Lever Gun Recommendations - HELP!

[ahamburg]

I’ve been searching for so long for a quality rifle that I can purchase or build and be happy with, but can’t seem to find any or how. Please help!

45-70 Rifle Requirements:

Ranked from most to least important

1. Lever action
2. More accurate and precise than the lever gun next to it
3. Side loading
4. Top ejecting
5. Threaded barrel
6. Custom sights and smooth action
7. Cerakote
8. Synthetic stock
9. Lever is different (large loop, d shape, etc.)

I am completely open to building the lever gun myself but can’t seem to find a guide on how to do it or what parts I need.

If anyone can point me in the right direction of where to look, that would be much appreciated.

I’m looking to not go over $1500, but if I must, it better be worth it.

Thanks in advance!

[M. M. Wright]

What you need is a Browning SRC to start with. To that you can add whatever extras you desire. But the base is gonna use up most of your $.

[AJMD429]

These guys (link) build great rifles and are worth looking at. Pricey, but you'll never find a better modern-made levergun. Dunno if they'd do one in 45-70, but if similar or better ballistics is your goal, they can sure do the job.

Screenshot_2018-04-06-22-46-28-1.png

[Pete44ru]

.

Welcome to the funhouse ! .

We hope you sit & chew the fat with us about your (approximate) location, and firearms experiences......

What you're proposing is certainly a custom-made proposition, which by nature is a costly & time-consuming process, whether the job is self-done or farmed out.

For the various bolt-on parts for your dream gun, I would suggest you google each specific part (like: "synthetic lever action stock", or "lever action sights". or "ceracote") both to find a source and determine the process to install/use each one.

"Accuracy" & the threaded muzzle are gunsmith/machinist (or very talented hobbyist) jobs, with accuracy heavily dependent on barrel quality.

How about these guys ?

https://grizzlycustom.com/



Grizzly Custom gun prices presumably include the cost of the base rifle, and the Marlin levergun appears to be the base gun of choice for them.

An appropriate base rifle along those lines would be a Marlin Cowboy model (below), with an octagon barrel (heavier, for better accuracy)






If you decide to do the dirty deed yourself, please take pics as you go, keeping them for reference and for posting here.



.

[OldWin]

Welcome.
By the sound, with the quality you are looking for, you will have a tough time keeping in budget.
The most economical way to achieve your goal will be to give up top eject and use a 95 Marlin as your base gun. There is a strong aftermarket for it, which will allow you to build for less cost than a custom one off.
The other option is to give up on 45-70. Everbody wants a 45-70, but honestly, unless you live in Alaska it goes underutilized most of the time. You end up carrying a lot of rifle with a big cartridge full of air.
You can get closer to what you want with a 92 in .454.
I live in Maine and rarely do I use my "big levers". Only time I use them is if drawn for a moose permit.
Don't overlook .35 Remington, 375 Winchester, or 38-55. These are hard hitting chamberings that fit in a medium action.
Most levers are capable of good accuracy, especially within their effective ranges. My most accurate levers almost always have shorter than full magazines. Especially with carbines. To thread the muzzle, you will have to cut a full mag anyhow. Going back to 2/3 will give a quick accuracy boost. A shorter mag will also have a less dramatic effect on capacity with a short or medium cartridge than with 45-70.
Best of luck. Keep us posted.
Oh, and we will REQUIRE pics.

[AJMD429]

Everbody wants a 45-70, but honestly, unless you live in Alaska it goes underutilized most of the time. You end up carrying a lot of rifle with a big cartridge full of air.
You can get closer to what you want with a 92 in .454.
I live in Maine and rarely do I use my "big levers". Only time I use them is if drawn for a moose permit.

Yep. And the Big Horn Armory models in 454 Casull come close to duplicating 45-70 ballistics - as well as their 460 S&W pretty clearly exceeding the 45-70, and the 500 S&W in a rifle is pretty difficult to beat.


http://www.bighornarmory.com/catalog/1/ ... -products/

Their nitride-on-stainless finish is impervious, yet beautiful, or you can go for plain stainless matte.

[piller]

I have a Marlin Guide Gun in stainless. .45-70 is just not needed for most of what I do. I have used it on a few big animals and love the performance, but it is just not needed for most of my hunting. I use my .30-30 or .44 Mag more often.
I now have a .327 Federal Magnum levergun to try out. Less power is not always a bad thing.

[AJMD429]

I have a Marlin Guide Gun in stainless. .45-70 is just not needed for most of what I do. I have used it on a few big animals and love the performance, but it is just not needed for most of my hunting. I use my .30-30 or .44 Mag more often.
I now have a .327 Federal Magnum levergun to try out. Less power is not always a bad thing.

I think between my 500 S&W levergun and my 32-20 levergun I could theoretically cover every need (...even the Cape Buffalo that I just know have moved into southern Indiana...)

......but of course everyone needs a 22 LR levergun, and the gap between pipsqueak 500 S&W loads and hot-rodded 32-20 loads is fairly big, so if course I need a 44 Mag to 'bridge' that gap....and.....and.....

[jeepnik]

I see folks saying they have their "needs" covered with two or three calibers. Well, yes, I could likely do it all with a .22 lr, 30-30 and 45-70. But what fun would that be. I't ain't about need, it's about "WANT".

[piller]

I had no need for the .327Federal Mag. I plan on getting a .357 Mag, even though I have no need. Need was covered a long time ago. Want is being worked on. Sometimes, the wants can be a lot of fun. The .327 Fed Mag is supposed to give 115 grain lead flat point velocities up to around 1800 fps from a 20 inch barrel in a levergun. That could be enough for deer if shot placement is good. I plan on trying it out on live game after I have time to work up some accurate loads.

[Pitchy]

I have one rifle that I take with me whether hunting or just out for a walk and that`s a Marlin Cowboy 95 in 45-70.
It only weighs about 7 pounds with a half dozen rounds in it and tough all around and if a bear or pack of wolves attack it will do the job.
I`d rather have to much gun then not enough gun any day if its light to carry and dependable.
I have Browning 86`s , Win. 94`s Rem 35`s but out of them all the Cowboy fits my needs, before ruling one out get your hands on one and see how it feels.

[Griff]

I believe you'll blow that budget outta the water rather quickly. Whether you buy one and do all the work yourself, (you'd better already have all the machinery needed to do the work, and the skills), or hiring it done will just blow the budget quicker! If you're planning on hot-rodding the 45-70, DON'T get the Marlin... (just my humble opinion, but I've seen TOO many pictures of hot-rodded Marlins).

Is your list of options in priority order... or?

[Ray]

Deleted.

[Ray]

Deleted.

[piller]

I have one rifle that I take with me whether hunting or just out for a walk and that`s a Marlin Cowboy 95 in 45-70.
It only weighs about 7 pounds with a half dozen rounds in it and tough all around and if a bear or pack of wolves attack it will do the job.
I`d rather have to much gun then not enough gun any day if its light to carry and dependable.
I have Browning 86`s , Win. 94`s Rem 35`s but out of them all the Cowboy fits my needs, before ruling one out get your hands on one and see how it feels.

We don't have bear or wolves near me. If we did, my Guide Gun would be out in the woods more often. Occasional use of heavy loads is OK, but the lever action loads are pretty effective even in the lower end of the recipes. 405 grain soft lead with a copper jacket at 1500 fps will put a hurting on anything from black bear on down. I still have some of those 405 grain jacketed soft points. They are accurate out of my gun.