My first big bore rifle.

[Spencerk]

Walked into the pawn shop the other day and they had one of my bucket list rifles. An NEF handi rifle in .45-70. Couldn’t help myself from putting a down payment on it and putting it on layaway. Only downside is that the sights are missing and it has a craptastic bsa red dot installed on the rail.

I’m going to get rid of the red dot and mount a WGRS from Brownells and get a factory front sight. I feel like that would be the perfect brush gun setup for hogs and deer.

I also think I might go ahead and thread and recrown the muzzle so I can mount a can on it later on. I feel like the handi rifle would be the perfect rifle for a suppressor.

I’m probably going to give it a good old krylon treatment too since it’s such a cheap rifle. If I wind up throwing a can on it I’ll probably wind up getting a better red dot for it. Likely a holuson.

I have an unnatural attraction to break action rifles. There is just something therapeutic about the way you have to load and shoot them.

Other than the sights, the only other thing it needs is a good sling and it’s field ready.

 

[deemus]

Should be a thumper.

 

[grasshopperglock]

Considering one of those in 12ga is by its very nature, the standard by which things recoil enough to make you feel like you've slapped by a body builder.

I'd like to request video of it being shot 45-70 style.

 

[Charlie]

Nice find! I'm going to borrow one of your words for future use, "craptastic"! Thanks.

 

[V-Tach]

Sights should be readily available.......I have a couple of NEF 45/70 rifles...

Start with some 405 gr. loads......video requested......

 

[sucker76]

I have one and its a hoot to shoot. The Rem 405gr loads are fun shooting. The Hornady 325gr loads are a horse of a different color. 405gr @ ~1100fps = 1087ft/lbs of energy.
325gr @ ~1800fps = 2337ft/lbs of energy.
The Hornady also smacks the shoulder more.

Here it is when I got it next to a Remington 405gr cartridge.

It came with a Williams sight mounted in front of the chamber. The notch was very coarse and I wanted a peep too. I got Williams WGRS peep for the rear of the chamber.

For some reason the sight didn't fit properly. The chamber mounting radius is different from the radius further up the barrel where the original Williams sight sat. I couldn't put the peep forward of the chamber because the screw holes didn't match even though the radius fit. The mounting holes fit at the rear of the chamber. It makes sense to put it as close to the eye because it is a peep after all.

I hope you can see what I'm talking about in these pictures. Here is a better view of the gap between sight and receiver.

It is tight to the receiver and screws are torqued down properly too. I haven't had a chance to shoot it since I added the new sight. I imagine it will be fine.
This is the sight I bought
https://williamsgunsight.com/product-category/rifle-sights/h-r-rifle-sights/wgrs-receiver-sights-hr/
I can't think of the retailer I purchased it from.

 

[Sam7sf]

I love these rifles. It was my first 45-70. Such a great gun.

 

[Spencerk]

Decided I’m likely going with the target style Williams peep sight with the adjustable target knobs. It’s not that much more pricy and it give a much higher range of adjustment over the WRGS. Looks a little clunky but I think it would fit the bill better for me.

We shall see what the wife says though. I can’t stand a red dot on this rifle.

 

[Sam7sf]

I can’t stand a red dot on this rifle

Seems ok. Most uses I got out of my 45-70 was under 70 yards. Back then I used it for critter control. Overkill? Sure. Fun? 100 percent.

 

[Spencerk]

Seems ok. Most uses I got out of my 45-70 was under 70 yards. Back then I used it for critter control. Overkill? Sure. Fun? 100 percent.

I could only imagine what a .45-70 would do to a squirrel. Lol

 

[Sam7sf]

I could only imagine what a .45-70 would do to a squirrel. Lol

Shot trouble making racoon in the face. Gave him a grapefruit sized pooper.

 

[Spencerk]

Shot trouble making racoon in the face. Gave him a grapefruit sized pooper.

Dear lord lol. I’d be more interested to see what a Tennessee heart shot does to a raccoon or a coyote with a 325gr Hornady round.

I’m imagining a pink mist and no more yote lol

 

[Sam7sf]

Dear lord lol. I’d be more interested to see what a Tennessee heart shot does to a raccoon or a coyote with a 325gr Hornady round.

I’m imagining a pink mist and no more yote lol

If I recall it was a reload 500 grain led. Lol. On the hot side.

 

[Spencerk]

If I recall it was a reload 500 grain led. Lol. On the hot side.

One of the main reasons I bought this rifle was to start casting my own lead bullets and do some serious handloading. I really want to make some heavy slow moving projectiles so I can test my luck at long range shooting with it. I feel that a heavier 500 grain bullet moving around 1100fps could be a very fun and very challenging 500-1k yard load.

If people can do it with subsonic .22lr I’m sure the .45-70 could do it too, even out of the shorter barreled handi rifle

 

[Sam7sf]

One of the main reasons I bought this rifle was to start casting my own lead bullets and do some serious handloading. I really want to make some heavy slow moving projectiles so I can test my luck at long range shooting with it. I feel that a heavier 500 grain bullet moving around 1100fps could be a very fun and very challenging 500-1k yard load.

If people can do it with subsonic .22lr I’m sure the .45-70 could do it too, even out of the shorter barreled handi rifle

That old handy rifle stabilized cast bullets well.

 

[sucker76]

Loading heavies for long range will definitely require a peep with lots of vertical adjustment.

 

[benenglish]

One of the main reasons I bought this rifle was to start casting my own lead bullets and do some serious handloading. I really want to make some heavy slow moving projectiles so I can test my luck at long range shooting with it.

BPCR Silhouette (black powder cartridge rifle) is seriously addictive. Beware.

 

[Spencerk]

Loading heavies for long range will definitely require a peep with lots of vertical adjustment.

Either that or I’ll go with some good old Kentucky windage. I actually learned how to shoot that way when I was a kid. Used to practice with .177 and .22 cal airguns with NO sights and I could readily hit soda cans at 100 yards that way. Even when I use a shope I just use a holdover. Even when shooting at 1k lol.

I’ll probably stick with the WRGS sights and go from there. I’m kinda put off by how clunky the adjustable Williams sights are, especially since this is a gun that’s going on a sling and being hunted with in the brush. Guess I’ll just have to stick with what I know lol.

 

[tacotime]

Get ready to discover the Ruger No. 1 and No. 3 rifles in 45/70 and larger!

 

[Sam7sf]

Get ready to discover the Ruger No. 1 and No. 3 rifles in 45/70 and larger!

I regret not buying a number 1 in 458 win. But the older I get without getting my shoulder looked at I stick to 30-06 and 6.5x55 currently. I’m actually young, 38 soon, I have done labor most of my life and it’s catching up.