I rescently purchased an H&R Ultra Hunter in 45-70 and must say it's a neat little rifle, more than I expected for the price. It has a 24" Stainless hvy bbl with a thumbhole laminate nutmeg stock. I was quite surprised that the stainless finish was not cheap looking in appearance, I expected it to have brush/polish lines similar to many cheap stainless rifles, but it has a very nice dull grey bead blasted finish. The trigger wasn't to shabby at all, it broke clean at 4lbs.

I bought this for a family member that wanted to use a 45-70 in our "Primitive Weapons" season, which now allows break action single shot rifles (Cal must be .38+) with a design prior to 1900.

I purchased the rifle, a Leupold 3-9x40 VX2, Rifleman Weaver style rings, and 3 boxes of Hornady Leverevolution 325grn for $796 total.

Here's a few pics:





I mounted the scope, cleaned the bbl, and fired 9 rounds at the range. I fired 3 to get it somewhat zeroed and the pic is of the first 3 shot group. I lowered 5 clicks and 2 clicks right, which gave one shot 2" high and touching the right side of the center line and the next shot touching that hole on the left side of the center line. I then fired 2 shots at 205 yards which were both 6" low.

Before I fired the rifle I was thinking it was going to recoil unpleasantly as I had heard the Handi 45-70s were hard kickers. I must say I was wrong, this thing is a breeze to shoot and has no more percieved recoil than your average 30-06. I could easily shoot this rig for hours.

If any of you are looking for a inexpensive and accurate 45-70, definitely give this rifle a look.

Reloader

I'm not too keen on thumbhole stocks but it shoots great. Would a Ruger #1 qualify as a "primitive weapon"?

Mikelravy,

No, it wouldn't, they will only allow break action rifles with an exposed hammer with a design prior to 1900. That throws out the Rugers and TCs.

I'm not a big thumbhole fan either, but must say the rig handles well and it's not too bulky. I believe the thumbhole helps with the recoil a bit as well, sort of spreads it to the palm of your hand and the shoulder as well.

Have a Good One,

Reloader

Congrats, and thanks for the review Reloader, yours is the only other one I've seen in an owner's hands, I've had mine for 3 weeks now, but won't get to shoot it until this Wednesday. Got mine from Bud's for $382 shipped. I swapped the stock for a camo lam that I had on my 7x57 Ultra, it has a Decelarator pad on it, since I'll be shooting up into Ruger level handloads with the 300gr TSX FBs in it, I wanted a better pad than what they put on all of the Boyd's stocks for the small bores. I put a Nikon Omega BDC-250 scope in low Leupold PRWs, the BDC reticle works great with 45-70 loads out to well past 200yds from a friend experience with it, and the 5" of eye relief is a good thing with lots of recoil!!

Please note that this rifle is the first H&R with a stainless frame, previous "stainless" H&R rifles and shotguns had nickle plated frames.

Very nice looking rig Wrongtarget. I really like that camo stock.

I think you'll love it. The rifle doesn't have the percieved recoil of the regular handi in 45-70 so with that Dec you should have a real pleasant shooting rig.

Yeah, Buds had the best deal, but they were sold out and told me they had no idea when they were going to get any more in stock, so I ordered it from TGS for 399 + 20 shipping. TGS took my CC w/o charging the 3% mark-up that Buds does and had me the rifle in less than a week. My FFL dealer could have saved me 6 bucks, but I didn't find out until I went by to pick it up. I usually beat his prices by a good amount by just buying off on gunbroker or gunsamerica, but I guess since these are new there's just not any available on the sites.

Let us know how she shoots.

Have a good one,

Reloader

Congratulations on some outstanding lookers to both of you.

Sounds like the LeverEvolution Ammo is well made and consistent.
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By the way Reloader, Just happened to wake up at 4AM a few days ago and what was on the local PBS station but an hour long show about Noodling. They were in Oklahoma at the 1st Annual Noodling Tourny run out of a resturant called (maybe) "Bob's Pig Shop". All kinds of cats were weighed in with the two largest ones over 50# and an exact Tie in weight.

Mine is the old plain jane 45/70 Handy rifle. And yes it kicked like a mule. I have installed a butt pad on it and that made a pleasant shooter out of it. You drop a 400gr bullet in it now and it's not to bad. Before with the plastic butt. Dear God it wwould cross your eyes
MM
PS. Mine is also very accurate. Way more than I exspected for $175 rifle (ten years ago)

Montana,

Do you have the synthetic handi?

They have a syn 45/70 with no sights, a weaver rail, and a 22" bbl for around $240 now. I've heard the lighter 22" bbl handi 45-70s have a terrible recoil, but I would imagine a Limbsaver would help. What pad did you go with?


HC, yeah, those are some nice cats. I've never seen one in person over 40. Next May and June maybe we can get ahold of a monster. Fried up another batch a couple weeks back and it was mighty fine.

Yes, the LRs are quite good shooters, I bought 3 boxes of the same lot in the 325grn and they gave me a pretty descent SD for factory ammo. several were in the 2020 range, which is not too far off the advertised 2050. Sighted 2" high at 100 and a deer will have a hard time escaping these bad boys out to 200 yards.

We hunt an area that only has a 2 week rifle season which is prior to the rut and a 1 week Primitive season that catches the post rut. I hunt with my Savage ML10II durign that season.

I tagged a nice 136" 8 and a 127" 9 on consective hunts there in 06. Last year I only saw a 17-18" wide 7 and a bunch of smaller bucks. I shot the 7 after passing him 4 times and wish now I would have let him go/grow. I couldn't find him after two days of searching, so I don't no what happened. I feel the close range high velocity impact made a surface explosion as it was a gravy shot and I'm pretty sure I hit him right in the shoulder point. Found lots of brown hair and ground bone/meat, but no blood. Plan on trying the 300grn bonded TC SWs this season at around 2300 fps.

We got some cam pics of some mid 130-140s class bucks at the end of the season, so hopefully this year will be golden. We managed to bag a heck of a 9pt(156") during that Mler season last year:

He was 20-1/4 inside with main beams over 25. He should have a couple of twins if two of the bucks we got pics of are still around.

Ya'll have a good one,

Reloader

Nope mine is the old wood stock. I did put a marbles fron sight on it with the brass tip & a Willams rear adjustable sight.
I went with a shotgun reciol pad as I found one on the shelf here in town that needed very little mod. Works great.
It came drilled for scope mounts , but I have never scoped it. It is a great bang around gun. That is what I bought it for. So a scope is more money than I want to put into it. It just rides in the Bronco and makes short work of road side vermin when I'm out and about.
Have taken it deer hunting a few times just for S...s & giggles. Man does it plant deer hard.
I love that little rifle and you will love yours too!
MM

quote:

Originally posted by Montana Maddness:
...It is a great bang around gun. That is what I bought it for. ...It just rides in the Bronco and makes short work of road side vermin when I'm out and about. ...

Hey MM, I noticed in their catalog that they have one in 357Mag. Thinking about it for the same reason as you have yours.

Only thing nagging at me is I just talked to the Taurus folks yesterday and their 357Mag Pump might be out before the end of the year. Looks like an old Colt Lightning, but should eventually be available in both Bule and Stainless. However, a person could get 4 of the H&Rs or one of the Taurus rifles for the same cost. Not so sure I'd consider a $1000 firearm a ride around truck gun. And the folks in Indiana are buying "ALL" the Marlin rifles chambered for Revolver Cartridges, so there are none of them on the shelves.
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Hey Reloader, That is all I needed - what a fine Trophy Buck you Killed. Neighbor stopped by 3 hours ago complaining about all the HUGE Deer eating everything in his garden. Said he and his wife were out there yesterday and three HUGE Doe can "strolling" through as if they weren't even standing there.

Fall "Sale" fliers beginning to show up in the mail. Dove Season getting close. Everything happening at once. I LOVE IT!

Good Hunting and clean 1-shot Kills.

I'm from Mississippi and Louisiana modeled their "primative weapons" season laws after ours. I've had a 45-70 buffalo classic for a couple of years now and killed a couple of deer with it. The 45-70's no slouch, I really don't feel handicapped with it in any way. I do wish that there was a good source of component bullets for handloading, hornady doesn't sell their leverevolution bullets as components and the only other spitzers I can find are the barnes 300 gr originals, which are horrendiously overpriced. I've been using the 325 gr leverevolution factory ammo but would really feel better shooting my own handloads, I think you could really stretch the 45-70 out to make it a decent 250 yd deer rifle by handloading. I wish some bullet maker would put out a 250-300 gr spitzer at a reasonable price, no need for anything fancy when you're slinging 250 grains at a whitetail, just a good old cup and core bullet will do fine. There's a truckload of round nose and flat points for the 45-70 out there, but spitzers are rare as hen's teeth.

HC, that's not me, but that rascal came from right near my stand(on a day I had to work of course).

Boltman,

HDY has a .458 300grn. I was looking at some recipes that push that pill to 2500 fps. Might be alittle vicious from a light rifle, but it would probably hammer whitetail. Ran the numbers in my calc and saw that that HDY 300 would only drop alittle over 2" at 200 yards with a 2.5" high 100yd zero. Not too shabby.

Have a Good One,

Reloader

Hey Reloader, Still a really fine Trophy Buck.

Hey Boltman, A few years ago I met a guy at the Range shooting a Single Shot Browning, maybe a B78(?) with maybe a 28" barrel in 45-70. I'd noticed his groups were right nice through my scope and asked what he was shooting. He was using a Lead Bullet with a Paper Jacket.

The Lead Slug is sized to Bore Diameter and the Paper is wrapped on to slightly above Bore Diameter. Of course you could order the Mold with any Tip you desire.

The thing that really impressed me though was his barrel was spotless after each shot. The Paper Patch apparently scrubbed the Bore on each shot and he had the Load just right for it.

It was not a weenie Load either. But, the B78 is built like a Tank with the Falling Block, so it can take a lot.

Good Hunting and clean 1-shot Kills.

Well goooood gosh, totally forgot about Sabots.

Back when the old "Shooters" Board was up and running, I was corresponding with a guy over in Europe that was wanting to use the Black Powder Sabots in his 45-70. Haven't thought about it for awhile, but a 45cal Sabot with either a 180gr or 200gr 35cal Spire Point Hornady might be what you are looking for. Or a 225gr Sierra which looks like an ICBM.

Don't know how well they would actually shoot, may do fine, may shoot patterns. If either of you want to try it out, you can use Range Pick-Up Sabots by just washing them real well. A buddy and I did some Used Sabot Testing in his Black Powder and it improved his groups. Just have to make sure all the dirt and sand is washed off.

If you all decide to try this, let me know how well it goes for you. As usual I would encourage a person doing this to use CHE & PRE to watch the Pressure Increase and make small incremental steps upward with the Powder.

Good Hunting and clean 1-shot Kills.

HC, That's actually not a bad idea.

The only problem I see is the .458 bbl dia. I would imagine the 45 cal HDY SST 200grners would make a fine flat shooting load. Several of the guys on the Savage MLing board have custom 45 cal bbls for their smokeless Savages and it would be a similar concept. seating the sabot and applying alittle roll crimp would probably be fairly easy. The only problem is the dia, I'm just not sure what the 45 sabot mike. I do know that my Savage ML10 shoots great, but it definitely prefers a real tight sabot to achieve good accuracy. If a 45 cal smokeless can push 40 cal pills to 2700+ fps, I don;t see why the 4570 couldn't. It may also be a challenge finding the perfect powder burn to achieve the proper volume and the proper pressure to avoid sabot failure as well as have a uniform seating pressure on the charge for consistent ignition.

Reloader

Hey Reloader, Somewhere around here I have a sack slam full of Sabot Range Pick-Ups. If I get a chance, I'll put a Caliper on some of them.

Perhaps they offer both 35cal and 40cal Bullet models in the45cal Sabots. I sure thought I remembered folks using 35cal Bullets in some of them. Perhaps it is similar to being able to use 44cal and 45cal bullets in some of the 50cal Sabots depending on the style you buy.

I sure don't know.

Oh yes, if they do make a 45cal Sabot for 35cal Bullets, the Flat Base of the 180gr and 200gr Hornady Bullets would probably do better because they would set square inside the Sabot. The 225gr Sierra with the Boat Tail might just make the Sabot act squirrely due to the Pressure forcing the edges of the Sabot up around the Boat Tail. All speculation on my part cause I've not Tested any of it.

I looked and I do not have any of the 45cal Sabots. Got plenty of the 50cal though.

If you all decide to try tham out, let me know how they work.

Best of luck to you.

Hot Core
Now that the price has gone way up on the NEF/H&R. I might gor for the Tarus pump my self for just a truck gun. Or maybe a Henerys in 45 colt.
MM

Hey MM, You can go to the Taurus web site and see what the rifles look like. I'm pretty sure they already have the Model chambered for 45LC available. I could have this wrong, but I believe I saw some available on one of the Auction sites. And of course if they have them, then your local Gun Shop could get them.

Taurus Customer Service is 1-305-624-1115 if you want to ask them directly about them.

If you get one, let us know how well it shoots.

Thanks Hot Core
My money is being saved up for a big bore at this time. 416 of some sort.
MM

i went this route in 454.
335 GR. LFN GC with 24.0 Lil'Gun packs a nice whack.

Hey KSTEPHENS, I doubt Reloader would mind if you told us a bit more about your rifle. What kind is it, how does it shoot, how smooth is the cycling, and can you remove the Bolt so it can be cleaned from the rear?

Should be a real hammer on the SC Deer, Hogs and Bear.

its a puma, basicly a 92 top eject. i never tried to remove the bolt. i can keep it on a pie plate at 100 from kneeling. action is very smooth and recoil is light w/ 45LC's a bit stiff from the 454's full power.

Hey KStephens, Sounds like a fine rifle. Best of luck with it on your Hunts.
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Hey Reloader, Well, I had to do some more digging to find the 45cal Sabots that can use a 35cal Bullet. HORNADY made them at one time and had XTP Bullets in some of them.

All the current catalogs and fliers I have indicate the 45cal Sabots use 40cal Bullets just as you said. Don't know if any are still around that will hold 35cal, but maybe there are some! I'll keep my eyes open for them and see if they turn up. May need a 45-70 myself!

Best of luck to you all.

Finally made it to the range and got some shooting in, it shoots the Winchester 300gr silver box fairly well, but really shoots the 300gr TSX well at over 2300fps.

http://www.barnesbullets.com/images/45-70RugerNo1Web.pdf

I guess it does shoot well!

Plenty of folks with $$$HIGH$$$ Bolt Actions would love for them to shoot that well.

Congratulations.

Thats what I love about mine. -$200 dollars NIB and it shoots as well as any other 45/70 I have seen.
Thay aren't much to look at, but man they get the job done!
MM