.45-70 Lever Action Recoil

[adam_p]

Remington 405 grain are powder puffs and very accurate. Some 45-70 loads are beasts. Some ammo can be shot in new and old rifles. Lower pressures. Some loads are too hot to be fired in old rifles and it states that on the box.

I have the regular henry without the octagonal barrel.

The 405 remingtons feel like a 20 gauge to me. Real easy on recoil.

The 325 Hornady rounds are an entire different animal but still nowhere near my 300 RUM recoil wise. Very manageable.

[trophy8]

1895 G here. Standing or off sticks it’s not too bad at all. Sighting it in on a bench is awful.

[sir shovelhands]

1895 G here. Standing or off sticks it’s not too bad at all. Sighting it in on a bench is awful.

Same here. Trying to work up loads is punishment.

Now my subsonic 450 gr rounds are powderpuffs.

[rferg84]

My Henry may be the hardest kicking gun I own.

[BLACKFINTURKEY]

Not all 45-70s are equal that’s for sure. Like others said the 405 corlockt cowboy loads are nothing but the 350gr Winchester Hunting loads are stout for sure. They are fun guns regret selling mine.

[Keg]

I’ve shot lots of 45-70’s and I use Buffalo Bore ammo... Recoil has never been an issue... except for the really heavy bullets...

[Texas Grown]

Not a lever gun. But I do plan to add a 45-70 T/C barrel in 12" or 14" to my collection of various calibers. Already have the dies, brass, and everything else for reloading.


Love me some straight-wall Mag pistols too. I also hunt with a few slug guns.

[300rem7]

I find the recoil of a light 270/30-06 worse than the 45-70s that I have shot. The 45-70 has more of a shove similar to a 12 gauge. Whereas a light 30-06 is a very sharp recoil.

[RifleBowPistol]

Lever guns do typically have more recoil in the same caliber than other guns. First because of their weight, then probably stock design and then the older ones, only having a butt plate and no recoil pad. I would bet the more modern guns, such as the Marlins in 45-70, should have some decent recoil pads on them, but other than that, pretty much the same as the older guns.

I personally don't have a problem with the recoil of those guns, but I can tell you, that I definitely notice the recoil more with lever guns.

If you really want to experience some heavy 45-70 recoil. Try a Ruger Number 3, in 45-70, with some really hot 500 gr. solids. You will think the 45-70 lever gun seems like a 223. In guns like the Ruger Number 1 and Number 3, you can load a 45-70 up pretty hot, to the point, it's close ballistically to a 458 Win. Mag.

[LFD2037]

I had a Marlin .45-70 GBL & shot Hornady LeverEvolution ammo. Like others have said, it's more of a stern push than a kick. Never hurt or bruised my but my 7mag would bruise me.

[Rem40x]

I have some 500 gr soliids that will turn your hat sideways


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[UltraMax]

With loads at trapdoor pressures, the recoil is pretty light.

I load 420 flat points I cast from wheel weights and push them to around 1500 and they ain’t no joke. You’ll only want a few of them but I like the load. Shoots well and they hit HARD.

When you load 350 grainers to 1900 FPS it’ll rattle your teeth out.

[xman59]

i had shot one for nearly 40 years,,,, the factory 300 gr hp from Winchester are listed at 1800 fps,, the recoil is a firm shove not a slam,, lower velocity = longer time of recoil,, higher velocity = faster recoil.... i never found the factory loads to be a rough at all and i had shoulder surgery,, i gave up my 30-06 after that because of the recoil but kept the 45-70 for a long while because it did feel considerably milder

my handloads in my 1895 marlin ran 2050 fps, with a 300 gr hp, considerably hotter than the factory winchester or remington loads i had shot for years,,, the recoil was still not bad,,, no recoil pad either

[sharkhunter]

Normal factory about like a 20ga shotgun. Stiff marlin or Ruger only loads about like a 12 gauge. It’s not a big deal at all. Some people talk it up like it’s a 458 Lott or something.

[kevin nicholls]

My 45-70 GBL isn't to bad, my Marlin 44mag kicks like a three legged ninja. It's the hardest recoiling rifle I own.