H&R Handi Rifle 45-70

[GoodOlBoy]

Well my buddy backed out of the 308 deal (kinda figured he would he really liked that gun) and I was in a pawn shop during vacation and found a BRAND NEW H&R Handi Rifle in 45-70 with iron sights, and tapped for a scope. Price was $270. Just couldn't let it go. Guess I will get to play with the big bore rifle boys now. :D

Only down side was the pawn shop was the ONLY place in town with any ammo and they had ONE box of leverlution ammo only. Bleh. Now I need to find some lead ammo to go with this box of pointed plastic shtick.

GoodOlBoy

[jmarriott]

If you can get past the trigger pull you will like the handi-rifle.

They used to do a bit of free trigger work and(at a small cost) fit a second barrel if you sent the rifle to the nef people.

[Catfish]

The only thing I can tell you is when you shoot it HANG ON TIGHT! Never shot one in .45-70, but I did shoot one in .500 S&W and could fire 50 round at 1 setting through the handgun easier than 5 through the NEF. I do know a couple of guy that like to play with that rifle, but I think all of them are shooting cast bullet and way below max.

[DogYeller]

GOB, don't worry too much about the recoil. I've been shooting one for about 8 years it hasn't hurt me and I sight in off the bench. I made my trigger adjustable but I hear the new models have a much better trigger, out of the box. I'm gonna take mine deer hunting this year.

[hnter]

45-70 vs .450M
I've got 1 in 45-70 and it's a pussy cat in comparison to the .450 Marlin rd. WHUT A THUMPER! :eek:

Hunter

[GoodOlBoy]

Been fiddlin with it, just dry firin etc. Trigger pull is nice on it. I mean yea it ain't a 1/16th pound gnat farter but I like it. Just can't wait to get out there with it.

GoodOlBoy

[jmarriott]

If the trigger is good then you will like it.

The few i have shot had the trigger reworked. (Made lesss harsh at the factory). Maybe they started polishing a bit at the factory instead of the recall shop. They all just bought a second factory barrel and got the trigger job free. The 500 S&W version is now legal in Indiana for deer see if they have one of those in that Pawn shop for me.

I have the 45-70 in 20 inch barrel on a t/c contender gen 1 with a small 4X scope, Same concept. Try a wrist cartridge holder you can reload fairly fast with it.

If you handload you can get a remarkable increase in power safely in the Handi. The 45-70 is stuck in the low SAMI rating since there are 100 year old guns. The 500 S&W is chambered with much higher than you will want to push the 45-70 so it will handle a mildy hot to hot 45-70 load.

[DogYeller]

Just in case you feel you need to tweak it a little.
http://www.perkloafm.com/downloads.html

[Larryjk]

Pet Loads by Ken Waters has two articles on the 45-70s; one on the rifle types and one on the different loads in three different power (pressure) levels. You really ought to read both. The loading data is mainly for smokeless powder, but you could have a hoot shooting black through that basic single shot. Black powder recoil is entirely different and velocity is around 1400 fps.
Pressures and velocity are much higher with smokeless powder.

[stolivar]

It will shoot up to and past the 450M if you handload for it.



steve

[Adirondacks]

I have 45-70 handi rifle. It's a great rifle.
I hand load the rounds. The factory 45-70 ammo is a bit
weak. I worked up a load that groups nice and hits like a truck.
That was my deer rifle of choice for a number of seasons
and took 3 deer with it. One ran around 50 yards and the other
two dropped where I hit them.
I put a variable power shotgun scope on mine.