[sirdarksoul]

I've been reading about the .45-70 lever action carbines. Given a choice for a long range, heavy damage, can kill anything on the North American continent rifle and tossing out the difference in price...would you choose the .45-70 carbine or a Moisin-Nagant? Why?

 

[Swiftytheavenger]

The lever action definately has a place on its own. But theres a few reasons why the US Army never adopted it regularly. (1. you cant lay prone) I'd much rather have the nagant. Many friends have nagants. Im very familar with the gun, I know what it can and cannot do. Simo didnt have lever actions in Finland.

 

[dcliffhanger]

The Lever action WAS standard in other armies.

It was an approved style in ours until the end of the CW, and one of the reasons Custer was massicred was due to the stripping of his unit of the Spencer carbines they had been using as issue standard for more than 10 years.

Jeff Coopper used to play a game at the Gunsight Raven school, pitting one of his well trained lever action shooters against people with AK and M16 units in the combat course. Generally scared the hell out of the AW users.

Some of my family members own AW types, but ALL of them own a 30-30 lever gun. It's in the family rulebook.

 

[SR33 practical tactical]

.45-70 drops like a rock at long range

 

[lailr]

Get a 7mm or a .300 mag, both work well at LOOOOOOONG range

 

[NDS]

I figure if they're more than 500 yards away I don't need to worry about them. If they have the equipment to reach me from that far away, It's probably time for me to move on...
For 500 yards or less but more distance than what an AR/AK is best for:

 

[SamStafford]

MN all the way!!! :yes:

 

[SHOOTER Z]

I want one of these

 

[SamStafford]

Whoo...big loop on that one. Isn't that the kind you can trill around to reload with one hand? :thinking:

 

[godlessdustin]

Found one for sale not too far from here. Kinda exspensive though and only a four shot magazine.

http://www.armslist.com/viewpost.aspx?post=8605&fromloc=ok&fromcat=guns&fromsub=ok

 

[devilsjackpot]

Dude, I love "The Rifleman". I watch it anytime I come across it.

If I may make a suggestion. Go with a 308.

It's got plenty of oomph to get out to 500 yards (just gotta know your drop and adjust accordingly).
It will punch through any close cover easily (lots at long range too) i.e. walls, car doors, body armor, helmets (blue ones to be specific), etc. etc.
It's a short throw bolt so the rifle is fairly compact.
It's a super popular cartridge so in a SHTF or TEOTWAWKI situation it should be plentiful (i.e. abandoned gas station or walmart in rural America)
Their are multiple reliable platforms for it. M1A, FAL, CETME, AR-10 (DPMS, ARMA, etc. etc.) or savage if you got the dough.
It's just shy of what the 7.62 russian will do.
It's a nato round so you can buy surplus. Plus the surplus isn't corrosive (don't quote me)

In my opinion 308 reigns supreme as far as a battle rifle is concerned.

Here.
http://www.rguns.net/rifles/rifles-semiauto-ar15-complete-308.shtml

Of course, your in line behind me. I placed my order months ago.

 

[ghooge2008]

the big hoop is for cold climates....so your glovwes will wit in the hoop, eskimo's use em'!

 

[Rhodes]

308 in any reliable platform.../thread.

 

[adherna]

My .280rem (7mm express) reaches wwwwwaaaaayyyyyyyy out there accurately. My 45-70 target rifle will reache out there too. But in a SHTF I would much rather have the .280.

 

[zaostar2]

While the lever actions are nice I'd have to go with the mosin nagant myself ..
Advantages to the mosin are:
1. Shoot farther and more accurate at long distances than the 45-70.
2. Cheaper ammo and easier to find ammo .
3. Has been battle proven in all conditions .
4. Less parts to fail on you and if a part does fail you can find part easily for the mosin .

 

[98pointsix]

Balistics on 7.62X39 are superior to 45-70 and 30-30 past 100 yards So I would choose a SKS over any Lever action other than a 308 but those are few and far between and it has superior capacity and norinco's are really accurate, mine out shoots my Marlin 336 allday. The only advantage a leveraction has is they are easier to get a solid optic mounted.

 

[47_MasoN_47]

Really, I figure anybody past 150-200 yards I should be able to get closer to them (or let them get closer to me) or should be able to sneak away. I don't see myself attacking somebody, or something for that matter, past 200 yards. On the occasion I needed to do such a thing, I'd probably use a Mosin, but other than that my AK or soon-to-be-here-I-freaking-hope M4 should do.

 

[SamStafford]

Mauser 8mm and MNs forever!!! Gets the job done RIGHT in the first place. :yes:

 

[Rhodes]

As far as bolt actions go, they have their own problems. Mosins tend to get that stuck bolt problem when shooting rapid fire.

As for ballistics the 7.62x39 round is close to a 30-30 not superior. it was designed for closer quarters than the OP asked.

30-06 is fine but the only common MBR using it is the Garand and it can have issues, serious issues, with commercial ammo unless modified.

308/7.62 NATO is really the only way to go unless you are getting into specialty applications. I set up my converted SAIGA 308 in a scout configuration and am very pleased. Its good out past 500M, easy to find ammo, and a good 2MOA shooter with just plain Silver Bear ammo. Base rifle runs about 400.00 which doesnt suck either. The AK pattern really is damn near impossible to break and can be field stripped in the dark by a small child.

 

[Pathfinder]

My main contention on it is, it doesnt matter what you use of a SHTF situation.

Just know what you have, and practice practice and practice.

Know the limitations of it, and the strengths.

Heck you could use a .22 for a SHTF situation, think of all the ammo you can carry.