CVA Scout 45-70

[kyotekiller25]

Went to the Bi-Mart this morning and wandered over to the sporting goods section for a bit. Came home with a nice little CVA Scout in 45-70. It has a 25" barrel with a brake. The wife asked what in the world do you need that for, elephants? I got a good laugh out of that. I've always liked the 45-70 for it's nostalgic factor. Don't really have a use for it, other than I just wanted it. Good enough for me anyway! But I figured I could use it for just about anything in NA and it'd make a great brush/timber rifle for deer/elk/bear. I've got 3# of IMR4198 stashed away. Probably use the Hornady 300g HPs for plinking, and the Speer 400g SP for hunting. See about putting the Burris 4-14x on it in some Warne rings. Picked up a box of Hornady 325g FTX to get sighted in and have the brass for later. After some research, looks like Hornady uses shorter brass and requires Hornady dies. I'm not a fan of Hornady dies. So I'll be buying a set of RCBS dies and Starline brass. If anyone has a set of RCBS dies and some 4570 brass they're looking to get rid of, let me know please!

 

[std7mag]

The Hornady brass is shorter to allow the tipped bullets the same COAL as non-tipped bullets to fit & function from a magazine.

I picked up a Henry single shot in 45-70 last year. Picked up a way too expensive box of Federal for the brass afterwards.

Whatever Federal is using for powder, it's a flake and dirty as all get!!!

I'm reloading with 300gr Sierra HP over a charge of Vihtavouri N130.
Much cleaner, and I can hunt anything in PA with this load.

 

[TC260]

i shot a 45-70 a little bit as a kid but never really warmed up to the round. Picked up an Encore barrel with a few boxes of Hornady subsonics at a good price right before deer season last year. Had fun shooting it and made a couple hunts with it, planning to make a few more hunts with it this year.

Edit…forgot to say I’ve hunted a lot with a CVA 35 Rem for our primitive weapons seasons. Bought it used as a beater for hunting in the swamps and ended up liking it quite well.

 

[ISS]

Every one should own at least two 45-70's, a single shot and a lever action repeater.

Neat little peashooter you got there!

 

[kyotekiller25]

Is it neccesary to crimp these for a single shot? I wouldn't think so, but figured I'd ask to make sure

 

[long40shot]

I want one.

 

[kyotekiller25]

I want one.

Do it!!! For $350 you can't beat it. All the reviews have been stellar. Great accuracy,trigger, and recoil pad. Build quality is good. Use Bergara barrels. What's not to like?!

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

I have a new in the box Knight kp1 45/70. Figured it could be a backup elk rifle, have 4 boxes of Barnes 300 gr ammo. It's pretty light, should carry well. Has glow irons, I have a new Knight scope ring set up. Someday I will get around to shooting it. Hoping here in 'sota, the 45/70 would be legalized for farmland deer zone.

 

[Ranger188]

Glad you went for it.
Didn't break the bank and now you'll never say, I wish I would have bought that.
I've always wanted a 458 Win mag. Have no use for it, just wanted to have one
and shoot it..

 

[dellet]

Don’t believe everything you read.
I have seen Hornady brass both short and normal, measure first before you get all worked up. First I’ve heard that you need to use Hornady dies.

No need to worry about crimping unless your really compressing powder, load to your chamber, like any other cartridge.

Just enjoy it.

 

[450BM]

When my son turned 18 he wanted to buy his first rifle and this is what he chose because it was different than anything either of us had. His is blued without the brake and he paid $250 “out the door”! I ended up buying a stainless in 44 mag a couple yeas later because I wanted a 44 mag rifle. Both have very good triggers, comfortable to carry and shoot and accurate. Neither of us are disappointed.

I loaded up some fun/plinking load for the 45-70 with a cast 330 gr and Blue Dot. When he wants something that thumps him I’ll load some 500gr cast with 3031. I hate recoil but this is more of a push than a kick and not uncomfortable to shoot. It’s really fun to shoot steel at 300 yards with either load.

I have 80 pieces of the shorter Hornady brass. If I remember correctly (and I may not be) it didn’t crimp well in my Lee factory crimp die. They are designed for a set length of brass and with he Hornady being shorter it isn’t far enough in the die to crimp on the mouth.

 

[Orr89rocz]

I shoot both the 300 hp hornady and speer 400 in my 458 win. Both good rounds, very effective on deer lol
Barnes 300 ttsx socom bullet is awesome too and extremely accurate. I loaded mine down with accurate 2015. Ive run 4198 in the 300 hp but it became hard to find so i run N120 now and it seems to be identical. Love big bores

 

[kyotekiller25]

Does anyone know for sure know what levels you can load these up to? It doesn't specify in the manual. However, my best guess and from research is that it should be able to handle the Ruger #1 loads. The reason I say that is because they chamber these in 35 Whelan. If I recall the 35 Whelan can be loaded up to 52K CUP, or 62K PSI. So the rifle/action should be able to handle the pressures from a max loaded 45-70 I would think, no?

The #1 loads say they are rated to 50K CUP, so that is still lower than the 35 Whelan. The 1895 lever loads are rated to 40K CUP. The extra 300fps jump with the 350s with the #1 data would be kind of fun I think.

The differnece is 350g at 1900fps with 45g IMR4198 in the 1895 loads, or 2200fps at 53g for the #1 loads.

I know the extra speed is definitely not neccesary for anything other than tearing your shoulder and eye retinas apart, but my wife always said I was a glutton for punishment and learn the hard way, so there's that haha.

 

[Fire Dog]

When my son turned 18 he wanted to buy his first rifle and this is what he chose because it was different than anything either of us had. His is blued without the brake and he paid $250 “out the door”! I ended up buying a stainless in 44 mag a couple yeas later because I wanted a 44 mag rifle. Both have very good triggers, comfortable to carry and shoot and accurate. Neither of us are disappointed.

I loaded up some fun/plinking load for the 45-70 with a cast 330 gr and Blue Dot. When he wants something that thumps him I’ll load some 500gr cast with 3031. I hate recoil but this is more of a push than a kick and not uncomfortable to shoot. It’s really fun to shoot steel at 300 yards with either load.

I have 80 pieces of the shorter Hornady brass. If I remember correctly (and I may not be) it didn’t crimp well in my Lee factory crimp die. They are designed for a set length of brass and with he Hornady being shorter it isn’t far enough in the die to crimp on the mouth.

Your post brought back my days of youth and loading for my Remington rolling block 45-70 with cast bullets. I had one mould that cast 350gr & another that cast those 500gr ones.
It was a hoot to take it out to the desert and shoot it at about 2’000 + yards as there was a large hill that had a patch of white powder that marked impact.
Just put the ladder sight up to get the range {barrel now at about 20*-30* up hill} and fire… You had time to look up and wait to see the impact..!
It didn’t start out very fast but it did not slow down very much either…!
Sort of like a freight train rather than an express.
I shot a 12” stump once with those 500gr’s at about 20 feet and it when clean through and about 4” into the dirt behind..! That was delivering a lot of knock down power!

 

[troper]

converted mine to 45 cal smokeless muzzle loader with hankins HIS ignition system
275 grain Pittman at 2400 fps

 

[kyotekiller25]

Got the Burris 4-14x mounted up in some leupold rings. If I was a betting man, I'd say the factory picatinny rail on this is going to be the weak link. It's pretty cheesy, and to be honest these Leupold rings aren't a whole lot better...I got everything degreased and torqued to specs, so we'll sight in and see how the mounting system holds up over a box or two of shells. If all else fails, I'll just end up ordering a DNZ mount for it.

 

[koger]

I have the same rifle with DNZ mounts from the factory. It shoots sub 1" 3 shot groups, from 350 gr cast HPs to 540 gr Postells, with a Unique powder load behind them that duplicates BP velocities. It will do the same with a 300 gr JHP or 405 gr JSP loaded to the max. I have 3 buddies that have bought them they like mine so well. I have 8 45/70's and have shot one for over 40 years, never had one that was not accurate. Easy to load for as well.

 

[kyotekiller25]

Nice!! I scrapped the factory rail and leupold rings. Ordered a DNZ mount last week. Should be here today. Hopefully hit the range in the morning.

 

[dvraa]

Can't tell you what your action is good for. I have 3 45/70's, a 1895 that I've had since 1976, a Henry Yellow Boy, and a BFR with a 10-1/2" barrel. I shoot a 300 grn jhp over 60 grains of H-4198 in my 1895. At 15' it averaged 2488 fps. The BFR is my everyday carry and I ve taken 7 coyotes with it, it's incredibly accurate.

 

[Nomosendero2]

Does anyone know for sure know what levels you can load these up to? It doesn't specify in the manual. However, my best guess and from research is that it should be able to handle the Ruger #1 loads. The reason I say that is because they chamber these in 35 Whelan. If I recall the 35 Whelan can be loaded up to 52K CUP, or 62K PSI. So the rifle/action should be able to handle the pressures from a max loaded 45-70 I would think, no?

The #1 loads say they are rated to 50K CUP, so that is still lower than the 35 Whelan. The 1895 lever loads are rated to 40K CUP. The extra 300fps jump with the 350s with the #1 data would be kind of fun I think.

The differnece is 350g at 1900fps with 45g IMR4198 in the 1895 loads, or 2200fps at 53g for the #1 loads.

I know the extra speed is definitely not neccesary for anything other than tearing your shoulder and eye retinas apart, but my wife always said I was a glutton for punishment and learn the hard way, so there's that haha.

I just bought a Scout in 360 BH, very accurate. I can see where it is strong, more so than a Marlin Lever for example but I don't see it as being as strong as a Number 1, not close actually. I have a 257 Wea. and 264 WM in the Nuber 1, very strong.
With a break open, the diameter of the case head is a big deal. There is a factor called back thrust, 62K PSI
on a larger diameter case head means a lot more stress on the action.
Please research and add slowly. I think you will find a point well below that pressure level where the action will be hard to open. I would load in the Marlin lever range and SLOWLY work up.