ShadowCatcher Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Ladies and gentlemen, I turn to your wisdom (and inebreated candor) to gather a consensus. I'm fixing to buy a rifle soon, and can pick from several that appeal to me, others can follow later. I've always lusted for a Winchester or Brownng 1885 in .45-70, it looks great and ought to have sufficient power to drop most anything that moves under it's own power. It also can be used in the CAS games. I've cast and shot BP before as well, so I'm open to all the variations on the theme . . . . Havings said that, I really miss owning a Winchester Mdl 70 featherweight. I sold my last one about 15 years ago, and now I want one in .243. Probably with a 2-7 or 3-9 optic, for eastern Washington or Oregon deer and small critters . . . . Then there are a few others like the cute new .22's that Utah Bob posted a link to, or I could take my CZ 455, which is still waiting for it's baptism, and buy an additional match grade .22 magnum barrel and trigger stuff and trick it out a bit. The list above is in my own mental list order, but the .45-70 and the .243 switch places every so often. Folks out there who own and shoot the 1885 - tell me the upsides and down to reloading it and shooting it, please. How far does it really reach out effectively - I know it won't do a 1000 yards, neither will I. Any good to 250 yds against Deer or Elk? Iron sights make it a challenge - I get that, but will the round do the job, and how hard is that butt plate on the shoulder? I'm going back and forth and just wonder if anyone has a bit of info that takes it over the top one way or the other.. Thanks as always, any opinions will be gratefully received . . . Shadow Catcher Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
evil dogooder Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 The 45-70 round can make it well beyond a 1000. However i wouldnt shoot a animal at 500. It depends on your load and your eyes. One of my hunting buddies routinely takes out coyotes at 350 yards with a guide gun. 350 is the measured distance from his back porch to his chicken barn.he knows his rounds and his gun.the sights are set for that distance. I've seen him make shots quite a bit further out and have them drop when hit. The gun and caliber can handle it. Your eyes and ability is your limiter. What can you routinely hit a deer sized target with a clean harvest? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tom Bullweed Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 My idea of the multipurpose rifle is an 1885 in .30-40 with a tang site and scope blocks. I could use it for field work out to 400 yards, hi-power matches, CAS long range and fun plunking (plinking in something over .22). A 3-9x scope with detachable rings would cover most applications. Any modern 1885 could be set up in the same manner. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Yul Lose Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 I've got a Winchester model 70 compact in 7mm-08 that I've taken a lot of game with, elk, bison, deer and antelope and it puts them down in a hurry. I have a Browning 1885 Highwall in 40-65 and a C Sharps 1885 Highwall with a 38-55 barrel installed and a factory fitted 45-70 barrel and these rifles are fine shooters. If you can find someone that has what your thinking of getting and will let you shoot it it might help you in making your decision. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stubborn Dutchman, SASS # 61363 Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 My 1885 45-70 is my CASS long range gun. Most of our shooting is 100 yards, and I use a mild Trap-door Springfield load. I used it last fall in our 500 yard buffalo match. Open sights and no adjustment to load or sights. With the help of the spotters, I adjusted my holdover in a few shots and started hammering the plate. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sedalia Dave Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 I don't have atn 1885 but I will comment on a couple of the other questions. For optics I would choose the 2X7 over the 3X9. I would also seriously consider a 1.5X5. Too many hunters have rifle scopes with far too much magnification. Higher magnification means smaller FOV. When attempting to locate a moving animal wide FOV is your friend. Also scopes like the 1.5X5 allow you to see game at very short ranges especially in timber. Be sure you get into the habit of setting the scope to the lowest magnification EVERY time you are not actually looking through it. I guarantee that little habit will save you a trophy buck or elk that jumps up right in front of you when you least expect it. The 45-70 will serve you well out to 250 yards for any North American game you desire to hunt if you can accurately determine the distance to target. Take a look at the published ballistics table for most factory rounds and you will see that the maximum point blank range (MPBR) is right around 150 yards. You can learn more about MPBR here. As for range a good 1885 loaded with well made BP rounds is accurate out to 1000 yards but I would not hunt with one at that range. The MPBR for a .243 is right around 250 to 300 yards depending on the round. The .243 is an excellent White tail Deer round especially if you hand load the 100 gr and larger JSP bullets. With a little tweaking you should be able to get sub MOA groups fairly easily. However, I do not think that a .243 is a suitable cartridge for game bigger than White tails. There is too great a chance of under penetration especially if you happen to hit a substantial bone like the shoulder. Just MHO YMMY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Major Art Tillery Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 Marlin 1895 cowboy is a very fine choice.. 26" barrel. Marlin is actually offering a limited version this year with engraving..gold enlay of the horse and rider. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Whiskers Posted January 24, 2015 Share Posted January 24, 2015 The 45-70 round is more of a push rather than a jolt. I have 3, one Sharps and 2 trapdoors. I don't shoot black powder so all I've run through them all are smokeless Ultramax Cowboys loads. Why not consider a 270 instead. It'll take deer and elk (if you decide to go after one) where a 243 would need a head or neck shot on an elk. My uncle lived in western Montana. He took a lot of elk with his 270 while he was a logging there. Whatever scope power you choose, don't buy cheap. Spend the money for a good scope like a Leupold. You won't be sorry. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadowCatcher Posted January 25, 2015 Author Share Posted January 25, 2015 Thanks for your input - so far I've heard a lot of good stuff, but nothing that puts me over the top one way or t'other. I do like the idea of the .40-60, but the .45-70 seems so conventional and stuff to reload is available. I like the .270 loading - and the featherweight in .270 with a 2x-7x makes a lot of sense, it's a classic! Time for another glass of Dahlwinnie and time to ponder a bit more . . . . Thanks for opining . . . SC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wrangler Rich SASS #42157 Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 I shoot a winlite 270 (it was offered by Winchester for a few years a feather lite looking composite stock) with a 3 x 9 Leupold and it is a pleasure to carry and shoot it has brought down quite a few elk & mule deer. WR Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Original Lumpy Gritz Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 Browning in .45-90 will, with ease, kill anything on this planet. Modern rifle-My Remmy 700 in 300 win-mag and a 3-9 Leopold scope OLG Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie Whiskers Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 Browning in .45-90 will, with ease, kill anything on this planet. Modern rifle-My Remmy 700 in 300 win-mag and a 3-9 Leopold scope OLG Both good choices. But for me, the older I get the less I want to punish myself shooting something that kicks like a mule. I'll stick to my 270. IF I actually owned any guns. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ShadowCatcher Posted January 25, 2015 Author Share Posted January 25, 2015 The consensus seems to be driving me towards the Jack O'Conner approach - the .270 win fw and also the 1885 in .45-70 or .45-90. Right now I'm leaning to the .270 first, the 1885 to follow. I think a season of lead development for the .270 would make a great new project as well. Still got a few weeks of pondering to do, won't be back in the states for days yet, and then I've got a good month of unpacking, settleing in and the like. Can't wait to get to the gun stores and see what's on the shelves as well . . . . Thanks for your inputs, and if any more ideas or thoughts occur, I'm still listening. SC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001 Posted January 25, 2015 Share Posted January 25, 2015 I am gonna be the Black sheep , here , I detest the 270 , a 30-06 is more practical IMO of all the guns I have had and turned loose of through the years I miss the B78 Browning 45-70 the most , fast light , LOTS of knock down , out to 150 yds with open sights was pretty much hit off the rest sub 1 in, 3 shot groups was normal with Trail boss or 5744 loads CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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