Rossi R95 954570201 45-70 Gov’t

The 45-70 Government cartridge has been in constant use since 1873. The U.S. military adopted the round and used it until 1892, while the cartridge’s sporting use for hunting and competition has been uninterrupted to this day. That says a lot about the performance and reliability of the 45-70. There are better cartridges that are flatter shooting and have more downrange power at long distances, but with a modern lever-action rifle, the 45-70’s sweet spot is close to 100 yards. Depending on the ammo, if your rifle is equipped with an optic, and your shooting ability allows, you might be able to squeeze out effective shots to 200 yards. Lever-action rifles chambered in the round are popular with hunters in states that require a straight-wall cartridge and for hunters who want a lot bang to get the buck. Or wild boar or black bear. Large game is in the 45-70’s portfolio at the right distance.

The Marlin 1881 was the first successful lever-action to be chambered in the 45-70, but many more are available today. We tested four, starting with a slightly used new manufacture Winchester Model 1886 Extra Light, a Taylor’s 1886 Journey made by Pedersoli, and a Taylor’s 1886 Ridge Runner Takedown made by Chiappa. While these three lever actions are based on the Model 1886, they all have distinct differences. We also tested a Marlin clone, a Rossi R95. 

The obvious common denominators with these rifles are the chamberings, action types, and tubular magazines. All rifles were loaded via a loading gate on the side of the receiver, and we could top off the magazines on all of these rifles as shots were fired by pushing rounds into the magazine tube as we went. Barrel lengths varied from 18.5 inches to 22 inches. Weight across the board was slightly more than 7 pounds. All came equipped with iron sights. The Rossi is drilled and tapped for mounting an optic, and the Pedersoli and Chiappa remakes feature open sights and a section of rail for a forward-mounted optic. The Winchester is drilled and tapped for a side-mounted peep sight. 

We tested all four rifles with open sights at 50 yards, with a range bag for support. For ammunition, we selected Hornady LEVERevolution rounds with 250-grain FTX bullets, Winchester Super-X 300-grain jacketed hollow points, and Federal Fusion 300-grain soft points. The Winchester and Federal cartridges are more traditional 45-70 loads, with muzzle velocities in these rifles that ranged from 1737 fps to 1953 fps. The Hornady round is made specifically for tubular-magazine lever-action rifles. The 250-grain FTX bullet uses a more tapered bullet profile with an elastomer Flex Tip, so the cartridges play nice together in the magazine tube. When touching the primer of the cartridge in front of it, the Flex Tip ensures the rounds won’t go off under recoil. And there is some recoil with these rifles. Extra weight is a good thing when touching off these big bores. Muzzle velocities with the Hornady round ranged from 1935 fps to 2100 fps. 

We also fired the rifles off hand to judge the smoothness of their actions and their ability to provide a fast follow-up shot. In our opinion, any of these rifles would work as a hunting rifle, and after we collected the empty brass, we found a real bargain, a safe queen, an odd duck, and a pricey nice-to-have rifle. Here are the specifics. 

Rossi R95 954570201 45-70 Gov’t

$645

Gun Tests grade: A [BEST BUY]

The R95 is a rugged 45-70 at a great price. It is accurate, comes optics ready, and can be customized. We’d buy this one for sure

In 2024 Rossi introduced the R95 lever action chambered in 45-70. This is a traditionally-styled lever-gun design based on the Marlin Model 1895. Our sample had a black-oxide finish that was well executed. The wood stock and fore end are textured in the gripping areas. The wood is not nearly as nice as the Winchester Extra Light’s, but it was still pleasing. The pistol-grip stock has a thick rubber recoil pad that does its job well. The edges of the pad were rounded, so it does not snag on clothing when the R95 is shouldered. Sling studs are included.

What separated the Marlin and Winchester back in the day, and to this day, is the Marlin ejects empties out the side of the receiver. This means an optic can be attached to the top of the receiver, and for that, Rossi has drilled and tapped the receiver. Rossi sells a Picatinny rail ($40 @ ShopRossi.com) that allows mounting of a scope. The company also sells a mount and Sightmark red dot ($260 @ ShopRossi.com). The same LPVO scope you have on your AR-15 would be ideal for the R95. Provided iron sights consist of a drift-adjustable front post and elevation-adjustable buckhorn rear sight, traditional lever-action sights that are serviceable. 

The trigger pull at 5.1 pounds was just okay; serviceable at best. The hammer had plenty of texture for secure cocking, and it had a traditional half-cock position between fully forward and fully cocked. The cross-bolt safety, another wart in our opinion, can be used only when the hammer is fully cocked. It blocks the trigger and hammer. It is best practice to set the gun to Safe when unloading the rifle. A good practice when unloading any tube-fed magazine lever action is to make sure your trigger finger is outside the lever loop, not inside the trigger guard, when you cycle live ammo through the rifle as you unload it.

The loading gate was easy to use, though pushing cartridges into the tube was not as smooth as with the other rifles, but it was still easy. The R95 holds six rounds, and all rounds were easy to load, with no pinched thumbs.

The R95 uses a different extractor than the Marlin. Marlin owners know the original extractors were a bent piece of metal that snapped around the bolt and were prone to bending. The R95 fixes that issue by using an AR-15 type of extractor that is sturdier and more robust. The R95 spat out empties with authority directly to the user’s right side.

Shouldering the R95, you can feel the extra muzzle weight of the 20-inch barrel. This rifle was the heavyweight of the group, weighing 7.8 pounds loaded. A heavy 45-70 rifle is a good thing because the weight helps with recoil management.

Going hot at the range, we found the Rossi had game. The best three-shot group at 50 yards measured 0.67 inch with the Winchester Super-X ammo. The best groups with the Hornady and Federal fodder were 1.58 and 1.27 inches, respectively. Overall average accuracy across all ammo was 1.68 inches. We know the average group size would shrink with an optic.

We slowly worked the lever to cause a jam, and we were able to only do it once. After that one time, the R95 functioned well, whether working the lever slow or fast. 

In the fast-follow-up-shot test, the muzzle-heavy R95 kept us on target and allowed us to get back in the black with more speed. The lever was smooth, better than the Extra Light, but not as slick as the two Taylor’s 1886 rifles, we believe. The length of pull (LOP) was 14 inches, allowing us to work the lever fast without reaching too far out on the forward stroke of the lever. The fore end was thick in hand, reminding us of the Marlins of yore.

While the R95 has a traditional Lonesome Dove style, aftermarket products by Ranger Point Precision (RangerPointStore.com) allow the R95 to be converted into a Terminator-style lever-action with a metal adjustable stock, aluminum handguard fore end with M-Lok slots, and more.

Our Team Said: The R95 handled well and was accurate. We liked the ability to mount a scope or red dot. There are aftermarket parts to accessorize the R95 the way you want it. The counter price is much less than the other rifles, making it a Best Buy. This is the 45-70 lever action to choose if you want to hunt hard and not worry about dinging up a safe queen.

To collect accuracy data, we fired three-shot groups from a bench using a rest. Distance: 50 yards with open sights. We recorded velocities and energy using a Garmin Xero C1 Pro Chronograph. 

Written and photographed by Robert Sadowski, using evaluations from Gun Tests Team members. GT