From: sjo@sunsrvr1.cci.com (Steve Owens)
Newsgroups: rec.guns
Subject: Impressions (was Re: 45-70 Govt - .410 compatible?)
Date: 6 Jan 93 18:22:58 GMT
Organization: [Computer Consoles, Inc., Rochester, NY

In article <1993Jan1.003524.11368@michael.apple.com> you write:

[...]

#(For those who are wondering:  I have a TC, but would like something
#fatter than the .357 bbl. {which I have}.  I can get a .44 Mag, but
#the .45 LC {which I really want} is not an option in Ca.  The .45-70 Govt.
#is fatter than the .45 LC {.458 vs .452} and could be loaded either
#hotter or slower - and it has a 700 gr. bullet available for those
#days when I feel like pretending to be high trajectory canon ;-)  
#Yes, the .44 Magnum is almost the same as a .45 ... but there is
#just something about that extra 2/100 or so inch... )

[...]

#E. Michael Smith  ems@apple.COM

	While I don't know about shooting .410 in a .45-70 Gov't,
being the proud owner of a new 14" .45-70 TC Hunter barrel (I *had* to 
have one :-) I can at least give you my initial impressions of that.

	I and two others (my father and a friend of his) have all
shot a single round of Federal Classic 300 grain HP through my .45-70 TC 
and the unanimous conclusion was that it was not as bad as we were told it 
would be.  All three of us thought the recoil quite manageable (no doubt 
this is due to the muzzle brake, the padding on the Contender grip, and the 
factory ammo.)  The only complaints were from my father and his friend.  
My father got his left index finger pinched because he placed it under the 
finger guard on the back of the trigger guard.  My father's friend said it 
hurt the back of his shooting hand, but admitted he might no have had as 
tight a grip on it as he should have.  As for me, I had no problems with it.
I shot a .44 Mag shortly (about a minute) after the .45-70, and to me the 
recoil of the .45-70 wasn't that much more than the .44.  Recoil was more
of a stout push than a sharp jolt.

	This is not to say that I'd like to shoot 100 rounds in one
session right away, either.  These are the impressions of three people who 
shot a single factory round through it, just to get the feel of it.  I need to 
get out more with it to form a better opinion of how well I'd like to shoot
this cartridge on a regular basis.  However, if initial impressions are
anything in the shooting sports, the .45-70 is not as bad as most people
would lead you to believe.

	A point on the ammo: at $1 a round for factory ammo, this is
*definitely* a reloader's round.  I need to start gathering info on
where to get supplies for this round (virgin brass, mostly, so I can
build my rounds from scratch.)  Checking my Hornady manuals, they do
*not* suggest using anything heavier than a 350 grain round nose bullet
in the Contender.  Their warning states that anything heavier would
produce severe recoil that would place excessive wear and tear on both
the gun and the shooter.  If I remember correctly, they said the 300 grain
HP bullet was good on deer-sized game, while the 350 grain RN would be 
good on any game that could be encountered in North America.

	Personally, I like the .45-70, and think it will become one
of my favorite calibers to shoot in my Contender.


						Steve



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