Author Topic: 45/70 LeverEvolution too much for my Dad. Reduced handload? (Read 2272 times)

mtcur3 · « **on:** October 10, 2009, 12:25:27 PM »

Greetings to all. This is my first post. I recently bought my dad a 45/70 Buffalo Classic for his birthday. He loved it .... till he fired it. Dad's 77 now and is a big on the thin side so the recoil hurt him. Can you please recommend a easier recoiling handload that will be good on deer our to 100 yards. Our season opens on 10/24.

I'm thinking I should have bought the 45 Colt for him. I would think that it would recoil less and still be adequate for deer out to 100 yards. What do you think? Sell the Buffalo Classic and get a CR 45 LC?

MSP Ret · « **Reply #1 on:** October 10, 2009, 12:31:17 PM »

Well let me the first to say welcome aboard. Come often and stay late, for when yoiu are here you are among friends.
This is a mild, great shooting, and my all time favorite 45-70 accuracy load. 28.0 grains of 2400 behind a Hornady 350 grain RNFP half jacket bullet. I am sure he will like it and it is VERY accurate....<><....

Also...VERY IMPORTANT!!!!, get a slip on or lace on recoil pad for that steel butt[plate on the Buff Classic, that buttplate is a killer!!! There are some very pretty leather lace on pads that look great....<><....

OldBob · « **Reply #2 on:** October 10, 2009, 12:41:34 PM »

Gotta agree, that buttplate is made for hurting the shooter ! If he is not carrying the rifle a long way you might want to remove the buttplate and fill the bolt cavity with lead birdshot, it will make the gun heavy but will slow the recoil down quite a bit. Another option would be to get one of the "pallet wood" stocks with a recoil pad, they show up in the classifieds pretty often, use that for hunting and put the "purty" one back on for show and reduced loads.

By the way ......NICE BIRTHDAY PRESENT !!!

knight0334 · « **Reply #3 on:** October 10, 2009, 12:56:58 PM »

Winchester Super-X 300gr JHP's will work fine out to 100yrd and well beyond if you dont feel like loading. 300gr @ 1850-1925fps isn't that bad for recoil.

mtcur3 · « **Reply #4 on:** October 10, 2009, 01:00:10 PM »

Thanks for the tips. I'm on it! I just went to Midway to order the dies and bullets. (I already have the powder) I see there are a couple of different 45/70 dies. I'm thinking I need 45/70 Government. Right?

Do you have a link to the lace up recoil pads?

I do have lead shot, so I will weight the rifle. He'll only be walking a couple of hundred yards at most.

It's good to know that the winchester load will be easier on the should without having to reload.

quickdtoo · « **Reply #5 on:** October 10, 2009, 01:10:59 PM »

Welcome! All of the recoil pad options as well as the recoil reduction options are listed in the FAQs and Help sticky, spend some time reading there, it will be time well spent.

Tim

Hodr · « **Reply #6 on:** October 10, 2009, 01:39:24 PM »

I like the way you pick birthday presents. Are you willing to adopt, cherish and care for me?

??

blindhari

wganz · « **Reply #7 on:** October 10, 2009, 01:45:12 PM »

I tried that LeverEvolution round in my cousin's 1895 Marlin and after 2 shots some of my fillings hurt for a week afterwards. Stick with normal 405 grain loads and you'll do a whole lot better.

mtcur3 · « **Reply #8 on:** October 10, 2009, 04:06:29 PM »

OK, I'm sold on the mercury recoil reducer and I'd like to get the leather recoil pad from Cabalas. I really want Dad to enjoy his new rifle. I'll be ordering the Kill Kick over the internet. What size should I get? I know I could measure it when I get home, but I'm out of town for a couple of weeks and I'd like these items to be waiting for me when I get back. Thanks.

Swampman · « **Reply #9 on:** October 10, 2009, 04:12:48 PM »

The Remington 405 grain load has very little recoil.

Chas. · « **Reply #10 on:** October 10, 2009, 05:34:15 PM »

Before back surgery, I was shooting 300gr. cast bullet w/25gr. 2400 powder. Very easy and sends that bullet out at a respectable 1400fps. If you want to crank it back from that, 12gr. Unique will send it out at about 1200fps. Here's a website that lists some reduced loads http://www.gmdr.com/lever/lowveldata.htm but it appears to be down right now.

xhare · « **Reply #11 on:** October 10, 2009, 06:30:45 PM »

Several of the factory "cowboy" loads will have reduced recoil as well if you dont end up reloading. If you do, loading equivalent loads will be just as effective.

One the the truly great things about the 45-70 is that it can be loaded from light to mule kicking heavy.

Sourdough · « **Reply #12 on:** October 10, 2009, 07:25:00 PM »

The leverlution loads are pretty hot. they are designed to get the most out of the old warhorse cartridge. Suggest regular Remington or Federal 45-70 loads. They are the ones for the old trapdoor guns and are milder. Also the lighter the bullet the less recoil, so go with a lighter bullet. It does not take much to kill a deer, and the slow 45-70 is more than adequate.

Good luck, and get a recoil pad for that steel butt plate.

If you reload, check out the loads used for the Cowboy Action Shooting. They are now using Trail Boss a lot, and it is a very mild powder. I use it for subsonic loads.

andrewtheelder38 · « **Reply #13 on:** October 11, 2009, 10:40:55 AM »

.....for my 2 cents worth, I find that my 45-70 handi rifle shots very very accurately with a 385 grain cast lyman bullet and 34.2 grains of sr4759 powder....I think it is moving out at approximately 1,675 ft/sec. out the muzzle and it is very little recoil with amazing accuracy at 100 yards.....

jacksrbtr46 · « **Reply #14 on:** October 11, 2009, 01:43:24 PM »

How much shooting has he done? Did he have the gun firmly against his shoulder? Our ( we have three H&R 45-70's, a BC, Handi, and Ultra Hunter) 45-70's using Hornady LEVERevolution's do not kick any harder than a 12 GA shot gun (actually has a slower roll to it). All have factory stocks. My 9 year old Grandson shoots it. You could have a gunsmith put a pad on it also. We love our 45-70's. Nice Birthday present, good luck.

Jack

petemi · « **Reply #15 on:** October 11, 2009, 01:53:02 PM »

I've got to agree, the buttplate is the culprit. My Hawkens in .50 and .54 slap the crap out of me with that curved metal buttplate. My Handy 22 inch, weighted stock and factory recoil pad is a pussycat with the LEs in comparison. The BC is a beautiful rifle, but In my opinion, it's not that practical.

Pete

MSP Ret · « **Reply #16 on:** October 11, 2009, 02:26:51 PM »

If you want to keep the buttstock matching the nice checkered BC american black walnut forearm and don't mind spending a couple of bucks, get an H&R/NEF buttstock for a Topper Deluxe Classic (TDC). They are a perfect match for the BC forearms and have a nice recoil pad on them. Or post a WTB (or WTT for the BC buttstock) in the Handi classifieds...that would be a perfect answer for you and your dad....<><....

petemi · « **Reply #17 on:** October 11, 2009, 02:34:17 PM »

Andy, I don't care what your neighbors say, you come up with some great ideas. Dah? Why didn't I think of that

Pete

quickdtoo · « **Reply #18 on:** October 11, 2009, 03:10:03 PM »

I'll second the TDC stock set, I have two rifles with TDC stock parts, the 405 Win has the TDC butt and BC forend.

Tim

Doublebass73 · « **Reply #19 on:** October 11, 2009, 05:38:58 PM »

I think the BC steel butt plate is a perfect match for the light recoiling pistol cartridge rifles like the 45 Colt and 357 Mag. I don't think I'd want it with a 45/70.

mtcur3 · « **Reply #20 on:** October 12, 2009, 04:19:13 AM »

Very good info. Thanks! I appreciate the photo that I can view also, very nice. What I have done is order the mercury recoil reducer and a Cabalas lace on recoil pad. I was going to load up some reduced rounds, but since I don’t see us shooting the gun a whole lot, we’ll just sight in and kill deer with it, so I’ll just pick up some factory Winchester and have him shoot it again. If it doesn’t work for him we’ll buy the 45 LC model and try that. In any event I’m glad to be participating in this forum and I’ll let you know how things turn out. We should be killing deer on 10/24.

kevinsmith5 · « **Reply #21 on:** October 12, 2009, 04:35:54 AM »

I cut a piece of 2X4 and ground it to match the curve of the BC butt plate to put inside the recoild pad. Also put 19 ounces of #4 lead shot in the bolt hole. Recoil very bearable after that.

MSP Ret · « **Reply #22 on:** October 12, 2009, 05:07:20 AM »

Thanks Pete, many of my neighbors and friends refer to me as "Andy the Answer Man". When they have a question or need something done they come over or call and ask. I may not always know what to do or how to do it but somehow things always end up OK.
Well, except for that one time, and my lawyers have recommended I not speak of that until the statute of limitations expires in 2012. I was younger and more foolhardy then, and explosives were much easier to come by as well. I found out that when commercial stuff was mixed with home brewed "stuff" the increased results were expotential, not linear. What a rush!!!!....<><....

tykempster · « **Reply #23 on:** October 12, 2009, 05:56:01 AM »

You could do a real heavy and soft cast bullet with trailboss.

Doublebass73 · « **Reply #24 on:** October 12, 2009, 07:10:30 AM »

Quote

If it doesn’t work for him we’ll buy the 45 LC model and try that.

I can tell you first hand that the 45 LC is great for people that are recoil shy. The recoil is basically non-existant. A 6 year old kid could shoot factory loads no problem. I bought it because I have a bad back, neck and shoulder so it carries like a dream and I can shoot it all day long.

kevinsmith5 · « **Reply #25 on:** October 12, 2009, 10:53:34 AM »

The 44 mag can also go mild to wild.