45-70 ammo & assorted rifles

So, long story short, I've been looking at single-shot rifles due to semi-autos burning through so much ammo. I do have some single-shot .22s (re-barreled military trainers too which is awesome) so that saves massively on cost and ammo is everywhere.

But, .22 is nowhere near as satisfying as larger centerfire ammo. I thought about maybe a single shot 45-70 (maybe a repro Springfield trapdoor as I like the older style guns). I feel manual actions are more fun and with single shots, they don't demand as much ammo.

Now, obviously, 45-70 isn't cheap at all. Off the shelves, it's like $3 a round here. I wanted a lever action in that caliber at one point but those prices steered me away. Never shot it either, and was hoping some of yall could enlighten me.

I don't reload, but would it be worth getting into cartridges like these? What's the best price it's found at? (some of my local shops still think 5.56 is worth $1/rd in 2022). Or, is it just the nature of the beast and I have to eat it?

The biggest caliber I run is 7.62x39. I also take my ar15 out most range days too. Kinda want to step it up but I only make so much money. I've also considered 7mm and 30 - 06 in the same terms.

What's your advice /k/?

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  1. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    why dont you just load your milsurp rifle one bullet at a time?
    get a nagant, 54r is like 60 cents a round

    • 1 year ago
      Anonymous

      The only large caliber milsurp I currently own os a 303 enfield. As for your suggestion, I could totally do that and its fine. A nagant and 54r would also save too.

      The solutions are everywhere honestly, but I was also curious about what the round could offer.

  2. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    Components for target ammo should be around .30 per across most calibers, so whether that is worth it for cost is for you to decide

  3. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    >I don't reload, but would it be worth getting into cartridges like these? What's the best price it's found at? (some of my local shops still think 5.56 is worth $1/rd in 2022). Or, is it just the nature of the beast and I have to eat it?
    I reload .45-70 with a lee hand press, dies are cheap too. After you get the brass, which in the US is hard to find unless you just buy commercial ammo, you need about 30 grains of 4198, a bullet (30cpr) and a large primer (you can use pistol if you want, but rifle works better) So you will be shooting about 50cpr, plus amortized cost of the case.

    • 1 year ago
      Anonymous

      That's honestly great savings. How much use do you usually get from each casing?

      • 1 year ago
        Anonymous

        Depends on how much you work the mouth of the brass, but generally you can get 50 loadings pretty easily.

  4. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    You will save shitloads of money loading 45-70 and other various lever cartridges in very few loadings.
    45-70 with cast boolits and fast pistol powders are 45 cents each. 45 colt is 30 cents each etc.

    • 1 year ago
      Anonymous

      Since I don't know much about reloading, what would you recommend to get started? Also got a coworker whose new to the gun world and wants to get into milsurps and thinks reloading may be his best bet too.

      How much should $$$ a decent station run?

      • 1 year ago
        Anonymous

        $500 gets you pretty much everything you need to load a cartridge of your choice. Get a single stage press, the accessories necessary, and the components for a cartridge.

      • 1 year ago
        Anonymous

        I dunno what things cost now. I went with RCBS and bought a used rock chucker for $60 years ago. Most of my reloading shit is mixed brands, I have a lee bullet trimmer and hand primer press, a polisher made of chinesium, and a powder measure of unknown make. That is all you need to make bullets. I do not think it is a good idea to start with a progressive press.

      • 1 year ago
        Anonymous

        As a heads-up, a used 45-70 bullet mold is around $20 for a single-cavity and you can buy a double mold straight off the rack for about $50. Clean lead is a little harder to find, dirty lead is cheap. The bullets themselves are big/costly enough that you can pay for the mold and trimmer in under a hundred rounds.

  5. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    are there any good guides to start reloading?

  6. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    If you want to shoot all day long, try an air gun.
    You'd think you could save money with a bow, but you don't, trust me I've tried.
    A sling is something that is definitely the cheapest if you want to go deeper into the primitive hole.
    Try black powder. It's a totally different speed than semi auto. But you can hunt with it, ammo and parts are cheap and available. You don't shoot that much, and learn something new.

    • 1 year ago
      Anonymous

      >ammo and parts are cheap and available
      maybe 3 years ago

      • 1 year ago
        Anonymous

        Its literally lead and black powder.

        • 1 year ago
          Anonymous

          yeah and try finding black powder and caps today
          bonus: for a decent price

  7. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    Buy a muzzle loader it's fun as frick and you can't burn through ammo

  8. 1 year ago
    Anonymous

    If you can plink 45-70, you're either rich or a reloader. Hell of a fun round though, I have a blast every time I shoot it. Still, I've never bought one myself for that reason.

  9. 1 year ago
    Anonymous
    • 1 year ago
      Anonymous

      nice

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