45/70 effective range

[rena0040]

I was wondering if any of you who shoot big lever guns could tell me what thier effective range would be with a scope for big game, 200-250?
I don't have a lever gun in the cabinet yet and was thinking of a stainless marlin guide gun in 45/70.

[catnthehat]

No experience witth the levers, but with a single shot falling block and irons I can effectivly hunt to 150 yards .
maybe PM win94, he has lots of experience in this department.
Cat

[Rusty P. Bucket]

I shoot the Guide Gun (with a Leupold VX III 1.5 -5X) which is a shorty carbine and I personally wouldn't push it past 100~150. To get any kind of trajectory from the carbine I have to handload it to levels where the gun kills on both ends, and reduces me to a flinching idiot.

I think if a guy really wants a long range gun for hunting the 45-70 isn't it. Many people want to turn such guns into something they aren't. 200 yards is a long shot for the little guns.

[Win94]

What Cat said. 150 yards for my Guidegun is my limit with a 2.5x fixed power scope. However with a Ruger # 1 and the 22" barrel i know 250 yards would be cake with a fixed 4 power and some load development. Go to marlinowners.com for any guidegun questions. Best site on the net for the topic!!! Get a Guidegun you won't be disappointed.

[Win94]

Just to add, in the last 5 years i haven't had a longer shot than 100 yards for my game as of late.

[Canuck44]

I run 350 gr hornady flat nose bullets in my guide gun at just over 2000 fps and if sighted 4" high at 100 it is 4" low at 200 yrds, at 250 it is 12" low and 300 27" low. I have never shot it past 200 yrds but thats what the calculator shows. I shoot it with a 2-7 leupold and would be comfortable shooting something at 200 yrds if I had a good shooting position, 250 would be aim for the top of the shoulder on a deer but lots of room for error and potential for a wounded deer if doing that.

300 grainers at 2400fps would give you 4" +/- trajectory to 240 yrds, the problem with loads like this is they kick like a mule and a short light gun like the marlin gg tends to jump around for me.

The best bet is to buy one and practise with it to see what works for you. You won't regret having one of these in the cabinet.

[rena0040]

i guess i over estimated them i thought 200-250 but sounds like the 150 mark is about it

[uraarchr]

try the new lever-evolution ammo by hornady.very flat shooting compared to the other stuff in canada.i havent taken anything w it yet but the numbers say its good for 200 -250 (dependent on shooterr).everyone is into hyper mags nowdays and they downtalk the 30-30 and 45-70 but i have never seen a more impressive knockdown than a muley w my 30-30.ive never gotten into a 300 or 338 because i like to shoot something i can handle,the 45-70 is easy to shoot in fact load.lev-ev hornadys have some snap to them but still very manageable.anyways #6.suka knows.