where they are intended for CAS.