I am considering buying a new barrel for my Handi Rifle but I dont know if the recoil is going to be as bad as it looks. I have a .308 and 30-06 and got use to the kick but what about the 45-70? Would it be better to think of a lower caliber or get the Buffalo Classic for the longer barrel?

Get the barrel. If you shoot the Rem., Win., or Federal 300 gr. factory loads, they are pretty mild. You can always put a decelerator recoil pad on,too. However, if you get into the P+ loads[garrett, buffalo bore, cor-bon, etc.], they WILL kick the snot out of you in a handi-rifle!

Mad Dog

I agree with Mad Dog. The factory loads that he mentioned are comfortable. I've shot heavy handloads with 405 gr. bullets and they can be brutal. Other than the Buffalo Bore, etc., that Mad Dog mentions and hot handloads, nothing is going to be much more noticeable than the 30-06.

I shoot a .45-70 Handi that I put the laminated stock on, have a Limbsaver recoil pad and 2¼lbs of lead in the stock bolt holt, shoot the PMC 350gr at over 2000fps, recoil is very tolerable even from the bench. The 405gr rems are a pussycat in comparison....If you want a lot more info on the NEF/H&R rifles, come on over to the NEF/H&R Centerfire forum at Graybeard Outdoors.

http://www.graybeardoutdoors.com/phpbb2/viewforum.php?f=126&sid=d6bbc17b154b8ac3b78e268f0ce4050c

My first Handi-rifle was a 45-70 (well, I never bought any more though I purchased the .270 and 20 gauge USH barrels) and was quite pleased. I always wondered how the Buff Classic barrel would perform but unless you are shooting BP, max velocity, or targets with iron sights at long distances, I would prefer the handiness of the shorter barrel. Many of the commercial loads are geared toward levergun users and those are usually short too.

I am flinging 405's at around 1850fps and the recoil is stout but not bothersome. Well, at least not to me! derf

Has anyone shot military ammo out of there handirifle? I can shoot my 30-06 with no problem from my bolt action Springfeild and that is with the steel butt plate. When I shoot military action out of my .308 from my handi rifle its killin my sholder without the limbsaver. I have the Limbsaver but I havent shot it with it on in a long time. I also havent gotten the lead in the gun yet, but that shold help a lot. Is it prolly gonna kick like my mule of a .308 hot loads. I shot low rounds out of it and didnt mind those. The 270 just kind of punches me so what do you guys think? Does your 45-70 beat the hell out of you or am i just getting soft?

The fellas at the GBO H&R/NEF Centerfire forum have said without a doubt that the 45-70 has a bunch more recoil than either the 308 or 30-06 and in no uncertain terms prefer the lighter loads in the 45-70. And looking at the recoil chart below will confirm that opinion. The Limbsaver will go a long ways towards reducing the felt recoil, it's probably the most highly recommended of all recoil pads on the market, there have been a couple polls done both here and at GBO and it is extremely popular.

http://www.chuckhawks.com/recoil_table.htm