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Hi all im seriously thinking about getting a marlin sbl in .45/70 but can anyone tell me how much ammo is and if ammo is hard to find for this gun.

you'll need to reload really for this calibre

As above and it can be hard to find cases for it too (at a reasonable price)

I have seen Wentworth stocking .45/70:

http://www.wentworth-sporting.com

You'll struggle to find a reliable source of this ammunition. As others have said, handloading is the way forward.

Cases
Dauntsey Guns
Starline (4 packs in stock) @ £55,00 per 100 (starline make goood brass, I've used them for .38spl/.357mag with no problems):
http://www.dauntseyguns.co.uk/products.php?cat=59210

Boolit
Henry Krank
GM Lead 405gr Boolit @ £17,50 per 100
http://www.henrykrank.com/index.php?mai ... ts_id=5954

You could reduce cost by casting them yourself, if you're into that sort of thing.

I've had no problem getting brass (Starline).

I bought factory Remington 405gr expanding from Wentworth but he was selling me ammo he'd bought-in with a secondhand gun. Whether he stocks it regularly is another matter.

Hand loading, ideally casting your own, is the way to go.

They are nice little guns but read around the whole Post-Remington takeover before you buy. MarlinOwners forum has lots of info.

Hunting or target?

Why is 45-70 difficult to source? Obviously, it can be comparatively pricey, but Winchester, Remington and Hornady all make it, in a variety of bullet weights, and, here at least, it's readily available. Do the dealers in the UK not carry them because of low demand, or something else?

Browning_grrl wrote:Why is 45-70 difficult to source? Obviously, it can be comparatively pricey, but Winchester, Remington and Hornady all make it, in a variety of bullet weights, and, here at least, it's readily available. Do the dealers in the UK not carry them because of low demand, or something else?

Pretty much down to low demand. Whereas the .45-70 is ideal for big game hunting across your side of the pond there is no game this side where the .45-70 offers more advantage compared to the likes of .308 and .30'06 has to offer. It's not really a viable target round as such and the only rifles chambered in this tend to be either the Marlin's or Sharp's rifles. These aren't really popular so therefore the loaded ammunition is not as available as one would hope.

If using a light, lever action rifle to shoot it, you'll also find it also hurts quite a lot.

User702 wrote:If using a light, lever action rifle to shoot it, you'll also find it also hurts quite a lot.

That is putting it very mildly. Try imagining shoulder-firing a 75mm howitzer, is more like it......