After years of shooting 30-06 and 8mm Mauser, (and some varmint stuff in .223 Ackley) I found a nice Ruger Number 1 in 45/70 Govt.

This is a popular set-up for Roosevelt Elk locally (North Oregon Coast). My hunting partner uses a Marlin 1895S in this caliber. He's found the action limited to Hornady 350 gr. bullets. (Speer 350 gr. cannalure results in an OAL that won't feed in the action of the Marlin.)

I'm loading Speer 350, 400 gr. Also bought a box of 500 gr. Speer "African Grand Slam" just to have it on the reload bench.

Powders run Hodgdon 4198 and 4895.

New rifle, new caliber, and new at "big bore" guns.

I read Paul Matthews' "40 Years Of The 45/70" but he's shooting "old school" paper patched soft cast lead.

Elk season is coming up. Deer is now open. I suppose I should add that we hunt either on our properties or on the Weyerhauser (timber company) land just behind the house.

"Hunting Expeditions" for both deer and elk are about setting the coffee mug on the kitchen counter and heading down the hill behind the house. We come back and get the John Deere Gator if we get an Elk.

Not Africa, but we live here 24/7. I'd be interested in commentary on the 45/70 for North Am. game.

Thanks.

I fogot to add -- Most game is taken in woods at less than 100 yds. Scope preference is a Leupold VXII 1-4x 20mm. With most of the shots taken at 1x. The scope being faster than iron sights and low magnification being ideal at ranges under 100 yds.

Nice find ! I use a 1x4 scope to find openings in the brush [yes even a 45-70 can be deflected !] I use Win Partition 300 gr as I found some others too lightly constructed for my taste.Some use that round for elk too.The 45-70 does very well on everything in North America.Standard factory loads are all you need for deer.The 45-70 doeasn't kill by velocity so there's no need to make a magnum out of it.Other companies have interesting loads for serious stuff Buffalo Bore, Garrett.PMC ,before they disappeared had a nice 350 grain load.Have fun ! and welcome to the forum.Happiness is a warm 45-70 !

Used, only slightly -- Stainless, laminated stock. It looks like somebody shot it at the range and decided it hurt too much, and so traded it at the shop for something else.

I'd be a recoil junkie. *S*

I have a Ruger #1 in 45-70 and it's main limitation is the rainbow trajectory. It's killed hogs with 405 grain cast and Hornady 350 grain RN bullets very effectively. It's light weight makes it handy but recoil with heavy loads can be harsh. I installed a thick recoil pad.

45/70 Gvmt;

I have used the 45-70 on a number of elk and unless your valley/coast elk are a lot tougher than our elk in central Oregon a well placed 350 grain Hornady round nose or 350 Barnes X will do the job nicely.

Don't scoff at lead bullets, one of my best mule deer was taken with a 385 grain cast propelled by 28 grains of 4198 from an original 1874 Sharps 45 2 1/10" AKA 45-70.

The plan for elk this year is to use my Thomas Turner 500/450 double with 350 grain cast bullets ahead of 58 grains of 4198. If all I get is a puff of hair, dust and sparks off the ribs of a bull, I'll consider using either a Hornady or Barnes next time.

Good luck to you on your elk hunt. Post a picture if you get one.

My Shiloh Sharps 45-70 shot clean thru a 1400lb buffalo bull at 217 yards Christmas 2004. 500gr Lyman 457125 at 1470fps...a bit warm for a regular diet, but three or four a year...okay.

Rich

I also hunt Roosevelt elk with the .45-70 on occasion (if you can call running into elk when you go out to feed the horses "hunting"). Anyway, I use a variety of 300-350 gr. bullets, including the copper-washed but not jacketed variety, as well as the regular jacketed stuff and/or cast bullets. About 57-59 grains of VV-N135 seems to work well for me, as does 29 grains of Hercules (Alliant) 2400, or up to 59 grains of Tu-5000. W-W brass, and WLR primers. I'm shooting a Browning '86, so those loads would hopefully not be a problem in your rifle.

I have had a Ruger No1 for several years. I really like it.
For elk sized game take a look at the 350gr North Fork bullet.

I've found over the years that my two best powders for use in the .45/70 (Ruger No.1) are RE 7 and IMR 3031 in that order. I have also had good results with IMR 4064 for loads in the 1350-FPS range with pure lead cast bullets (Lyman 457122HP, 342 grain bullet).

IMO, the .45/70 is best when loaded with 350 grain or heavier bullets. I've never seen one shoot particularly well with 300 grainers. I guess the 300 is heavy enough for deer-size game, but it is a bit on the light side for elk moose & large bear.

45/70:
I think you've got about the ideal rig for coastal Oregon elk. I've taken two mulies with the .45-70 in a Marlin. The first used a handloaded Remington 300-grain hollowpoint at about 2000 fps that broke up! on the spine of a small buck running broadside to me in the junipers. No more Rem 300s for me. The second I took with a 290-grain express bullet I swaged myself with a bonded jacket and core. Performed perfectly and went on out into the sagebrush.
This of course is useless information for hunting elk, but I would sure consider that Hornady 350 as it is built tougher than most of the 300s. The North Forks sure have a good rep among the big bore guys.

I went to the Puyallup gun show today to look for Number 1's and there were only three! There was a nice .243 but don't need it. There was a Lyman Commemorative that was 1600 bucks. I did spot a nice 45/70 for 750 but my budget can't handle that this month. I was looking for an 06, anyway.

I just missed JimmyD, I was told.

Shopped and shopped for a scope. What I chose is a Leupold (Oregon product/cult) VXIII 1.75 - 6x 32mm with a heavy duplex. Larger objective for more light in the woods and heavy reticle because a standard gets lost in the trees.

Speer FP in 350 gr. w/ a middle of the road load of H 4895. 58 gr. I think, but I'd have to look at my notes.