I considering buying the 92 Basic just for the hell of it, I'm leaning towards the 45-70 for plinking,deer and black bear hunting. I have no interest in dreaming it to be a DG caliber "BUT" possibly someday I may. At that point could it be punched out to a 45-110 or 120 or should I just buy the 9.3-74R now.

45-70 .. cheap bullets, and can take any north american game cleanly -- 45/120 NITRO will rattle your teeth

I see the 45-90 as the best reaming option. Use 45-70 ammo still or load out or use 45-90 loaded ammo.

Jeffeosso,
Are you the one with the 45/120 Nitro (aka the flanged Lott)?
I heard about that monster..lol
Saw a picture once of a deer shot with one. Looked like it took a 20mm in the chest. Damn big hole.
Now if I'm not mistaken (probably am, comes with advanced age and stupidity) a 45/90 will give you the best of both. It can be handloaded to almost 458 Win Mag performance and still be able to fire 45/70s.
Either way you go, you will have a really great rifle.

Cheers, John

i coined the phrase, and have a handirfile in it.. a friend on an enfield, and i amworking on a double rifle.

i have sectioned norma cases.. and i set the data as 45/120 NITRO to avoid any confussion

I own no DBL rifles now so excuse the questions that may seem elementary to some. But what about regulation "if" I ream to anything other than the original 45-70? Is it a simple mattwer of just resighting the open sights or more indepth, ie, crowns?

I have a Sabatti in 9.3x74R. Im taking it to Afrika next year! Im also taking it on a Boar hunt in November and probably for Deer as well. That being said ammo was $70 a box (20rnds).

If youre interested in a 45-70, you might want to look at the Bakail SxS guns. They run well under $1000.oo and while not even Sabatti quality, they arent baaaaaaad. I think of mine as T34 tanks compared to Panzers. I have NO problem taking them to the field in foul weather.

Part of the reason for the lower price is that they a owner "regulated" by means of a jack screw to adjust one barrel to the other. The advantage of that is different loads can be used.

OK, they arent Purdy's; but which would you rather take hunting in the pouring down rail. My 45-70 was just over $700.

the baikal's are LIGHT.. work great as 45/70 .. but stiff loads in them are, well, brisk ... *I* would not, and did not, rechamber to 45/120 nitro . too light weight

the problem for me with the Baikal MP-221 is it so full of stamps and warnings it lost it's eye appeal

I have no interest in doing so but how would one sight in a scope on a dbl such as the Baikal? would you sight in one barrel and use the jack screw to move the other as close to it as possible?

yep.. i use a pryamid air gun 3/8 to weaver, and crank the barrels around

thank you and that makes sense to me as I'm an archer an switching sight setups on a bow is a process at times too.

I have shot seveal deer with a 45/70, and seen some deer and pigs shot by my brother and brother in law.

I have shot a lot of game with a 9,3x74R, including cape buff and elephant.

Of the two the 9,3 would be my pick by a WIDE margin.

It is a much more versitle cartridge.

I have a 458WM punched to a Lott that kills my cape buffalo. This is only meant for a plinker and 45-70 is a whale of a lot cheaper to shoot than the 9.3. But thank you for the input.