Have, or will have, "up and running" Browning 1886 and Ruger No.3 in 45/70 in a couple weeks and pondering on whether to rechamber both to the 45/90 round. How much of a problem would it be gunsmith wise to accomplish this conversion.
I understand the std. 45/70 Gov't can be used in this chambering which makes it somewhat more versatile. All feedback apprecciated.

Yep a 45/70 will work in a 45/90 chamber. Just like a 38sp in a 357. Your bullet will have longer jump and you are exposing the front part of the chamber walls to the powder burn. You might need to clean the chamber area before you switch back to 45/90. Shouldn't be an issue with a 45/70.

45/120 is a better choice .. cheap dies, cheap brass.. norma... and HUGE capacity

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45/120 is a better choice .. cheap dies, cheap brass.. norma... and HUGE capacity

Yep and in that #3 you will never have to question if you had a missfire.

Probably won't alter the Browning '86, don't want to tamper with it, but considering the No.3. You are right about knowing if it is a misfire or not, but working on that with a heavier, magnum profiled custom Douglas barrel, etc. to tame it down a bit. Shot a factory No.3 in 45/70 w/ stout loads and it is a "painfull thing." I stuffed my No.1 458Lott w/ merc reducer and most likely end up doing same with this No.3.
Most useage either the No.3 or the '86 will have is in the Wildbunch cowboy matches starting this year at local range and loads are at the most moderate in terms of power level. Maximum range will be 300yds and that should be a lot of fun with these two rifles.

Using a .45-70 in a .45-90 chamber isn't an analog to .38 sp. in a .357. The chambers are tapered, so you have more gas bypassing the bullet and the bullet bouncing around in the 3/10" chamber. It will work, but you shouldn't expect any reasonable accuracy.

As to the .45-120, it has far more powder capacity that one could possibly need...

Clarence

I have a NO3 42/70. The recoil is painfull with heavy loads. I cant imagine heavy loads in a 45/90 or 45/120. I like to load mine to factory loads, it is fun to shoot.
Lyle

With black powder I haven't heard of any accuracy problems with the .45/120.

But, with smokeless powders, I have several friends who gave up and sold them after having accuracy problems with that big case. They thought it was due to the varying powder positions of the relatively small smokeless charges in that huge case.

I've never owned one, so wouldn't know first-hand. But I'd sure look into it carefully before buying or re-chambering for the long case.

Come to think of it, there were a number of magazine articles on that very subject about 10-15 years ago. They might be worth digging up.

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loads are at the most moderate in terms of power level. Maximum range will be 300yds and that should be a lot of fun with these two rifles.

"I" would not bother wuth the conversion. UNLESS you just want a "cool" factor.

The 45-70 will do all that you will be asking of it.

Keith

If you're going to use smokeless stick to the 45-70. With the Holy Black Powder (smokeless is just a passing fad) the 45-70 is still a very satisfactory round for hunting and for targets even out to 1000 yds. If you do want to do long range targets then the 45-90 is an excellent choice. The 45-110 is used by several top shots but it is not an easy case to load for. Kenney Waserburger has a yearly mile shoot that is dominated by that cartridge. He has also used the cartridge in Africa. I know of no one successfully using the 45-120 for targets. The 45-120 could be used as a hunting round like the British express cartridges with a huge powder charge and light bullet.

Jerry Liles

quote:

Using a .45-70 in a .45-90 chamber isn't an analog to .38 sp. in a .357. The chambers are tapered, so you have more gas bypassing the bullet and the bullet bouncing around in the 3/10" chamber. It will work, but you shouldn't expect any reasonable accuracy.

I stand corrected on the tapered case. I had an old Sharps replica about 35 years ago. It was a 45x90. I used 45x70 brass the majority of the time. Since it was open sights and a tang sight I had no accuracy problems it shot as good as I could without optics. Like I said only issue I had was carbon build up in the front of the chamber. That could have been caused by the powder I was burning.

All of the feedback appreciated, and like the old saying goes, "if it ain't broke, don't fix it..." and there is nothing broke about the 45/70 cartridge so I will leave both of them as is caliber wise.
I become gamefully employed in a couple weeks after sitting out the winter and won't have time to think of all these "cool" items then. That will make my good friend and gunsmith happy for I can then pay his bills!!

AC,
the 45/120 and 450 NE (the first one) are very very very much the same, except the rim and a slight case head difference ... one can use a tiny it of filler, and use any powder they might like .. the lott is a greatly accurate round ...

thye may have had those problemes ... Rocky built one in an enfield, and doesn't have any accuracy problems ... my HR doesn't either.. in 45/120 OR 45/70 shot out of it .. none of these are bench rest guns, though.. 1-1.4"