[Big45-70]

I've been looking at my battery as I'm just getting into the whole preparedness thing. I love my marlin, I can fit my reloading kit for it in a back pack (lee loader) and I have a nice collection of brass and other components for this caliber. Buying another rifle is not really an option for me in the not so distant future.

My question is, is this a good rifle to have in a shtf situation? For the record I do have a couple 12 gauges and a 9mm Tokarev in my battery as well.

 

[richis7]

Its a great rifle and I sure wouldnt want to be shot with it.

You probably know how to shoot it well, thats all that matters.

The best rifle is the one you know how to use. You can have 50 AR 15's and 100 glocks, but if you dont know how to shoot you may as well have a stick.

The only downside to that caliber is the ammo is kind of hard to come by. If you stock plenty of components I think it would be perfect though.

 

[Jamie45]

Since buying another rifle is not an option, it is pretty much a moot point. You have to use what you have at the time you need it. My guide gun is at the top of my fav list for a sporting rifle, but no so much for social problems, where I think the SG would be better. My two biggest issues with the lever gun are the short magazine and slow loading (for me anyway). I find it much faster to stoke up a pump gun than to load the 1895 due to the spring and smallish loading gate….but I still like it!!
YMMV

 

[matty86suk]

good big game rifle, maybe look into cast loads,

 

[Te Hopo]

Seeing as you have t, I reckon it'd make a great SHTF rifle.

A lever action has as fast a rate of fire as you can cycle it and the 45-70 has a LOT of punch, plus you can laod for it and with a mold, cast your own boolits.
Downside, load times but hey those rounds you've just let off should be used getting to cover anyway.

 

[223shootersc]

And the 45-70 round was designed to run on Black powder if things ever get that bad

 

[trixie]

there have been several acticles/blogs/etc about lever guns for home D, even tactical lever guns. they are making a comeback popularity wise.

 

[jandg]

Just picked up a Browning BLR .308 for that very purpose. Light, very accurate and detachable magazine. Of course it thumps me some. Now to figure out the best load.

 

[Big45-70]

Thanks for all the replies. Right now its my only center fire but I just wanted to get some opinions on the functionality or a larger bore lever gun as shtf rifle and see if I should make saving up for something new a priority or not. All the posts were very helpful and I feel comfortable with my choice of rifle. Now I just have to replace my Chinese tokarev as my pistol

 

[sailinghudson25]

For whatever anyone owns here, there is likely something made that is better. If you know how to use it well, thats all that matters.

As you study the subject of SHTF issues, you will find out more how bad a situation bugging out really is. Bugging is is much wiser.

Firearms is the last ditch effort to your safety. Being able to stay out of hamrs way by staying secure at home in a rural area is much wiser. If things get bad, it won;t be mad max. But, more like what you see in the newspaper. People still trying to live their lives while folks get robbed, kidnapped, hustled around, and resources like food and fuel get more scarce.

A top shelf pistol with a concealed carry permit is much wiser than a high end rifle. I also think folk really do spend too much money on firearms and ammo than they should relatively. Food, water, fuel, first aid, and rural land is much more important than anything more than a basic firearm collection.

You should be fine with that firearm. Make sure your scope combination lends itself to a fast shooting firearm. IF you feel you need something quicker shooting and with more capacity, take a look at the SKS. For $200-300 you can get a 2-3" group at 100 yard rifle that shoots .25 cent a round ammo. 10 round magazine and quick to reload. The rifle was good enough for the world biggest military, it should be fine for you.

 

[badkarma]

i think the 45-70 is WAY underpowered. i'm kidding.

I think a 45-70 lever gun is a great survival weapon. you can harvest any large game on the continent with it....including grizzly. it's a very reliable action, you have reloading capability, it's a very good defense weapon, and very rugged. you can get years of service in bad conditions with minimal maintenance. if need be the weapon can easily be used safely, and fairly quickly as a single shot.

i would recommend a second magazine tube spring and follower....very inexpensive, but very necessary.

 

[boot]

Nuff said!!!:thumb:

 

[Magman77]

Yup, it'll work. Not much need for a second shot either, if a fella does the first one right. Two of my rifles are levers. An 1894SS Marlin in .357Mag. and a Browning BLR .308. Depending on my situ at the time, either may become my primary shtf weapon.

I've got some compact Lee reload gear for that Marlin, and it's S&W friends too. I never thought of black powder, but I suspect in a pinch it would work in a .357 as the .38 was originally a black powder cartridge. I always learn some good info here.

 

[Westbound]

Since you already have the gun, it looks like it already is your SHTF rifle. You could be a lot worse off! The 45-70 has more than enough power for any job at hand.

 

[Ulf]

Don't know where your at, but I just had to have a bit more range than my Guide Gun. But you gotta admit, car doors, windshields, engine blocks... all toast. Body armor doesn't help much if you break EVERYTHING inside it .

 

[greenhorn]

Better then nothing run with it and don't look back..

 

[sailinghudson25]

As for spares, the two best things to pick up are a spare ejector and spare extractor. Also, most modern 336's, 1894's, or 1895's have that multiple piece safety in the firing pin mechanism. A spare safety spirng, firing pin, and roll pin is a good idea.

 

[Ulf]

A lotta folks use ghost-ring sights for rapid target acquisition of dangerous game, should work on the SHTF rifle OK.
I put a huge WWG lever on mine, so I can more easily cycle it while wearing gloves or mitts.
Garrett cartridge company used to make +P rounds for the .45-70...
http://www.wildwestguns.com/
http://www.garrettcartridges.com/products.asp

 

[Mabu Khan]

They are nice rifles. Like any shoot it and learn it well inside and out.

 

[TrysteofFate]

Well, one thing is for sure...you're never going to lose anything on the power within a close distance shootout. My one question would be what kind of range you're shooting at, as far as terrain goes.

In the eastern woodlands, like where I live, a 150 yard shot is a rarity..most of them are closer to 50-60 for 'long' shots. In that case, the 45-70 is ideal. With the capacity to reload at hand and the ability to use black powder in a pinch, your only hitch would be getting primers in a long term SHTF. The only advice I would give would be to look at your long-range shooting ballistics, and study them. Beyond about 200 yards the 45-70 is more like artillery than a rifle, though because of the heavy bullet it still packs one mean punch when it gets there.

Also...be sure to practice on trees, study the effects there. I think you'll discover a lot of things you thought were 'cover' actually work more along the lines of 'concealment' instead. This could be a nasty shock for anyone thinking the same thing when you go to line up a shot!