As of this year, my go-to hunting rifle sported a silencer, polymer stock, aftermarket raised cheekpiece, and a bipod. Everywhere I went, I toted a fancy GPS-based range finder on my smartphone that was being fed data by a slick little weather station. But there’s a part of me, probably dressed in some James Purdy breeches, that thinks I should hit the reset button and get back to the guns of my predecessors. You know the guns I’m talking about. Rich walnut, blued receivers, and cartridges that can’t spell the word bottleneck. Uberti, in an attempt to help me get into those breeches, has introduced the 1885 High Wall Big Game Rifle in .45-70 . . .
John Browning created the 1885 at the advanced age of 23, and its just oozes history. Uberti has taken an old horse and updated it every so slightly to keep up with the times, but the heritage really shines through.
The High Wall Big Game Rifle is a bit of a departure from the High Walls that Uberti marketed last year. They sport a slightly shorter barrel at twenty-two inches and (gulp) a Picatinny rail for mounting your favorite optic. To help you get your eye oriented with the optic, Uberti has reprofiled the stock with a bit more rise.
Typically, the High Walls are offered in the “buffalo” cartridges, .45-70, .45-90, and .45-120. The Big Game Rifle will be only offered in .45-70. And if you hate the rail, it can be removed in favor of a traditional dovetail rear sight that matches up nicely with the crisp front post.
Uberti claims a weight of 6.4 pounds. On the floor, it handled very well, and I’d imagine that any scope that gets fitted on this rifle will be a low power model that will help you snap the gun to the shoulder and put it on target quickly. I managed to cycle the action a few times and dry fire, and it seems to have a pretty decent trigger with a buttery smooth action. The wood and metal work looks absolutely fantastic. Did I mention that the front sight is set far enough back to get it allow the barrel to be threaded for a silencer? MSRP is $1119, but street prices should hopefully be a touch lower.
Beautiful rifle!
Yep, a beautiful wood-and-steel single-shot rifle like that just needs an EOTech clamped on that Pic rail, to REALLY hook all the traditionalist gun buyers…
The 1913 rail on top looks out of place, you need it drill and tapped with a 2 foot long brass optic. 🙂
Now you’re talking!
Like so… http://www.dixiegunworks.com/product_info.php?products_id=4040
I’m sure dyspeptic gunsmith could make it happen 😉
Silencer on a 45-70? That’s just wrong.
I know, but I too am under the wicked spell of modernity (yeah, I hate that word too) and don’t even consider firearms I can’t muffle anymore. Hopefully it’s a bad dream.
If suppressing a .45-70 is wrong, I don’t want to be right.
Too many expenses, too many guns. Not enough money to enjoy them all. A high wall has been on my list for a long time.
What about a Sharps in 45-70?? That would be a cool one.
The “pic” is an artist’s rendering. I think real pics would really sell it. It is a nice rfle. I’m stuck in black, but very greatful to see the relief’d front sight / optic rail options.
Why can’t Uberti or Browning or Winchester make 1885 rifles chambered for some of our current hunting standards again. I’d love a highwall in 30-06, 270, 7 Mag or 300 WM. Or, even some intermediate carts like a low wall 30-30 or 35 rem,… OOH!! or a stainless Highwall.
Ruger No. 1
I am pretty sure you cannot get a front sight threaded.
“Did I mention that the front sight is set far enough back to get it threaded for a silencer?”
Fixed it for you
“Did I mention that the front sight is set far enough back to allow the barrel to be threaded for a silencer?”
Fixed. Thank you.
You don’t buy a rifle like this for the wanker rails and cans. Doing so should result in immediate points removal from your man card.
Exactly. Thank you for saying what needs said.
The proper sights for this are either a simple front post and a barrel-mounted buckhorn sight for the rear, or a Soule’ rear sight mounted on the receiver tang, and a globe front sight.
Scopes, wanker rails and holo sights on a 19th century falling block-style rifle (or Remington rolling block, etc) should be considered an affront to morality and decency.
Or a Lyman.
Hiram P Maxim would disagree.
Maybe a nice carbon-fiber stock and forend?
Wait, wait….how about a side-folder?
These Skinner sights should fill the bill:
http://www.skinnersights.com/browning_30.html
I have a 1915 vintage Low Wall. Mine is the standard model, 26″ octagonal barrel with a slight taper, dovetailed fine blade front sight, and semi-buckhorn rear. Stocks are uncheckered walnut, receiver, barrel and crescent buttplate retain about 50% of original finish, balance with a nice patina. Bore is perfect.
Handling characteristics of this lovely old rifle are remarkable. It points better than anything I own.
But it is chambered in .32 WCF (.32-20) so finding ammunition is a problem.
I think a modern handgun cartridge such as .357 Magnum, or .327 Fed. Mag. would be a good match for these rifles.
A browning falling block is on my list for someday. Such a great design.
*Purdey
Never left my roots. Marlin 336 30-30 with a 3-9 Nikon. Never let me down, never left me wanting.
The 45-70 is extremely effective at range with the right loadings. Most loadings are light to protect antiques, and have resultant low velocities (<1700 fps), but in a modern arm, like this Uberti or the Marlin Guide Gun, pressures of up to 50,000 cup are safe with velocities up to 2700 fps and have a massive effect on large game down to 1700 fps. For deer and medium game, the lighter loads will easily drop a deer at 200 yards.
I wonder what a hot hand load with one of the psuedo spitzer bullets from Hornady would do?
In my youth if you could even find .45-70 it was loaded to old school army specs for the black powder load. 405 grain lead ball at a very sedate velocity. There were still a lot of trapdoor springfields about in those days and that wasn’t the strongest of actions.
But now. The wide variety of modern guns chambered in that round has opened up a whole new world.
If I lived in big bear country I wouldn’t hesitate to pack a Guide Gun as my edc.
Hi Mark,
I recently bought a Uberti Big Game Carbine in .45-70. You sure it can withstand 50,000 cup. I would like to reload for it and would like some info on maximum overall cartridge length for this particular rifle. Manual says don’t reload at all. U se only commercially available ammo.
Shoot it like it was meant to be shot no scope, put a tang sight on it and
use black powder and your good to 800 to 1000 yrds.
Long time ago I handled a Browning like this, which had a tight clearance between the external hammer and the scope for your thumb. Thought that made using it in the field a little inconvenient. Beautiful gun and the type of thing I would like to go hunting with (if I still hunted). Its nice to see something here besides the “playing Army” types of equipment.
Ridge
I want to know if the uberti 1885 4570 big game rifle can it shoot the high pressure loads just like the Ruger number 1 can the Barnes reloading manual shows 55000 PSI is uberti 1885 safe to shoot with these high pressure loads
I am looking at a new double sabatti 92 4570 can you shoot the loads mint far the Marlin at 42000 PSI are can you shoot the loads mint for a Ruger number 1 at 55000 PSI are will it only shoot the old trap door load at 28,000 PSI I do not want to blow up a $3,000 gun
Has anyone tried shooting 4570 with the cutting-edge bullets I would like to know how well they penetrated they make a 250 grain a 270 grain a 325 grain a370 grain and a 400 grain solid all for 4570 lever action has anyone out there tried loading and shooting any of these cutting-edge bullets
All bullets from cutting-edge bullets for 4570 are made from Brass if you need reloading Data call 814-345-60690 ext 304 I would like to hear from anyone that use these bullets own game like deer and hogs and Bear an elk and moose please tell us how well they work