Shorty 45-70

[bodie4]

Anybody cut one down?  Hows recoil?  Thinkin 18 inches....

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[Spanky]

Some words of wisdom... if you're gonna cut it down take a hacksaw and cut off 1 inch. See how it feels, balances and points for you. If you want it shorter cut off another inch and repeat the process until you like it. I have cut down a few and usually 20" long is good for me. You've got alot of powder to burn with the big case so try to match barrel length with powder choice to get the best performance possible out of it.
Recoil is going to depend 100% on how you load it (if you reload). Trapdoor loads are pretty mild, lever loads are a little stiff, Ruger loads can smash your face in.   Some guys will tell you Ruger loads "ain't that bad"... don't listen to 'em. On the other hand 405gr. cast bullets loaded to trapdoor levels will shoot through a moose and won't detach your retinas... do you need more than that??
All in all the 45-70 is a VERY versatile cartridge that is fully capable of taking any game animal on the planet...yes even the real big ones.
 
 
 
Spanky

[Shu]

I cut my 45-70 to 16.25 inches. I like the way it looks, balances and shoots. I wanted a gun that was light and could drop anything I choose to shoot. I normally shoot trapdoor level loads. Those super barn burners just aren't necesary for my type of hunting. I normally shoot 400 grain bullets as a good compromise speed vs penetration. I have no trouble hitting at 200 yards but I set the gun up for closer work. I don't live anywhere near grizzly bear so it isn't a concern about not having tons of energy.
 
I have a mold for 250 grain light weights but my youngest daughter likes the 400 grainers at about 1100 fps for ringing steel gongs. She is 85lbs soaking wet, the recoil don't bother her a bit. She handles the little carbine very well. Unfortunately she laid claim to my trapper 357 and won't give it back. Her favorite thing is to pull those big 45-70s out of the box and nail gongs at the range when tough men are afraid to shoot it.

[twoshooter]

Sounds strange, but the 45/70 is not the perfect "short range" cartridge  , better mid-range capability. Get a 500 S&W for the close stuff, it has far less velocity loss from barrel length variation . The reloading manuals show little gain after 12" of barrel length.
I am very gratified by the posts here, there is indeed NO reason to beat yourself up with recoil, you can get entirely adequate performance without Ruger level loads. Personally I have used a 330 gr HP Lyman mold design nearly a century old @ about 1500 fps for a long time with great results. Actually , shooting a short light carry gun which you usually fire in the field from offhand position is less bothersome than setting at a bench even with a heavier gun.   

[bikerbeans]

Hi,
 
I cut down a 22" 45-70 to just under 18.5" and it was great fun shooting 405 Lee HBs over about 12 grains of Unique or 11 grains of 700X.   I later converted this gun to a 45 Cal smokeless MZ.
 
BB

[cwlongshot]

I'm on the other side of the coin... I LOVE my shorties, BUT not in these calibers. Even my 16" Marauder Marlins in 30-30 and 35 Rem stay in the safe!!  I do not like the blast! 

Shotguns and pistol caliber rifles get the pruning saw in my house.

CW

[geezer56]

I built (cut off) a 45-70 for use in cramped box blinds on a lease I used to be part of.  Ranges were from 50-140 yards.  Any farther and the deer were out of sight in a pine thicket.  I killed about a dozen deer with that rifle over 3 or 4 hunting seasons.  I had exactly one deer move from its tracks after the shot.  It went down in 45 yds from impact spot.  Loads were trapdoor level, Hornady 300 gr HP over Reloader 7, and not a top load either.  Barrel was only 18 in.  When I left that lease I sold the barrel, since it was pretty well purpose built.  Do not fear the de-lengthener, it can be your friend.

[bodie4]

As usual awesome input from all you guys..thanks.  Well its gonna go under the knife/ bandsaw today.  I dont reload..yet...but  this is a wealth of info for when I start.  Thanks again


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[Hodr]

My brother in law shoots 270 for everything here in Az.  I bought a H&R 45-70 and he was amazed how well it shot out of the box.  We went right back to his shop and cut the barrel to 18" and he was even more amzed it shot just as well.  Skip ahead to last year.  I set up by a trail out to a cattle tank, ladyelk and friends went single file in front of me less than 40' away, one each Buffalo Bore and ladyelk had a hole right through her with a chunk of rib added going out the far side, total time of hunt about 3 hours driving included.  For goof around I have a bottle of Trailboss.  350 grain lead tucked above 14 grain of powder is a really fun plinking round.
 
Hodr

[nanuk-O-dah-Nort]

I just got back from Moose hunting

I carried my Handi 45/70 cut to 18.5"

shot some LE's out of it, and didn't notice a difference from the 22" barreled one my buddy carried.

about 1.5lb lighter maybe... but balance was better, but I would NOT say it is a light gun.

[bodie4]

Its cut...now gotta get together supplies for the recrown.

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[bikerbeans]

Its cut...now gotta get together supplies for the recrown.

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hide your saw before you chop all your rifles.
 
BB

[guns-o-fun]

I just bought a 22-inch 45-70 barrel from someone here at GBO.  When I got it and cleaned it, I noticed some kind of wierd corrosion on the rifling going back about 2/3" from the muzzle.  So, I will probably cut it back to 20" and remount the sight.  I have trouble with these large caliber handi barrels when it comes to recrowning.  In my experience they seem to be harder around the outside than in the middle.  So, I recrown them by using a brownell's 90-degree facing cutter and then recess the rifling a little by using a 45 degree cutter.  I have done a cut down classic barrel and a 500 SW barrel this way and it seems to work well.  The 45-70, in particular was very accurate.  That's just what's worked best for me.

[gcrank1]

That sounds like a nice crowning set up, Id sure use it! A guy can do it the old fashioned way, but after the learning curve nice tools that do it faster sure get the nod. It takes more than one job to pay the tooling down though.

[guns-o-fun]

Well, for a while there, I was the mad barrel chopper.  I think it has paid for itself in terms of Handis and in terms of a couple of DIY bolt guns I have put together.  Buying a pre-cut and crowned barrel is one thing, but then getting it to that point of perfect balance with the stock you want to use is another.