Several years ago I shot an old steel sledgehammer head at 125 yards with a 1944 Kar98k using 1943 Turkish 155gr cupronickel FMJ lead core ammunition. The bullet made a deep crater in the steel, made a nearly perfect 180° ricochet, and struck me on the knuckles of my right hand which was still gripping the stock (my trigger hand). It didn't break any bone but I have 3 scars there now. It felt like someone had just walked up beside me and smacked me across the knuckles with a 2 by 4.
I built a very light 458 SOCOM [6.5lbs loaded & with optics] with a good muzzle brake to tame the recoil and use 410gr Sub-X heads pushed at 1600fps for my Elk brush/heavy-woods gun... It performed fantastic since the elk aren't armored. 😂 no follow-up shot necessary and the sling options make it easy to carry in a way that provides faster acquisition and less muscle fatige... a real bonus on long walk hunts or rough terrain. Terminal ballistics and defeating barriers is neat at the bench, but there's far more to be considered for use in the field.
One of my first training rifles was a Springfield Trapdoor Rifle 1873+\- in .45-70 with original gov’t issue black powder loads pushing 450gr lead bullets. It took me awhile to learn to stand up to the recoil and not let it make me take a step or two back.
.45-70 has a MASSIVE selection of power levels and bullet types. If you want to bash your shoulder, use a Ruger #1 rifle and run some high pressure stuff.
Owned a .45-70 at one point. Could go through two or three boxes in a single shooting session. No problems with the shoulder. I think I also process recoil differently. I would offer to let others shoot it but had few takers. One thing you are definitely right about is the price. They say money talks. When shooting that thing it said goodbye. Think the cheap 300gr loads were about $1.80 a pop. Had 400gr +p loads, I don't want to think about what that cost. They hit like a hammer at 300 yards though.
When you shot the 458 at the plate, you can see it in the slow mo that bullet ricochet nack towards the camera. Pretty cool. Huge fan of 45/70, but since my back surgery they are now just for looking and carressing not shooting. Damn it used to be fun
Great video. Your velocity with the .45-70 indicates you were using H4198 or IMR 4198 minimum powder charges. My reload is 53.7 grains of IMR 4198 under a 300 grain Hornady HP with 2300 fps which equates to over 3500 ft.lbs. of energy. It shoots sub MOA at 100 yards and even with a minimum starting load enough guts for anything you can hunt in North America. It would be interesting to see what a hard cast lead would do instead of the traditional cup and core bullet on steel or any other medium you could imagine. I think it would be unstoppable. Keep bringing 'em, Banana.
if you are going to compare hot 45/70s to the 458 socom, remember that the socom is downloaded to work in the ar platform - and rifle loads for the socom are pretty darn hot
I've been handloading the 45-70 for close to 50 years for any thing from a Trapdoor Springfield, custom built Thompson Contenders, Marlin lever's, to my BFR and Ruger #1. You accidently put one of my Ruger#1 loads in a Trapdoor and you're either going to break it - or get seriously hurt from the flying shrapnel when it comes apart in your face! Point being, the 45-70 can be loaded very close to .458 Win Mag velocities, OR - you can down load it for pistol use as long as you don't get too light on the powder charge and end up with a hang-fire. A little case filler can fix that problem. The 45-70 in a very versatile cartridge and that's the reason it's still popular after 150 years! But it's definitely not going to fit in an AR magazine! Interesting and well done video!
I think you need to re-test the 4570 vs 3/8 steel. The round could have pennetrated if the energy was not reduced by the busted weld on the sled. What do you think?
I dont think it makes any difference will it move freerly while being hit or being welded on place. Isnt that subject already beaten death ? Everything happens just too fast to plate or any target to move before energy is already transfered. But sake of shooting for pleasure you could redo that part if shoulder doesnt disagree.
I have a marlin 45-70 and it is brutal with those stout loads. I find the recoil magnified when shooting from a bench rest for some reason. The recoil seems to be more tolerable when shooting from a standing position where your offhand can grip the forend. Not sure why, but just my observation. Have some fun with the 45-70 and load it with some blackpowder (not substitutes). Lots of fun to do and recoil is tolerable. Also, no kidding, you should look into doing voice over for narrations etc. You have a golden voice tone, so might as well use it to your financial benefit. Just my two cents.
When I think of a 45-70 I think a big game. Know where I can think of. Not even a Africa has any animals with mild steel plate for skin. Therefore, what goes through a steel plane just isn't that interesting. Perhaps it's just me. It's kind of like thinking a drill is better than a screwdriver because they both spin or something I don't know
Had to subscribe… you popped up on my suggested feed 2 days ago. Since then have watched several videos and you are doing all the tests I would love to do myself! All my favorite calibers. I wish I lived in a free state…
cast iron, that will keep breaking on that vise, you need a vise made out of steel, in my opinion. but Hey, we like to see you keep breaking the sleds, LOL. Have an awesomeness day. thanks for the videos, I would have thought the 45-70 would have done more.
I got one made of forged steel instead of cast iron for when this one fully breaks. I really appreciate it and I thought the 45-70 would do more as well.
A simple way to attach the plate: just make 4 holes on each corner of steel. Attach to the cut end of a wood chunk with drywall screws using a cordless drill. Then once it passes through you can check out the bullet for weight retention. Would be more interesting if we knew the type of bullet.
The cracking of the clamp demonstrates a value to the .45-70 Government that many never consider: punching through an object is nice but the vibrational shock damage is also a factor towards disabling the target. It is a favorite of mine so yes, I am biased and yes, I learned early on the value of shoulder padding when using that rifle.
The 458 is no slouch. It will still perform well on dangerous animals but I am glad this video demonstrates that the 45-70 is still a great contender and excellent choice. In event of a bear attack I think the 45-70 would be better for penetration, but the 458 would be better for rapid fire and more rounds on hand. Either one would suffice I believe.
Exactly, I built a tromix .458 socom for hogs just for that purpose. Had a big boar charge me and a friend who both got 9-10 shots of a 5.56 and .300blk and he covered a good 40 yards before he hit the ground. Built the .458 the next day and ordered a magazine that lets me hold more rounds.
Great content! I'd like to see you do the test with the 45/70 vs. 3/8" soft steel plate again. The fact that the back-end piece of the vise that was holding the 3/8" plate in place was cracked and had some give to it may have prevented the slug from penetrating the plate.
If you do some research, that doesn't make any difference. The energy of the round is completely dumped into the steel plate before it even begins to move. A physics guru can show you the math and mechanics.
@@wilsonrawlin8547😂😂😂 Not true. Not even possible. Equal and opposite is always on the same timeline. We've seen how this flex changes things over and over again. Sharpen your pencil and get back to us with some real science kiddo.
Interesting, my 458 SoCom shoots the 300gr at 1958fps, and the 350gr at 1849fps, but your right I am getting about 400fps more out of my Marlin 45-70 with the same bullets.
Great video as usual. I'm a big fan of the .45/70 and load my own ammo since the prices have gone nuts. I have a Springfield cavalry carbine and a Sharps McNelly saddle ring carbine. There is literally nothing that the old .45/70 can't handle on this planet with the proper load.
I think the 45-70 went through the first one because the plate wasn’t allowed to bend due to the shot location. I’d like to see that one again with a fresh plate and center shot placement like the 458
This is the 1st time e wat hing your videos. I am impressed to the point I subscribed. Furthermore, your direct point of testing, knowledge and articulation, manner and method all point to a person who takes his approach seriously. Looking forward to more. Thank you.
I just seen your video and channel. I love both of these rounds. I built a 458 socom a few years ago and have been a fan ever since. I have two rifles in 45/70, maybe my favorite of them all. When the last big ammo shortage happened i started reloading for both. Thanks for the review and video brother. First time i have seen these two rounds side by side. Most definitely worth a Subscription.
Nice job, and it's the good old 45-70 for the win, as it should be. Now if we could just find a 45-70 auto loader, I would love to see a 30 round 45-70 mag.
I remember years ago Tromix tried to build a mag-fed 45-70 semi-auto based on the Saiga .410 shotgun. He just couldn't get reliable feeding with the cartridge.
I built a 458 SOCOM AR and yeah, the recoils is vicious! I added a LimbSaver pad to the MagPul MOE Carbine stock and it still hurts to shoot more than 10 rounds. Hornady 300gr. JSHP, 36gr. of H110, OAL 2.020".
I recently built a 50 beowulf AR and it really helps if you change out the buffer spring to something beefy. I also recommend an actual solid stock instead of something adjustable.
Interesting. I built a 458 upper and frankly, the felt recoil is no worse for me than 5.56 and I hardly have any muzzle jump. I'm shooting ventura munitions 350gr RNFP and using a standard buffer and spring as intended with 458.
Dang, kinda surprised to see that rear jaw already had a crack just from 5.56 and 300 blackout. I figured it would break with something bigger,I’m assuming the 45-70 will do it (i paused the video when you showed the crack), the smart move was making it easily replaceable because just about anything will break once you start smacking those 1/2” plates with some spicier rounds.
@@GalloPazzesco yeah i know i have the same table Vice for small projects. I commented on the first video where he showed it and said something along the lines of that not lasting long. I have ar500 steel targets that broke where the mounting holes are so i knew that Vice wouldn’t hold up long. Just surprised it only took like 4 rounds to break
458 vs 45-70 no question, but the purpose is different. I built a 458 because we had idiots messing with my guards, once the idiot looked down the muzzle he stopped trying to run down my guards and ran over a mailbox to get away. POS didnt come back either. FYI the 458 i built was an Ar15, 10 rd mag. ever get to phoenix, give me a yell!
I've been toying with the idea of a 458 SOCOM. I have a single shot 45-70 and love the thump. I've shot some loads that are for single shot or bolt action guns only that produce around 3900fpe. They are insane in a 7lb rifle.
The area I elk hunt in Montana is really tight and heavily forested and shots are always under 100 yds. I thought the 458 looked useable on paper so I tried it two years ago and it worked just fine. I did go back to my M1A though just in case I got a longer shot and the extra energy is nice to have
For your sled, since you use the same thickness plates each time, I think I'd slot the top (same as the handle, but wider slot) and cut a slot at the bottom that will accomodate your thickest plate. Make a spacer for top and bottom to fill the gap for the thinner plates. You'd need some sort of cotter pin or similar on either side of each spacer to make sure they dont pop out on impact. You could get real fancy and have a slot cut on one side (left or right) of the sled for each spacer so you'd only need to secure one side, making it faster to swap and less parts to lose, but that would probably entail a bit more work. Pretty much anything used for clamping that is adjustable is going to fail. Threads will deform, ball sockets will mushroom, the frame will bend over time, etc. I dont see any "hobby grade" stuff holding up, especially if it doesnt weigh so much as to be impractical.
I grew up with my dad reloading 45-70. The 465gr was the standard military round. Redo that test with the 465gr. I'm betting it will move up to the next thicker plate easy. Wear your shooting jacket with shoulder padding!
@@Hunt_or_Die When it was 1st standardized, replacing the 50-70, it used the 405gr bobo. US Army Ordnance subsequently tested it beyond [practically useless] 500 yds and determined that the 500gr bobo gave it greater range, whereupon that became the standard load. They also came up with a reduced load for cavalry carbines & the cadets at West Point that was a 45-55 using that retained the original 405gr bobo; *that* load is what they should have standardized upon in a shorter OAL that would have fit in a lever-action repeater and then used up until the Krag came along, but nooooo, the Army didn't trust the soldiers not to "waste ammo..." 🙄
@@Hunt_or_Die all of dads dies and load data he had was for 465. He had some other data but preferred to stay with that as he told me that is what it was designed for and worked best. Dad had the original info from the military including original manuals. My brother got all the 45-70s and documents for them when dad passed or I would go review them and provide references. Or find out what he taught me was incorrect.
I was at a public range that allows shooters to set up their own steel. I confused a fellow shooters cheap "ar500" target with community steel and shot it with a 300 win mag woith about 3450 mv. It went through the steel so clean it looked like the hole was from a drill press. No dent, just a perfectly clean hole. Blew my mind.
@@glengrandstaff9695 probly not curious because of more than 40 years of reloading shhoting and extensive testing of all of the above there is just nothing new to learn about it.
@@looseballs1966 I guess you have a point. But I have seen videos on UA-cam comparing the 454 Casull against the 45-70 in Clay blocks and ballistic jell and the 454 Casull matched or out did the 45-70 in terminal damage. Like I stated Just curious. Matters to me how much so called experience one has.
@@glengrandstaff9695 Being around the stuff so long and having used all of the mentioned rounds as well as 460S&W 480 ruger and some others in not only testing in media like you mentioned I have also been an avid hunter for going on 45 years now in Idaho where I live I have seen the effects of said calibers used on dear Elk Moose bear and so on,,,, so no shooting thru steel plate holds no real intrest per say for me,,, morbid curiosity yes a bit but a bullet passing thru steel plate actually realy meens very little in how effective it will do it's job on living creatures.
One of the reasons a 45-70 recoils so bad is the new ones are lighter than the old ones. I have a 1886 Winchester 45-70 made in 1895 ( I checked the serial number ) and although I have never weighed it, my father always claimed it weighs about 9 pounds empty and about 11 pounds fully loaded, it has a full length magazine that holds 9 rounds there is no recoil pad just the original steel butt plate the only time my shoulder hurt was when I found a box of very old ammo with 405 grain bullets and shot the entire box.
Yup the new ones are about 7Lbs BUT they come with generous recoil pads and muzzle devices to mitigate recoil too! Only hard stock, unthreaded barrels hit super hard
The original loading for the 1873 Springfield trapdoor rifle was 405 grains with 70 grains of blackpowder. Hence 45-70, 405. Later the cavalry carbine was loaded with 300 grain bullet with 50-60 grains of blackpowder. I have been loading for the 45-70 since I was 19. I am soon to be 74. I load barnes 250 gr copper to 2,600 fps, (Barnes data) for my my Marlin 1895 Classic. My Shiloh Sharps fires either Lyman 500 or 535 grain bullets at about 1,350 fps. That is a 57 Chevy worth of energy. 45-70 deadly in 1873 and just as deadly in 2023.
Surprisingly, no, I haven't ever wondered what either of those calibers would do on mild steel. And also surprisingly, yes, I did know the 45-70 is significantly more powerful than 458 Socom.
After seeing this, my next rifle will likely be a Henry Model X. Cannot thing of a better woods gun and a great option for when you need more power than 308. Plus lever action sex appeal. Discovered your channel last night and gave you a sub. Keep up the great content and appreciate your attention to detail.
It's all in how you shoulder the weapon , I have owned a number of 45-70's over the years the Browning 1886 carbine, The Marlin 1895 , the Winchester miroku 1886 , the Winchester 1886 light weight rifle , I have shot the Garrett Cartridges and Buffalo Bore etc out of them no problem, in fact I enjoyed it, esp the crescent butt plate.
I once fired 100 rounds from a sporterised .303 Lee Enfield. After that I couldn't shoot any more, even with a 7.62 Parker-Hale sniper rifle. The .303 was mine, the Parker-Hale belonged to the army. Live fire ex, personal weapons allowed. Still, me and the sniper section had a lot of fun. I once fired both barrels of a coachgun together, that hurt too.
my go to .45-70 load is a 350 gr. Hornady RNFP going at 1902 fps w/ 2811 ft/lbs. It's a hammer, but doesn't do a ton of meat damage like the 300 gr. HP bullets do on deer. I've taken 14 deer with that cartridge and it's yet to lose one or even have one go past 30 yards.
So, fun fact i learned on Ians why ar's have buffers. The ar will handle recoil better because the part that touchs your body is in line with the barrel while the lever is at a angle so it makes recoil worse.
I have a Ruger No 1 in 45-70, and you will definitely feel it with "Ruger only" hot loads. I would like to see how the 45-70 does on mild steel with a 500 gr. monolithic solid and a max load of powder.
I confess... I chose the 450 BM over the socom because of ammo cost and availability... Socom almost had me with a wider range of bullet weights and being a better feeding cartridge.
@@AverageHouseHusband idk the whole feeding thing is kinda overrated. I have a 350 legend and a 450 bushmaster both are gas gun builds. I have yet to have either one of them choke on a cartridge. With that said I reload all my own stuff so I have full control over everything. Powder charge, cartridge overall length, the brass is processed with Redding dies and the brass is always trimmed when needed.
@@Johnny-jr2lq Supposedly a standard AR mag will feed 10 458 Socom without incident, 450 BM requires a single stack follower and supposedly doesn't feed much above 5 rounds well. The issue being case diameter and lack of taper, the smaller diameter 450 tries to double stack in the mag.
@@AverageHouseHusband my 7 round dura mags are working great. I have to give it to them there 350 and 450 mags have been flawless for me. But yeah you have a good point there I never really thought about that with the 458. In my particular situation I never even gave 458 a chance. Because I can’t use it for anything other than target practice or home defense. The main reason I own the 350 & 450 is I live in one of those states with stupid hunting laws. So it was just a natural selection of those 2 cartridges.
@@Johnny-jr2lq It wasn't a factor in my state but still came up with the same answer I'm limited in round count so hunting with 10 rounds or more of 458 wasn't an option and a 10 round mag dump of 458 is a bit on the expensive side.
Its like partway between original black powder 45-70 and modern higher pressure smokeless 45-70 for lever actions. Out of the ballpark of thr super spicy 45-70s thats only for single shots, but even the original black powder loads could drop huge animals like bison and bear. Saying its like a lighting 45-70 seems pretty apt to me, and its a damn beastly cartridge.
If you compare it to trapdoor 45-70, it is a better comparison than hot 45-70 loads. Speed is the most important factor of penetration, that is why icepicks like the 5.7 was developed.
Yeah when my son shot my Marlin lever action 45-70 a few years ago he was saying it feels as bad as Grandpa's '03 and I'm thinking it's no where near the hammering that old Springfield '03 will give you but, it definitely has feedback for you!😁
325 grain level evolution is over 2600 feet per second out of my gun. And that's weak sauce out of a 45 70 There's a 380 grain. From Buffalo Moore. Making over forty two hundred foot pounds of energy
Hi, great video. I knew those results already between the 45-70 and 458 socom. I'd love to see the socom and bushmaster comparison. Thanks for the use of your shoulder. I'm 71 and can't do that kind of stuff anymore so "time to grind" will tell tale. Peace!
Poor fellow, you want to save your shoulder LOL. Back about 1968 I had a Marlin lever action in .45-70 and I used 405 grain bullets cooking down range at 2000 ft/sec (hand loads). I called it jokinly my "poor man's elephant gun". But it was not hampered by thich brush and I never needed more than one shot to bag my mule deer. I recall the recoil as strong, but it was manageable for a 17 year old
i'd like to see if helium makes you sound normal
😂😂😂
No amount of "light" gas is going to deflate this tank of testosterone. 🍌
That may be a good idea for 100k subs
To good 🤣
@@bananaballistics take it deeper Argon!!!
The 45-70, still kicking ass 150 years later.
Several years ago I shot an old steel sledgehammer head at 125 yards with a 1944 Kar98k using 1943 Turkish 155gr cupronickel FMJ lead core ammunition. The bullet made a deep crater in the steel, made a nearly perfect 180° ricochet, and struck me on the knuckles of my right hand which was still gripping the stock (my trigger hand). It didn't break any bone but I have 3 scars there now. It felt like someone had just walked up beside me and smacked me across the knuckles with a 2 by 4.
you were very lucky my friend!
@@sdrizawith luck it never would’ve hit him!😂
I built a very light 458 SOCOM [6.5lbs loaded & with optics] with a good muzzle brake to tame the recoil and use 410gr Sub-X heads pushed at 1600fps for my Elk brush/heavy-woods gun... It performed fantastic since the elk aren't armored. 😂 no follow-up shot necessary and the sling options make it easy to carry in a way that provides faster acquisition and less muscle fatige... a real bonus on long walk hunts or rough terrain.
Terminal ballistics and defeating barriers is neat at the bench, but there's far more to be considered for use in the field.
Like always, another great video. No bullshit, no dragged out skits, just straight to the point. Never change your video style
The skits like fake dinosaurs and acting stupid is why I don't watch that one guy
@@justinpennington7682 He's the one channel I don't watch. I prefer the no-nonsense approach when it comes to firearms...
@hanc37 it's annoying. He has some good content within but it takes alot of filtering to get to it
Yeah ok
@@justinpennington7682 facts. This is a serious topic. Don't understand the silly skits and off topic jokes. Just dumb.
I would love to see the difference in 45-70 loads comparing different rounds like 300 grain to 400 to 500 to 730 grain, lead vs solid copper
Yep. I'm thinking a copper solid will punch 3/8.
I too, would be interested in seeing a 300 or 350gr solid copper projectile out of the 458 SOCOM.@@swampcritterisbackbaby1740
Send him a muzzle brake if you want something like that. My shoulder hurts just reading your comment.😂
Don’t forget hard cast.
Yeah 👍👍👍
These new hot 45-70 loads are probaly closer to a 458 win mag than the original 45-70.
Than the original? Of course. Closer? Of course.
But although powerful in its own right, still significantly less.
@@siegfriedhorner4436 Of course, but I didn't say AS powerful. I said closer.
One of my first training rifles was a Springfield Trapdoor Rifle 1873+\- in .45-70 with original gov’t issue black powder loads pushing 450gr lead bullets. It took me awhile to learn to stand up to the recoil and not let it make me take a step or two back.
Had a 1800's Marlin 45-70 34inch octagon barrel. My all time favorite large cal. rifle cartridge.
Sounds like a great setup. Can't imagine carrying that thing around though
Just to clarify….34” barrel or 24” barrel?
Not doubting just trying to wrap my mind around a barrel that long. Lol
@@gavincline209 1874 Sharps Down Under
Did you mean a JM stamped Marlin 1895 LTD III with the 24" octagon barrel in 45-70?
Had? 😔
The "Time to grind!" always cracks me up.
.45-70 has a MASSIVE selection of power levels and bullet types. If you want to bash your shoulder, use a Ruger #1 rifle and run some high pressure stuff.
Owned a .45-70 at one point. Could go through two or three boxes in a single shooting session. No problems with the shoulder. I think I also process recoil differently. I would offer to let others shoot it but had few takers.
One thing you are definitely right about is the price. They say money talks. When shooting that thing it said goodbye. Think the cheap 300gr loads were about $1.80 a pop. Had 400gr +p loads, I don't want to think about what that cost. They hit like a hammer at 300 yards though.
Very neat results! I actually thought the more narrow ogive might give the 458 a chance, but I was wrong. Neat!
When you shot the 458 at the plate, you can see it in the slow mo that bullet ricochet nack towards the camera. Pretty cool. Huge fan of 45/70, but since my back surgery they are now just for looking and carressing not shooting. Damn it used to be fun
I had an American Derringer Alaskan survival model that shot 45-70 & 410, not fun to shoot, but it was fun to watch my friends try it!
My brother had one too. Recoil is, uum, noticable...lol
I'd love to see a test between the 50 Beowulf and the 350 Marlin Magnum! That would be a monster test! I love your channel
Great video. Your velocity with the .45-70 indicates you were using H4198 or IMR 4198 minimum powder charges. My reload is 53.7 grains of IMR 4198 under a 300 grain Hornady HP with 2300 fps which equates to over 3500 ft.lbs. of energy.
It shoots sub MOA at 100 yards and even with a minimum starting load enough guts for anything you can hunt in North America. It would be interesting to see what a hard cast lead would do instead of the traditional cup and core bullet on steel or any other medium you could imagine. I think it would be unstoppable. Keep bringing 'em, Banana.
Almost a DECADE at MidwayUSA? Oh my young friend... I'm glad you like them. I've loved Midway for longer than I can remember. 😊
if you are going to compare hot 45/70s to the 458 socom, remember that the socom is downloaded to work in the ar platform - and rifle loads for the socom are pretty darn hot
I've been handloading the 45-70 for close to 50 years for any thing from a Trapdoor Springfield, custom built Thompson Contenders, Marlin lever's, to my BFR and Ruger #1. You accidently put one of my Ruger#1 loads in a Trapdoor and you're either going to break it - or get seriously hurt from the flying shrapnel when it comes apart in your face!
Point being, the 45-70 can be loaded very close to .458 Win Mag velocities, OR - you can down load it for pistol use as long as you don't get too light on the powder charge and end up with a hang-fire. A little case filler can fix that problem. The 45-70 in a very versatile cartridge and that's the reason it's still popular after 150 years! But it's definitely not going to fit in an AR magazine! Interesting and well done video!
I think you need to re-test the 4570 vs 3/8 steel. The round could have pennetrated if the energy was not reduced by the busted weld on the sled. What do you think?
I dont think it makes any difference will it move freerly while being hit or being welded on place.
Isnt that subject already beaten death ? Everything happens just too fast to plate or any
target to move before energy is already transfered.
But sake of shooting for pleasure you could redo that part if shoulder doesnt disagree.
@@oldbonesbushcraftrodjackso474 I can tell you that a 45-70 will easily go through a half inch of mild steel. I've done it a few times.
I have a marlin 45-70 and it is brutal with those stout loads. I find the recoil magnified when shooting from a bench rest for some reason. The recoil seems to be more tolerable when shooting from a standing position where your offhand can grip the forend. Not sure why, but just my observation.
Have some fun with the 45-70 and load it with some blackpowder (not substitutes). Lots of fun to do and recoil is tolerable.
Also, no kidding, you should look into doing voice over for narrations etc. You have a golden voice tone, so might as well use it to your financial benefit. Just my two cents.
I've always wondered the results of 450 Bushmaster vs 45-70. They are so similar but I think the 45-70 would still have more punch
Especially in a Ruger
No. 1 load in a Ruger No. 1.
45-70 has a lot more ass behind it with the right loadings
@@andrewgates8158definitely some hot loads!
When I think of a 45-70 I think a big game. Know where I can think of. Not even a Africa has any animals with mild steel plate for skin. Therefore, what goes through a steel plane just isn't that interesting. Perhaps it's just me. It's kind of like thinking a drill is better than a screwdriver because they both spin or something I don't know
@@henryettacollins9095 only solution is to head to Africa and shoot a bunch of big game to test?
I love these videos but the steel sled saga is impossible to not love!
100% true on the modern 45-70 rounds. Trap door guns run at lower pressures.
Had to subscribe… you popped up on my suggested feed 2 days ago. Since then have watched several videos and you are doing all the tests I would love to do myself! All my favorite calibers. I wish I lived in a free state…
cast iron, that will keep breaking on that vise, you need a vise made out of steel, in my opinion. but Hey, we like to see you keep breaking the sleds, LOL. Have an awesomeness day. thanks for the videos, I would have thought the 45-70 would have done more.
I got one made of forged steel instead of cast iron for when this one fully breaks. I really appreciate it and I thought the 45-70 would do more as well.
@@bananaballisticsI would suggest wood blocks to wedge the steel plate against the backing. Cheap and when they splinter get another one
A simple way to attach the plate: just make 4 holes on each corner of steel. Attach to the cut end of a wood chunk with drywall screws using a cordless drill. Then once it passes through you can check out the bullet for weight retention. Would be more interesting if we knew the type of bullet.
My favourite gun Channel on UA-cam and the only one I hit the Bell on. Thanks for the great content cheers from Canada 🍻.
The cracking of the clamp demonstrates a value to the .45-70 Government that many never consider: punching through an object is nice but the vibrational shock damage is also a factor towards disabling the target.
It is a favorite of mine so yes, I am biased and yes, I learned early on the value of shoulder padding when using that rifle.
The 458 is no slouch. It will still perform well on dangerous animals but I am glad this video demonstrates that the 45-70 is still a great contender and excellent choice. In event of a bear attack I think the 45-70 would be better for penetration, but the 458 would be better for rapid fire and more rounds on hand. Either one would suffice I believe.
Exactly, I built a tromix .458 socom for hogs just for that purpose. Had a big boar charge me and a friend who both got 9-10 shots of a 5.56 and .300blk and he covered a good 40 yards before he hit the ground. Built the .458 the next day and ordered a magazine that lets me hold more rounds.
300 gr is on the light side of the 45-70. Start sending some 400-500gr bullets and they go through some stuff.
Great content! I'd like to see you do the test with the 45/70 vs. 3/8" soft steel plate again. The fact that the back-end piece of the vise that was holding the 3/8" plate in place was cracked and had some give to it may have prevented the slug from penetrating the plate.
If you do some research, that doesn't make any difference. The energy of the round is completely dumped into the steel plate before it even begins to move. A physics guru can show you the math and mechanics.
@@wilsonrawlin8547😂😂😂 Not true. Not even possible. Equal and opposite is always on the same timeline. We've seen how this flex changes things over and over again. Sharpen your pencil and get back to us with some real science kiddo.
Glad to see you fabricated a better safety shield
Interesting, my 458 SoCom shoots the 300gr at 1958fps, and the 350gr at 1849fps, but your right I am getting about 400fps more out of my Marlin 45-70 with the same bullets.
Thanks for your video, I just bought a 45-70 Henry after watching it!
Great video as usual. I'm a big fan of the .45/70 and load my own ammo since the prices have gone nuts. I have a Springfield cavalry carbine and a Sharps McNelly saddle ring carbine.
There is literally nothing that the old .45/70 can't handle on this planet with the proper load.
Do you cast your own rounds?
Yeah, the price per round has made it a big no go for me.
Great video.
I’d like to see the .50 Beowulf thrown into the mix, Alexander Arms designed it to mimic the 45-70.
Agreed! I'm really interested to see what .50 Beowulf would do in comparison to 45-70.
It is a monster 👺
This is a short video of my Beowulf with and without the Muzzle break.
😂 first shot blew the break off.
ua-cam.com/video/m5C1_0N8zls/v-deo.html
@@ZRaddue
Took two water jugs to the range to test that theory.
405g 45-70 from my Marlin blew the jug up epically.
The 330g .50 Beowulf vaporized it.
I need to get into the 50 Beowulf. Closest thing that I have tested so far is the 500 S&W (video coming soon)
I'd say a 458 would be used to put a huge initial hole in something and the 45-79 to put a huge hole through.
I think the 45-70 went through the first one because the plate wasn’t allowed to bend due to the shot location. I’d like to see that one again with a fresh plate and center shot placement like the 458
Agreed. We have seen the same with the 308 and 7.65.
He did it before on another video and it went through. Also, look how deep it penetrated, far more then 1/4"
My 458 is set up with 10.5" barrel and is show stopper! Love that platform!
This is the 1st time e wat hing your videos. I am impressed to the point I subscribed. Furthermore, your direct point of testing, knowledge and articulation, manner and method all point to a person who takes his approach seriously. Looking forward to more. Thank you.
I just seen your video and channel. I love both of these rounds. I built a 458 socom a few years ago and have been a fan ever since. I have two rifles in 45/70, maybe my favorite of them all. When the last big ammo shortage happened i started reloading for both.
Thanks for the review and video brother. First time i have seen these two rounds side by side. Most definitely worth a Subscription.
Enjoyed that comparison ... shared it with my 458 socom crazed brother. Yeah, I'm sticking with my 45-70.
Every combination of powder and bullet has some function, but I like the idea of 375 SOCOM better than 458.
Nice job, and it's the good old 45-70 for the win, as it should be. Now if we could just find a 45-70 auto loader, I would love to see a 30 round 45-70 mag.
I remember years ago Tromix tried to build a mag-fed 45-70 semi-auto based on the Saiga .410 shotgun. He just couldn't get reliable feeding with the cartridge.
I would be interested in seeing some comparison between the different types of .458 socom ammo. They have some solid copper rounds.
I built a 458 SOCOM AR and yeah, the recoils is vicious! I added a LimbSaver pad to the MagPul MOE Carbine stock and it still hurts to shoot more than 10 rounds.
Hornady 300gr. JSHP, 36gr. of H110, OAL 2.020".
I recently built a 50 beowulf AR and it really helps if you change out the buffer spring to something beefy. I also recommend an actual solid stock instead of something adjustable.
Interesting. I built a 458 upper and frankly, the felt recoil is no worse for me than 5.56 and I hardly have any muzzle jump. I'm shooting ventura munitions 350gr RNFP and using a standard buffer and spring as intended with 458.
You should just weld a slide insert on each side sized for the largest plate you use so that all you have to do is drop the plate in and it's captured
Always great! diggin the tunes.. perfect. I was supprised for the socom actually. The 45/70
Mag was fairly visible that it was hot.
Dang, kinda surprised to see that rear jaw already had a crack just from 5.56 and 300 blackout. I figured it would break with something bigger,I’m assuming the 45-70 will do it (i paused the video when you showed the crack), the smart move was making it easily replaceable because just about anything will break once you start smacking those 1/2” plates with some spicier rounds.
That cracked metal was obviously pot metal. It needs to be rebuilt with forged iron or steel.
@@GalloPazzesco yeah i know i have the same table Vice for small projects. I commented on the first video where he showed it and said something along the lines of that not lasting long.
I have ar500 steel targets that broke where the mounting holes are so i knew that Vice wouldn’t hold up long. Just surprised it only took like 4 rounds to break
always thought an AR in .357 mag would make an ideal CQB, 100yd & in weapon.
458 vs 45-70 no question, but the purpose is different. I built a 458 because we had idiots messing with my guards, once the idiot looked down the muzzle he stopped trying to run down my guards and ran over a mailbox to get away. POS didnt come back either. FYI the 458 i built was an Ar15, 10 rd mag. ever get to phoenix, give me a yell!
Thank you for this comparison, your videos are always instructive!
The 45-70 is my tried and true Alaska brush gun.
I've been toying with the idea of a 458 SOCOM. I have a single shot 45-70 and love the thump. I've shot some loads that are for single shot or bolt action guns only that produce around 3900fpe. They are insane in a 7lb rifle.
The first time I pulled a trigger on a 45-70, I fell in love. I had it tucked in tight to my shoulder and it lifted my elbows off the bench.
One of my favorite cartridges is the 45 70.
I've fired 500 grain solid lead 45-70 loads and those will back you up a step or two.
The area I elk hunt in Montana is really tight and heavily forested and shots are always under 100 yds. I thought the 458 looked useable on paper so I tried it two years ago and it worked just fine. I did go back to my M1A though just in case I got a longer shot and the extra energy is nice to have
For your sled, since you use the same thickness plates each time, I think I'd slot the top (same as the handle, but wider slot) and cut a slot at the bottom that will accomodate your thickest plate. Make a spacer for top and bottom to fill the gap for the thinner plates.
You'd need some sort of cotter pin or similar on either side of each spacer to make sure they dont pop out on impact.
You could get real fancy and have a slot cut on one side (left or right) of the sled for each spacer so you'd only need to secure one side, making it faster to swap and less parts to lose, but that would probably entail a bit more work.
Pretty much anything used for clamping that is adjustable is going to fail. Threads will deform, ball sockets will mushroom, the frame will bend over time, etc. I dont see any "hobby grade" stuff holding up, especially if it doesnt weigh so much as to be impractical.
These are my two largest and favorite guns to shoot. They leave your shouler feeling sore, but it's a good kind of sore, like you've done something.
I grew up with my dad reloading 45-70. The 465gr was the standard military round. Redo that test with the 465gr. I'm betting it will move up to the next thicker plate easy. Wear your shooting jacket with shoulder padding!
They used 465 too? I knew the old black powder guns used 405 grain and 500 grain. The 495 was cavalry and 500 was for infantry.
@@Hunt_or_Die When it was 1st standardized, replacing the 50-70, it used the 405gr bobo. US Army Ordnance subsequently tested it beyond [practically useless] 500 yds and determined that the 500gr bobo gave it greater range, whereupon that became the standard load. They also came up with a reduced load for cavalry carbines & the cadets at West Point that was a 45-55 using that retained the original 405gr bobo; *that* load is what they should have standardized upon in a shorter OAL that would have fit in a lever-action repeater and then used up until the Krag came along, but nooooo, the Army didn't trust the soldiers not to "waste ammo..." 🙄
@@Hunt_or_Die all of dads dies and load data he had was for 465. He had some other data but preferred to stay with that as he told me that is what it was designed for and worked best. Dad had the original info from the military including original manuals. My brother got all the 45-70s and documents for them when dad passed or I would go review them and provide references. Or find out what he taught me was incorrect.
Seems like you would actually lose penetration on steel because of the significant decrease in velocity.
Shot several hot 300gr .45-70 loads off a bag with a brass buttplate (no recoil pad) Henry- I don't recommend it!
I can't imagine it without a buttplate!
That’s very interesting…I thought for sure the SOCOM would make it through a 1/4” plate.
It was close for sure!
I was at a public range that allows shooters to set up their own steel. I confused a fellow shooters cheap "ar500" target with community steel and shot it with a 300 win mag woith about 3450 mv. It went through the steel so clean it looked like the hole was from a drill press. No dent, just a perfectly clean hole. Blew my mind.
2:01 I'm laughing that the brass still flew out 🤣 thanks for the upload dude! Always a good day and content, hope life's well 🙏
Nice test. Had no idea the 45 70 was moving that fast.
Out of a modern gun it's a monster
You give some good content on yt
Not so many do it
I really appreciate it! I try not to put too much fluff in there
Consider comparing the 454 Casull against the 45-70 or 44 magnum on steel.
454 and 44 are both weaker than the 458 socom so what would be the point
@@looseballs1966 Is curiosity enough of a response to you !!!!
@@glengrandstaff9695 probly not curious because of more than 40 years of reloading shhoting and extensive testing of all of the above there is just nothing new to learn about it.
@@looseballs1966 I guess you have a point. But I have seen videos on UA-cam comparing the 454 Casull against the 45-70 in Clay blocks and ballistic jell and the 454 Casull matched or out did the 45-70 in terminal damage. Like I stated Just curious. Matters to me how much so called experience one has.
@@glengrandstaff9695 Being around the stuff so long and having used all of the mentioned rounds as well as 460S&W 480 ruger and some others in not only testing in media like you mentioned I have also been an avid hunter for going on 45 years now in Idaho where I live I have seen the effects of said calibers used on dear Elk Moose bear and so on,,,, so no shooting thru steel plate holds no real intrest per say for me,,, morbid curiosity yes a bit but a bullet passing thru steel plate actually realy meens very little in how effective it will do it's job on living creatures.
150yrs old and still honkin! 👍🍻
GREAT TEST! AS A STONER? with a BP .69 ball , on down to cappers' 44's? Never thought much about recoil? only Hitting! Safe! to shoot again.
the frame @2:06 that shows the entire lead core of that round flying back at the camera lmao
One of the reasons a 45-70 recoils so bad is the new ones are lighter than the old ones. I have a 1886 Winchester 45-70 made in 1895 ( I checked the serial number ) and although I have never weighed it, my father always claimed it weighs about 9 pounds empty and about 11 pounds fully loaded, it has a full length magazine that holds 9 rounds there is no recoil pad just the original steel butt plate the only time my shoulder hurt was when I found a box of very old ammo with 405 grain bullets and shot the entire box.
Yup the new ones are about 7Lbs BUT they come with generous recoil pads and muzzle devices to mitigate recoil too! Only hard stock, unthreaded barrels hit super hard
The original loading for the 1873 Springfield trapdoor rifle was 405 grains with 70 grains of blackpowder. Hence 45-70, 405. Later the cavalry carbine was loaded with 300 grain bullet with 50-60 grains of blackpowder. I have been loading for the 45-70 since I was 19. I am soon to be 74. I load barnes 250 gr copper to 2,600 fps, (Barnes data) for my my Marlin 1895 Classic. My Shiloh Sharps fires either Lyman 500 or 535 grain bullets at about 1,350 fps. That is a 57 Chevy worth of energy. 45-70 deadly in 1873 and just as deadly in 2023.
Surprisingly, no, I haven't ever wondered what either of those calibers would do on mild steel. And also surprisingly, yes, I did know the 45-70 is significantly more powerful than 458 Socom.
After seeing this, my next rifle will likely be a Henry Model X. Cannot thing of a better woods gun and a great option for when you need more power than 308. Plus lever action sex appeal. Discovered your channel last night and gave you a sub. Keep up the great content and appreciate your attention to detail.
Using the AR platform makes thing's over all a lot better for easy of use & price & any after market changes.
There is not a better/easier platform in my opinion as well
It's all in how you shoulder the weapon , I have owned a number of 45-70's over the years the Browning 1886 carbine, The Marlin 1895 , the Winchester miroku 1886 , the Winchester 1886 light weight rifle , I have shot the Garrett Cartridges and Buffalo Bore etc out of them no problem, in fact I enjoyed it, esp the crescent butt plate.
I once fired 100 rounds from a sporterised .303 Lee Enfield. After that I couldn't shoot any more, even with a 7.62 Parker-Hale sniper rifle. The .303 was mine, the Parker-Hale belonged to the army. Live fire ex, personal weapons allowed. Still, me and the sniper section had a lot of fun. I once fired both barrels of a coachgun together, that hurt too.
my go to .45-70 load is a 350 gr. Hornady RNFP going at 1902 fps w/ 2811 ft/lbs. It's a hammer, but doesn't do a ton of meat damage like the 300 gr. HP bullets do on deer. I've taken 14 deer with that cartridge and it's yet to lose one or even have one go past 30 yards.
I would want to see 6.5x55 Swedish, if thats possible :) Love your channel. /Best regards from Sweden
6.5 swed vs 6.5 cuckmoor
@ballsyau1974 And 6.5 PRC too please 👍
@@bokiNYC I'd own anything other than a creedmoor
@@ballsyau1974 Fantastic idea m8,
Midway USA has been my go-to store for over 50 years. And I wished I had a voice it was good as yours don't pay any attention to that helium freak.
Would be interesting to see the socom out of an 18” barrel to test the same barrel lengths
And in a bolt action so it doesn't loose gasses to work the action.
This became an informal test on Harbor Freight vises.
So, fun fact i learned on Ians why ar's have buffers. The ar will handle recoil better because the part that touchs your body is in line with the barrel while the lever is at a angle so it makes recoil worse.
I have a Ruger No 1 in 45-70, and you will definitely feel it with "Ruger only" hot loads. I would like to see how the 45-70 does on mild steel with a 500 gr. monolithic solid and a max load of powder.
Ok, this is very revealing. Over 100 years old and still a tough contender. But these aren't your granddaddy's 45/70 loads, As you pointed out.
I would have used 450 bushmaster over 458 socom. Good video nonetheless
I confess... I chose the 450 BM over the socom because of ammo cost and availability... Socom almost had me with a wider range of bullet weights and being a better feeding cartridge.
@@AverageHouseHusband idk the whole feeding thing is kinda overrated. I have a 350 legend and a 450 bushmaster both are gas gun builds. I have yet to have either one of them choke on a cartridge. With that said I reload all my own stuff so I have full control over everything. Powder charge, cartridge overall length, the brass is processed with Redding dies and the brass is always trimmed when needed.
@@Johnny-jr2lq Supposedly a standard AR mag will feed 10 458 Socom without incident, 450 BM requires a single stack follower and supposedly doesn't feed much above 5 rounds well. The issue being case diameter and lack of taper, the smaller diameter 450 tries to double stack in the mag.
@@AverageHouseHusband my 7 round dura mags are working great. I have to give it to them there 350 and 450 mags have been flawless for me. But yeah you have a good point there I never really thought about that with the 458. In my particular situation I never even gave 458 a chance. Because I can’t use it for anything other than target practice or home defense. The main reason I own the 350 & 450 is I live in one of those states with stupid hunting laws. So it was just a natural selection of those 2 cartridges.
@@Johnny-jr2lq It wasn't a factor in my state but still came up with the same answer I'm limited in round count so hunting with 10 rounds or more of 458 wasn't an option and a 10 round mag dump of 458 is a bit on the expensive side.
The 458 bushmaster is my go to deer/black bear round. Just a good punching round.
Use a 420gr heat treated solid in that 45/70 or some solid brass bullets.
Those heat treated solids are no joke!
Its like partway between original black powder 45-70 and modern higher pressure smokeless 45-70 for lever actions. Out of the ballpark of thr super spicy 45-70s thats only for single shots, but even the original black powder loads could drop huge animals like bison and bear. Saying its like a lighting 45-70 seems pretty apt to me, and its a damn beastly cartridge.
If you compare it to trapdoor 45-70, it is a better comparison than hot 45-70 loads.
Speed is the most important factor of penetration, that is why icepicks like the 5.7 was developed.
Why would you intentionally neuter a gun to black powder equivalent loads
Try the 454 casual out of the 20in rosi carbine versus 45-70
300gr for both
Yeah when my son shot my Marlin lever action 45-70 a few years ago he was saying it feels as bad as Grandpa's '03 and I'm thinking it's no where near the hammering that old Springfield '03 will give you but, it definitely has feedback for you!😁
Try 500 Automax. Buffalo Bore has a 400 grain at 2,050 fps and a 350 grain at 2,300 fps at 4,110 ft lbs.
325 grain level evolution is over 2600 feet per second out of my gun. And that's weak sauce out of a 45 70 There's a 380 grain. From Buffalo Moore. Making over forty two hundred foot pounds of energy
@poorfatman5317 I just looked at Buffalo Bore ammo, the hottest 45-70 they offer is 3678 ft lbs energy.
That round is absolutely insane. The closest I have to test (out of the ar-10) is the 45 raptor which is only doing about 3,500 ft/lbs
I'd like to see comparasion between 'enemies in ww2'
30-06 vs 7.92x57 mauser
Or .50AE vs .500 s&w magnum
45/70 is a beast in the no -trapdoor variety.
I'd love to see this reshot with solid copper 458
Hi, great video. I knew those results already between the 45-70 and 458 socom. I'd love to see the socom and bushmaster comparison. Thanks for the use of your shoulder. I'm 71 and can't do that kind of stuff anymore so "time to grind" will tell tale. Peace!
Poor fellow, you want to save your shoulder LOL. Back about 1968 I had a Marlin lever action in .45-70 and I used 405 grain bullets cooking down range at 2000 ft/sec (hand loads). I called it jokinly my "poor man's elephant gun". But it was not hampered by thich brush and I never needed more than one shot to bag my mule deer. I recall the recoil as strong, but it was manageable for a 17 year old
“Kids, don’t try this at home!” 😱