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30-30 vs 45-70?

Discussion in 'Guns & Hunting' started by shhernandez74, Oct 31, 2020.

  1. Oct 31, 2020 at 7:23 PM
    #1
    shhernandez74

    shhernandez74 [OP] New Member

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    Question, I have the option of buying a 30-30 or a 45-70 lever action rifle.

    I am going out to CO and mainly want it for bear protection, I don’t see my self hunting bears any time soon but maybe in the future. I don’t do a lot of hunting but I have been invited out to hunt hogs and deer and may start doing that once I finish school.

    What would you guys choose? A 30-30 or a 45-70? Has to be lever action

    upload_2020-10-31_21-23-28.jpg
     
  2. Oct 31, 2020 at 7:55 PM
    #2
    Vuducrumax

    Vuducrumax New Member

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    45/70 no question. I love my marlin. Try hard cast for big bears :headbang:
     
  3. Oct 31, 2020 at 8:33 PM
    #3
    Wallygator

    Wallygator Well Zippedy Da Do!

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    I had a 30-30 Marlin lever action and loved it, sold it to a friend so it's still in the family. But for bears I would always go bigger and probably choose the 45-70 if I needed it for your situation.
     
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  4. Oct 31, 2020 at 8:40 PM
    #4
    Black Wolf

    Black Wolf Bigfoot Hunter, Sasquatch too, but not Yeti

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    .30-30 is great but the .45-70 is a bear killer for sure. I've owned both calibers over the years. My first rifle was a Marlin 336 lever in .30-30. Bought a Winchester lever .45-70 years ago. Bad ass actually. The .45-70 put down a lot of bison years ago. Too many unfortunately....
     
    Last edited: Nov 1, 2020
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  5. Oct 31, 2020 at 8:41 PM
    #5
    xtyfighterx

    xtyfighterx New Member

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    45-70 hands down.
     
  6. Oct 31, 2020 at 9:37 PM
    #6
    Outbound

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    45-70. Load some 400gr pills in there and it'll flip a bear onto it's ass.
     
  7. Oct 31, 2020 at 9:42 PM
    #7
    BTBAKER

    BTBAKER DIFFERENT NAME. SAME JUNK.

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    I was really thinking of a .45-70 and a buddy keeps telling me they kick like a mule and I will hate shooting it.
    Any truth to this?
     
    shhernandez74[OP] likes this.
  8. Oct 31, 2020 at 9:42 PM
    #8
    BIGUGLY

    BIGUGLY I the SheepDog. I have the capacity for Violence.

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    If you want to make it mad, 30 30. 45-70 or better yet 450 bushmaster.
     
  9. Oct 31, 2020 at 10:05 PM
    #9
    Vuducrumax

    Vuducrumax New Member

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    Depends how you load it. I find a 400 gr at 1200 to kick less than a 30-30 but a 350 gr at 2000 will ruff you up abit
     
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  10. Oct 31, 2020 at 10:37 PM
    #10
    Tinnitus

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    Samuel, whichever round you go with, buy a Winchester or Marlin lever gun. Not a Henry.

    Henry's customer service is great, but then, it needs to be.
     
  11. Nov 1, 2020 at 1:41 AM
    #11
    RLHULK

    RLHULK Too many gamma rays in all that BBQ smoke.

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    Any specifics on Henrys? First hand accounts?

    I have always read great reviews on Henry rifles, and have spoken to many Henry owners, who all have said positive things about the rifles. I have a read a few reviews where rifles had to be sent back but Henry always took care of the issue.
     
  12. Nov 1, 2020 at 6:13 AM
    #12
    Craigt

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    45-70 for bear all day long. I personally am partial to the Leigh Defence 305gr Xtreme Penetrator Ammunition. Just remember that you are looking for a defence round not a hunting round. In my opinion you want very good penetration, good wound channel and weight retention.
    As for the kick, even with a heavy fast bullit I have never found the kick to be what I would call bad.
     
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  13. Nov 1, 2020 at 6:31 AM
    #13
    P-Factor

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  14. Nov 1, 2020 at 7:03 AM
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    BIGUGLY

    BIGUGLY I the SheepDog. I have the capacity for Violence.

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    Be careful of recent production Marlin rifles. Remington bought them a few years ago. Everything the group who owned Remington touched went to crap fast.

    A good uses marlin or Henry would be great.
     
  15. Nov 1, 2020 at 7:19 AM
    #15
    Prostar 190

    Prostar 190 SSEM #9 I would rather be water skiing

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    I have the 45/70 Henry and love it.
     
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  16. Nov 1, 2020 at 7:59 AM
    #16
    Tinnitus

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    Only on the ones I've personally handled, owned by friends and guys at the club.

    Look at the internals in a Henry lever action and compare them to a Marlin or Winchester and you start to see where the cost savings are.

    IMO, many of the parts are not as robust or as well designed as they ought to be. Also, IMO, the quality control of manufacture on small parts on different days on the shop floor is not what it ought to be.

    Yes, there are some great Henry lever action rifles out there. I've seen several - until they weren't one day, and the owner was standing at the line yanking away at the lever and swearing a blue streak. (Thankfully, there wasn't a Colorado bear running at them! LOL)

    Yes, it can happen to Marlins and Winchester. But not - IMO - as often.

    To me, Marlins and Winchesters are like Toyotas. Henrys are like Chryslers.
     
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  17. Nov 1, 2020 at 8:01 AM
    #17
    RLHULK

    RLHULK Too many gamma rays in all that BBQ smoke.

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    Yes the early made remington marlins had issues, but the more current ones are fine. I have one I bought last year, marlin 336c lever action 30-30, fit and finish is very good, feeds and extracts no issues and is pretty accurate with federal fusion 150gr ammo. The 170gr core lokes shoot to the right about 3inches no matter what, odd. The federal fusion is spot on quarter sized groups off a bag at 100 yards.

    The JM marlins are the ones sought after the most.
     
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  18. Nov 1, 2020 at 8:01 AM
    #18
    Outbound

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    I find it to be more of a hard shove than a kick. My 7mm Rem Mag with 150gr bullets has a sharper and more noticeable kick than my 45-70 with 300gr bullets.

    They did go through a rough patch just after that requisition, but the newer production ones are much better. I have a Marlin 1895 SBL that is a 2019 production and it's excellent. Build quality, fit and finish are spot on.
     
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  19. Nov 1, 2020 at 8:02 AM
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    RLHULK

    RLHULK Too many gamma rays in all that BBQ smoke.

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    No doubt some of those issues have happened, as you said can happen to any brand. Only issues I have heard about are some canted front sights.
     
  20. Nov 1, 2020 at 9:49 AM
    #20
    Zed

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    Go big or go home.
     
  21. Nov 1, 2020 at 10:43 AM
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    Black Wolf

    Black Wolf Bigfoot Hunter, Sasquatch too, but not Yeti

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    Kick is totally relative. My old Winchester 1886 .45-70 had a steel butt plate and I was reminded of every time I pulled the trigger. It was a collectors piece so I didn't have a recoil pad put on it. Wish I still had it though. They fetch a pretty penny now depending on condition and if pre Japanese made.
     
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  22. Nov 1, 2020 at 12:56 PM
    #22
    Tinnitus

    Tinnitus New Member

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    Further to the OP's question.

    If he goes with .30-30, I'd choose a gently used Winchester '94. The most common variety with the 20" barrel. 170 grain Nosler Partitions, either hand loaded or Federal factory. Open sights, with a big bright front sight.

    If he goes with .45-70, I'd choose a gently used Marlin. Guide gun-length barrel at 18.5". Hard cast lead flat nose bullets, hand loaded or loaded rounds from Buffalo Bore. Open sights with a big, bright front sight.

    Winchester and Marlin forums will give good advice about serial number ranges and the "good" years of manufacture. I suspect that most used Marlins will have been used gently because most of the owners will not have hand loaded and I don't recall any of the ammo manufacturers making cheap plinking ammo in .45-70 before COVID.

    The OP specified bear protection, hence my recommendation of open sights and a barrel no longer than 20". It will be used at bad breath range, if at all.
     
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  23. Nov 1, 2020 at 3:37 PM
    #23
    plinyyounger

    plinyyounger New Member

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    I’d go 45-70. Great gun. I’d go with guide size and enjoy it. If I was to do it again I’d buy 45-70 instead of the Marlin 450 below. I love it, but ammo can be a little challenging to find. Don’t need the scope on mine, was just having fun with it.

    324A86F0-36D6-4C41-8D98-3A3A28CD6C93.jpg
     
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  24. Nov 1, 2020 at 4:27 PM
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    Hondoman

    Hondoman New Member

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    Hopefully Marlin will return to its glory since Ruger acquired them recently. I wouldn't touch anything that Remington's been involved with in the last two decades.
     
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  25. Nov 1, 2020 at 7:54 PM
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    TundraPJ

    TundraPJ New Member

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    I’d definitely say 45-70 for bears. It’ll also prove effective on hogs if you wind up hunting them down the road.

    We’ve killed quite a few hogs with the 30-30, but the 45-70 would do it better :)
     
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  26. Nov 2, 2020 at 6:22 AM
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    rockmup

    rockmup New Member

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  27. Nov 2, 2020 at 6:57 AM
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    JamieinVT

    JamieinVT New Member

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    I own a Henry 45-70. It has been a flawless performer and Ive had no issues with mine. 45-70 is a great round.
     
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  28. Nov 2, 2020 at 7:39 AM
    #28
    akmerle

    akmerle New Member

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    While I have no experience with the 30-30, I absolutely love my 45-70 Trapper.

    Like others have posted, recoil is more of a hard push rather than a sharp kick. Similar to a 12ga.
     
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  29. Nov 3, 2020 at 6:48 AM
    #29
    Geezer

    Geezer New Member

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    If you intend to do a lot of shooting, then the 30-30 ammunition is a lot less expensive and easier to find on the shelf. However, as most others have said, a 30-30 is not likely to stop a bear quickly, especially an angry one.

    Regarding recoil (kick?), the heavier a bullet is in the same weight gun, the more it will recoil. That's simple physics. In any case, if you are trying to stop a bear that is attacking you will not notice the recoil until after the problem is solved.

    If you are an experienced shooter you already know this, but if this is your first rifle then please get out to a range and shoot it a lot so that you can hit what you aim at and, especially since you are looking to use it for protection, you can pick the rifle up and use it intuitively and safely under stress.
     
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  30. Nov 4, 2020 at 1:50 PM
    #30
    andy9743

    andy9743 New Member

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    45/70 marlin. find an earlier pre remington model with JW in the serial better quality, worth more. i love mine.
     

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