Opinions & Suggestions on New firearm?

[kbb468]

I know this is by no means a long range(beyond 400yds) weapon but I always wanted a 45-70 but nothing that I saw off the self interest me. Needless to say it has to be a budget minded rig (<= $1000). So far my thoughts are to find a savage (bolt) action that would work with a 45-70 (any thoughts on this) and then put a decent priced barrel (26"-30") on it. Any suggestions? Next would be to use and after market stock that the barreled action would drop into. My gold is to have something different in a caliber I like that will flat out hammer deer size game within 200 yds.

All opinions and suggestions are welcomed.

[wildcat]

KBB, are you wanting to build a rifle off the 45-70 Government? Sounds interesting, I am sure one of the gunsmiths on this site can answer your question. What kind of velocities will you attain with the 45-70. Good luck with your project.

Wildcat

[Black Diamond 408]

I built up a 45-70 some years back, i was headed for a black bear hunt in Idaho. I thought it would be a great close quarters brush rifle and i wanted somthing not many had. The first thing is your going to want it to be a single shot, with the large rimmed case head, they only feed in a special slanted magazine box. I used the Siamese 98 mauser action, it allready has the slanted magazine box and the extractor for the rimmed case(.620 dia). This may be your biggest problem, tring to get a savage action to handle the case head and have the extractor work properly.
I load my 45-70 with the 350gn hornady RN bullet, 4198 powder, cant remember how much off hand. They are flat movin out though. I have open sights and a 1-4 weaver scope, i can hit milk jugs at 200yds off hand with her.

[sewwhat89]

You can always rebarrel a Ruger No. 3 or No. 1 .45-70 with a 26" barrel. Before recoil removed my foregrip on my No.1, I was getting 2400+ fps with 300 gr Hornady JHPs. They put basketball sized holes in deer. Imagine a hole the size of a deer's lungs and three complete vertebrae gone from a whitetail, and that is what my results have been. I had red mist and particulate matter almost 9 feet up in a persimmon tree. It is a dramatic killer for sure. Recoil is distiguished too.

[kbb468]

Wildcat, I would like think i could to push the 350gn hornady around 2000-2100fps and the 300gr sierra HP 2300fps.

[kbb468]

sewwhat89, that's a good idea but it's a shocker when you pull out a firearm on a hunting trip (bolt action) and it's not your standard/common caliber (30-06, 7mm, 300win, etc) but a 45-70. WOW! [img]/ubbthreads/images/graemlins/laugh.gif[/img]

[kbb468]

Does anyone out there know if there is a Savage action that will work for this build or have seen one modified to accept a 45-70? Will a WSM or 300win mag action work?