Marlin 308express and 45/70

E

Ernest II

New member
I know these are not yote guns just wanted to know if anyone has experience with them in the accuracy department? Ive always wanted a 45/70 and Im getting interested in the 308marlin express. Is the 45/70 enjoyable to shoot and hows the accuracy?
Thanks
 
The 45-70 cartridge is accurate. It also depends on what you shoot it out of! I've had three 45-70s. All single shots and all quite accurate. But, once you pass 150 yards range estimation becomes critical. At least that's the case for me since I tend to shoot 405 to 550 grain bullets at 1150 to 1300 fps. Hotter loads and lighter bullets will change that!
 
No .308me experience, but some with the 45-70.

Accuracy is the gun/shooter and not the round. The 45 has and can be loaded in such a wide variety its not funny. Most factory 45-70 loads are safe to shoot in old trapdoors. Big boom, gentle push, big chunk of granite exploding and me laughing like an idiot. The other side of that is bigger boom, bigger piece of granite exploding, and me with not quite a dislocated shoulder going "[beeep] did I just do?"

Learning hurts and I now know not to shoot some rounds prone.

I like the round
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I have an H&R single-shot and it is an amazing gun! At 100 yards it will shoot MOA, not even kidding. Its small, light, and pushes more than it kicks. I honestly would not be scared to take a 250-300 yard shot with it, if I had the time and the deer/yote/varmint of your choice/ gave me a good shot. Here it is:
 
I have a Marlin 1895 Cowboy in 45/70. I have shot 4" groups off hand with the open buckhorn sights at 100 yards and a 12" steel circle at 200 yards. I ordered a Williams peep sight but haven't got a chance to shoot it since. It seems very accurate for a what it is. The cowboy holds 7 rounds in the magazine and after those 7 shots I am finished for the day. There have been a couple of times I was target shooting and it has rattled my brain and I had to kinda shake it off, but most of the time I am paying more attention to the target and not thinking about the recoil to much. I have put right at 2 boxes of shells thru it is a very enjoyable gun to shoot. I think that might be because I know that whatever I hit with a 325 grain flex tip bullet will cease to exist. It will completely vaporise a cantalope or small watermelon before your eyes. It is like magic. The only animal I have shot with it was a very anoying skunk that would spray every morning when we needed to let our lab out. I got him one morning before work at about 60 yards. DRT and not much left. It is about as fur friendly as a grenade but that prolly goes without saying. I dont know anything about a 308 Marlin. 45/70 is a big thumbs up. I still would like to have another one in a shorter barreled configuration. The cowboy is a 26" or 28" barrel a little long to shoot offhand. Hope this helps.
 
took a deer with my .308 marlin express last year, it a very accurate rifle. i bought a .308 mxlr the first year marlin released it. becareful if you decide to buy the .308 after remington bought marlin they had defects with the barrel not being inline with the receiver, made it impossible to zero your scope, the rifles shot low and guys were running out of up adjustment. go to marlinowners.com for more info on it. go luck and happy hunting.
 
I have a marlin lever action 45/70, and it is really alot of fun to shoot. It is accurate enough. have killed several deer with it. at our shooting range, we have a steel plate on a chain to shoot at, takes anything except with the 45/70 after each shot you have to walk down and rehang it. anyhow, I like mine.
Barry
 
My Marlin 1895 and my Marlin 444 both surprised me in terms of their accuracy. I often hear things about the accuracy of lever actions and have been impressed by the truth. Both of these rifles are excellent whitetail and hog guns.
 
Originally Posted By: getfoxyThat Rifle looks good GC

Thank you... she's a 1974 model with some different wood and an aperture sight. Killed quite a few bucks in the timber with it. My nickname for that one is "The Hammer."
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I have both - Marlin 1895 SS in 45-70 and a 308ME. Both shoot at or less than 1" 3 shot groups @100 yds with factory ammo.Handloads are a little better.

If you get a Marlin lever MAKE SURE it was made before 2009 when Remington took over manufacture of Marlin firearms. The Marlin made guns are WAY better made than the Remington made guns.
 
Well not a 45-70, but I have a 444 which is close. Mine is a 1976 vintage that I shot last weekend and had 1.5" groups at 100 yards. this was on a bench with a Luepold VX2 2x7x33. This gun took 2 nice deer last season and will be along next weekend when deer season opens in Minnesota and North Dakota. I use this gun when walking shelter belts and walking ditches, I used a 30-06 for stand hunting, but my lever gun is always near by. Good Luck this season.----Riflemann
 
I have an 18995 45-70 and I love it ...would not hesitate to take a 300yard coyote with it and as for recoile I shoot 420gr hard cast at 1500-1600fps! and I can shoot it all day long
here is what i am getting off hand at 50yards with peeps!
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if i can hit these at 200yards all day long it will work for coyote!
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fun to sat for and r
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eload for!
 
GC I have seen that youtube video some time ago, thanks for putting it up. I grew up watching that western and my dad had a '49 vintage Marlin 336rc lever, I now am the proud owner of that gun long live the lever guns.----Riflemann
 
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... The show was before my time, however, I do enjoy watching the re-runs when I catch them. Actually there are a lot of good family type lessons in the action plots of the show. Plus I like old lever guns too...
 
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